Hey all!!

Heres the new thread for December!!

Wow!! can hardley believe x-mas is just around the corner.. With the holidays approaching, means more challenges are ahead..

So lets stay strong and make this thread as lively as ever supporting one another through the long road ahead!!

Thanks for creating the December thread, Jeni!!

I'm excited the holidays are here - but it is one of the busiest times of the year, at work, for me. I signed up for Tae Kwondo and just got my uniform yesterday!!! :wink2: My challenge over the holidays is to stay within 1500 calories, and make time to work out despite the BUSY work schedule.

What's your main challenge going to be??

We can do it though!!!!!!!!!!:thumbup:

First of all welcome to the group!!!

My challenge was to lose 10lbs by jan 2009...

I also want to get back in gear with my workout.. its been struggling to only 2 times a week id like to kick it up to 4-6 times per week... And make sure to get 10-15,000 steps per day..

Also want to go back to making sure im getting all my protien intake again.. the past two weeks i have been kind of lacking in that department..

I'm going to see a plastic surgeon for a consult on saturday.. Im going to see what he thinks i should still lose before i should have surgery.. also wanted to get and idea of how much it will cost me!!!

(and another huge challenge which will be the hardest.. stay away from the christmas cookies!!!)

Jeni and Tab,

My challenge is to work out consistently and not give in to other pressures, like home work or socializing.

I tell myself I'll hit the gym hard once school is finished but that's still 4 months away. I can do better.

Today is spin class. Tomorrow is a run in the morning. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are gym days. I'm going to take Saturday or Sunday off, maybe. Perhaps I'll just do cardio...I'm working all weekend and there's a gym next to my work area. Really, my office shares a wall with it.

Also, I want to drink my Water and get rid of sugar again. So those are my three. Water, no sugar and working out.

I would so like to lose another 20 pounds before April when I have surgery. But I've been saying that forever. I really need to buckle down.

You guys have setup some really really good goals. I think yoy have inspired me to try to set up some new ones. I did make a appointment with the orthopedic doctor. My knee hurts all the time and I can't sleep at night. I just can't do the excerise that I need to, to lose weight. I hope she has some answers I'm really tired of this pain all the time. I want to do the fun stuff, I'm still to young to just hang it up.

Thanks for all the inspiration guys.

Carol

Hi All, just checking in. Feeling kind of anxious today. Just thinking about the last 30 pounds to lose to be at goal weight. Scheduled myself for a fill on 12/11/08, the last for the year. I so want to lose about 10lb myself this month. Haven't had any luck the last 2months in doing so. Atleast going to the gym helped keep me from gaining more if I had not gone.

Need to keep off the scale, stressing myself out when I don't see the numbers go down. Looked at myself in the mirror and said, "I look fat. I've got to lose some weight". Now I feel like someone who have just put on weight rather than just loss some weight.

Well, good luck to us all. Let's see who has lost the most at the end of the month. This should motivate us all.

Whitepants - You have done SO WELL - Only 30lbs to go?? WOW - you should be proud. And I am willing to bet that most people who see you, wouldnt consider you fat!!! On those days that you feel fat and anxious, try pulling out one of the pants or shirts you wore prior to the lapband. Putting that on might help you get your spirits back up and the real perspective. I know it definitely helps me!!

Carol - Let us know how it goes with the doctor. Hoping everything is OK

Everyone has such great goals!! Good luck to everyone on their goal!!! Yesterday I went for Tae Kwondo and came back home EXHAUSTED - I barely had energy to stuff my face with dinner - before just CRASHING and sleeping through the next morning.

How's everyone doing so far? Day 2 in December. On track?

AAHHHH.. I DID REALLY BAD TODAY.. I PRACTICALLY HAD NO PROTIEN AND ALL JUNK food.. SWEETS....!! '

iwas so busy today i didnt have time for anything... and i did the whole thing of lets grab whatever is around.. and since its so close to christmas all our patients brought us a whole bunch of goodies today.. i know its no excuse..

but i promise ill do better tommorrow!!!

Good Evening All, thanks for the kind words. I do have an outfit I put on to see how far I have come. And I find it hard to believe that I once fit it. By the end of Dec. I hope to buy another set of clothes. They're just the basic color pants, black, brown, navy and gray. Since I wear a sweater (security blanket) at work, I can get away w/ my tops being loose.

Went to the gym tonite, step aerobics class had a good workout. Now to add one more gym day, making gym 4 days a week.

Today I felt some restriction, but wanted something to eat about 2 hours later. Wasn't hungry, didn't want a snack, just wanted something to eat. Had a banana and some applesauce. Did not curve my appetite, just got in my fruits for the day. Had 2oz of fish and 4oz of veggies. Had a cheese sandwich for dinner.

Well, good nite to everyone.

Monday I did spin. Yesterday I did go to the gym and workout before heading to Cincinnati.

But yesterday I ate a buffet. Why? Because I let someone else pick the spot. I want to say I didn't overeat, but I did. I had some serious Desserts too. Notice the s on the end of that.

But today is a new day. I'm back in the game. I'm eating veggies and Protein. I'm drinking my Water and tea.

I'll be in the gym at 3:30. Today is strength training with only 20 minutes of cardio. Chest and tris.

The PS in Cincy, is my choice, I'm nearly 100% sure. I like what he had to say, his confidence too. He didn't suggest breast implants. He said, "You like the size of your breasts, right?" and I replied, "as a matter of fact I do." But he will revise my reduction because I have weird tissue on the side and they have bottomed out.

He said his TT and lower body lift will enhance my thighs to the point that I probably won't need to have them done. So there you go. Now I need to find 20K to get it all done.

I don't think my sugah baby is going pay for it, but that would be a dream.

Also, I have to lose 20 by April. I just do for my own sake. He's fine with my weight where it is.

Good Evening All,

Juli, I so envy you in looking into Plastic Surgery. That's the part of this weight loss that concerns me most. Right now it's only sagging skin w/ some firness still. It's not jiggling like before when I didn't take my exercise seriously.

I too have gone back to eating Protein and veggies. I have my carbs at nite, but only 2oz when I do. In doing some reading it says it's best to eat carbsduring the early part of the day. For digesting purposes. Drinking more Water up to about 3 glasses and tea about 2x a day. So I'm getting

Did see a 2lbs weight loss. Tha's encouraging for me. Now to work on those 8lbs.

Continued good luck to all.

AAHHHH.. I DID REALLY BAD TODAY.. I PRACTICALLY HAD NO PROTIEN AND ALL JUNK food.. SWEETS....!! '

iwas so busy today i didnt have time for anything... and i did the whole thing of lets grab whatever is around.. and since its so close to christmas all our patients brought us a whole bunch of goodies today.. i know its no excuse..

but i promise ill do better tommorrow!!!

Did yoi do better today, Jeni?? :thumbup:

My day today was good. Tomorrow will be TOUGH!!! I have to take a client to lunch (I dont like eating out because I cant control my calories well) and I have happy hour with the team in the evening.

My challenge for tomorrow is:

a) Stay within 1500 calories by checking the calories of the food at the restaurants in Advance

:cursing: Dont drink Alcohol at Happy Hour

c) Work out - Tae Kwondo -

I know, LOFTY goals - wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Hello Everyone,

Well it sure has been interesting the second time around. For one thing I have the new APL 14cc belt. It took forever to fill, but I am at just under 7cc's and feeling some restriction thank god!!!!

Remember you guys, how those first few months the weight kinda melts off, then you have to exercise, well I am not melting.

I have not gained anything but I am only down 4 lbs since surgery and I am 3 months out almost.

But all is well, I just joined Zumba dancing to say I love it would be a understatement. It is awesome, it is a huge fad right now.

It is a cross between salsa and belly dancing it is a massive workout. Seriously you can burn upwards of 1000 calories in an hour.

I am going to do a one month stint at Curves too. I Pb'd just a tiny wee bit tonight and I was sooooo happy. I know, I know I certainly don't want to lose my band again, I am not really tight life is good.

Julie congrats on finding a doc, sounds great about the thighs too!

Tabithan welcome, better late then never!

Carol hope that knee gets better real fast.

Jeni you set a great goal, I am sure you will do it.

Mamma Lampert do you buy christmas gifts for all those kids & grandkids?

Kythera it is so nice to hear from you, I enjoy reading your posts.

it is snowing like crazy here in Michigan it's pretty though!

Good Moring To All. Have a great and successful Day.

Janine: it's good to hear from you and how you're saying it's interesting the second time around. This time around you'll know all the right ways to get to your goal.

That Zumba sounds interesting. That moving all of you at once. Also a mind exercise too, remembering which body part to move and when. Keep in sync and making it look smooth.

Well, keep us informed.

Janine, Good to hear from you. Glad your doing good. Keep us posted.

Good day to all.

Mamma Lampert do you buy christmas gifts for all those kids & grandkids?

So good to hear from you, Janine--and everyone else as well! I've been super busy with work (our busiest season) so haven't been posting at all. I'm in Vail, CO for our Board of Trustees meeting--after this and the holidays things will settle down for me (I hope).

Everyone is doing so well--I'm happy for all of you. I'm continuing my very slow but sure weight loss and I'm fine with that. I feel like a "normal" person now--whatever that is! But I'm not embarrassed anymore at meetings like this or in public. I'm still overweight but not obese and I'm happy about that. Wearing size 14 jeans (after 2X's) feels wonderful. I feel that my adjustment is finally where it should be--I have to eat slowly and chew very well, can't eat in the morning before drinking something warm/hot, and am limited throughout the day and evening to less than a cup of food. So life is good!

To answer your question, Janine, this year is an "off" year for our family--all 25 of us were together last year and hopefully will be again next year but we have to share with the in-laws, you know. So this year only 4 of our children and one grandchild will be with us. We always buy matching pajamas for Christmas Eve and those have been sent to everyone. I bought each family a little Christmas decoration (it's a cute stuffed snowman that has embroidery on it that says "Families are Forever because Love Never Melts"). Then I always buy children's books for the kids and the grandkids--we are collectors of such. Other than that, probably a few things under the tree for those actually here on Christmas morning but that's it this year. I love my little swivel sweeper and the kids covet in when they visit so if I can justify it, I'll send each family one of those but that's just on my wish list. Pretty simple this year (thank goodness!).

So just a wordy checkin to my Marchie friends. Keep up the good work and have a wonderful holiday season! Karen