woo hoo IAKG ... and you had pizza this week too!

fzzy, I can relate. I think it's all part of gaining confidence and accepting who you are, as well as knowing that your weight doesn't define you but is a part of you that you can control. I've found it to be incredibly free-ing when I can admit to people how much all these curves really add up to and that I'm now taking control of them and changing them. There's no point in continuing to punish ourselves for where we let our bodies go in the past, but we can only hold our heads high and be proud of the path we are paving for our futures now.

(who was that girl typing ^^^???) :)

Did you take it where I hope you did? :eek: OMG that would hurt! lmfao

We're proud of you too, you know. (((((Lil)))))

Thanks again everyone!!! I have to confess that when I got in the car this morning, I hoped it wasn't just a fluke last night, but the belt buckled right up and off I went to work .... it feels so good to have hit this goal and now be on my way to the next .... (as Lil mentioned), that hit me this morning, that I need to come up with that new goal to reach, something that there will be no doubt about when it is reached. Luckily I have a nice long weekend to ponder upon that. :)

IAKG -- wonderful about your weight loss from this past week ... and that you are so close to that milestone/marker for yourself - we'll be doing the happy dance with you when you hit it .... (happy dance across america???) LOL!

thanks maddy, and great positive outlook you're showing to us!!! :)

I just got off the treadmill - did 1.6 miles in 30 minutes. My heels/achilles tendon area was really aching tonight so I cut it shorter than I would have liked. If anyone can recommend a good stretch I'd like to give it a try.

I would suggest that you stretch after periods of rest before you start up on it. Pointing toes out and flexing them back even using a towel or scarf or pair of pantyhose to help pull your toes towards you.

make sure you stretch the muscle out before and after ... otherwise you can get shin splints (sp??) or tendonitis ... neither is any fun.

But congrats on how well you are doing with the walking!

Ending my day now ... did well enough calories a bit toward the high end of my range, but they usually are on Fridays.

Just got off the treadmill about 20 minutes ago - did 1.6 miles in 30 minutes again tonight.

I'm retaining water and am not sure why - but wish it would go away. My weight hasn't really moved much all week and this morning I couldn't get one of my rings on. It normally is pretty snug but this morning it just wasn't going on. I just finished in the Hut today and don't think I've had any additional sodium this week, so am slightly frustrated.

maddy ... sorry about the water retention, sometimes when just starting on an exercise program that can happen, it is a temporary thing the body isn't sure what the change is about and so will keep water to protect itself, just in case ... again, if that is what is happening, it is a temporary thing! great job with the exercising!!!

Maddy, if you've not yet checked out the exercise forums on WW Online, I suggest it. I've been doing some reading there when I can, and I've learned a lot. One of the things mentioned frequently is exactly as you describe. Make sure, too, that you're constantly drinking water all of the time--that's one of the suggestions I've seen.

((maddy))

You added extra excercise this week too. I would not expect to see weight loss. Muscle weighs more than fat and you are mid conversion. I hate water retention. Mkaes me feel like a bloated cow :D

(((((maddy))))) ~~ trust that in the end the exercise is a good thing. But yes, you will retain water for a while. I'm trusting in the exercise regimen, too. I just wish we lived closer so we could do it together!

As for me....three good days (calorie wise) last week, followed byt he last 2 days of no workouts and bad eating (calorie wise). I've been cramping and tired...think I'm just burnt out from work and life. Because I've felt so close to the edge (stress wise) I've not been berating myself. I'm going to focus this weekend on trying to feel *rested* and *happy* and not so much on my calories. I will, however, still work out tomorrow....exercise gets my endorphins flowing, which is a good thing.

Thanks for the consistent feedback. I wasn't aware of the exercise/water retention link. I guess I have never paid this close of attention to my body before.

I will definitely stick the exercise as I do believe it will be necessary for me to lose the weight - eating habits alone won't get me there. Not to mention I need to do something to re-tone my skin as my body shrinks.

But as Lilith so elegantly put it, I feel like a bloated cow.

:D I cheat. I was having lots of swollen joints a couple years ago and they put me on water pills. It helps but I still get puffy.

The scale seems to be moving in the right direction but my official weekly weigh in is not til Monday.

I peeked at the scale again this morning before I showered - and it seems to finally have moved. After venting here about my water retention my body must have got the message and let some go. I haven't tried to put my rings on yet today.

I also went and found the spreadsheet of weights and measurements I kept when I was going to Curves in 2004. I'm currently at a lower weight. It took me about 4 months to accomplish a 16 lb weight loss with Curves (I didn't make any eating changes at the time). I'm close to doing that with eating changes in less than 2 months. Of course there is likely some argument that I was losing slower because of the muscle buildup. At the end of the day though, I couldn't stick to that routine for more than 4 months - so hopefully this is more sustaining.

I am like 500 calories over for the day. :( One dinner out with tons of olive oil was enough to just blow the other good choices out of the water. Oh well. Tomorrow is another day.