10 pounds in a month is doable, but is definitely going to be a challenge! As for myself, I'm definitely behind where I had hoped to be at this point. I hoped to be down to 250 by the end of the month, but I weighed in at 255 this morning. I need to step up my exercise a bit to get myself back on track.

Welcome Christina! It's always great to see new Traineo'ers around... and now you've taken the first step towards a healthy lifestyle

Thanks for pointing this out Maxwell - I'll definitely be adding it to my dashboard!

I'm in Alaska also, and at least where I live, the tap water is amazing. My wife and I argue about this a lot, because she insists on drinking bottled water because she says it tastes better. I finally made her do a blind taste test, and she picked the tap water!

I'm not familiar with PBwiki, but I'd definitely be interested in helping out - sounds like a fun project!

What Tom says is very true. Find a time that you can commit yourself to. I find that working out first thing in the morning works out well for me, because it forces me to just get up and do it. If I wait until after work, there are other things that need to be done that get in the way - bills to pay, TV to watch, etc. If I just get up and exercise in the morning, there are no dumb excuses holding me back.

I keep a 32 oz water bottle on my desk at work, and I usually fill it up 3 or 4 times a day. And like KM said above, I have to make frequent trips to the restroom



I agree that it makes me feel much better, and helps keep the hunger attacks at bay.

Thanks Callum, I'll have to give this a try.

Welcome Brianna!



Wow, it sounds like you have made some amazing progress so far - good for you! It's always nice to see new faces around here. Keep up the great work!

I need to get back on track also. I've been stuck at 258 since after Thanksgiving. My goal is to be down to 250 by the end of January.

Raymond - first of all just let me say, thank you for your service.



It sounds like you have some good motivation for losing a few pounds. If you need any more, I'd be happy to help!

I've been on a plateau at 258 during the holidays, but now that's all over, I'm confident that I'll be able to get back on track.

Thanks for posting another great article. I've always believed that you are as happy as you want to be.

I agree completely - a diet is for the short term, but making the decision to be healthy is a life long choice.

I'm excited about giving this a go. Fred, I'll have to check and see if any of the local races have a "Clydesdale" category, as I'm a pretty big guy myself. I live in a much smaller city than Chicago (Anchorage, AK), so I may be out of luck in that area, but it will still be fun!

Wow, that sounds like quite the place to work - I'm jealous now

Sorry to hear you had troubles over the holidays KM, but it's good to see that you have recognized it, and are stepping up to take back control. I managed to not gain any weight over the holidays, but I've been on a plateau for over a month now.



Welcome back!

Thanks for the link to FitDay Jennie, I think I'm going to give that a try...

I'm a bit of a tech nut myself. I don't have a Wii yet, but I can't wait to get one. My birthday is at the end of this month, and I keep dropping hints to my wife....

Not a problem Jennie, you deserve recognition for your goal too!



With the holidays and such, I've hit a bit of a plateau myself. I've been stuck at 258 (13 pounds down) for well over a month now. With the holidays over, I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get back "on the wagon".



Great job everyone, and thanks for the encouragement. That's what makes this site so great!

I just got a new shuffle for Christmas. It's great for working out, and I've got it loaded up with lots of rock - AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith, Rolling Stones...



I like my music loud and fast when I'm working out.

The thing I've found, at least for myself, is that if the temptation is there, I have trouble staying away. If it's not there, I'm fine. With junk food (especially chocolate), if I've got a bunch at the house, I'll end up snacking on it. But when none is around, it really doesn't bother me. I don't sit around and think "oh my gosh, I need some candy NOW!"



That being said, I know some people have worse cravings than me. So if simply removing the temptation doesn't do it for you, find things to take your mind off food. Many people snack when they are bored, not because they are hungry. I think this was said above, but drink lots of water throughout the day. It helps make your stomach feel full, and helps cut down on snacking.

Yep, it's the sad truth - the place you want to lose fat the most is the last place it comes off

I managed to do the same Paul - I didn't lose any weight over the holidays, but I didn't gain any either. Considering all the great food and other temptations that have been around me, I consider that a victory!

I agree KM. If I have a bad day or two, jumping on the scale and seeing the numbers is what motivates me to get back on track.



Good luck Heather!

My office was crazy this week. Every day people were bringing in cookies, fudge, toffee, caramel corn, and just about anything else you can think of that's not good for you. Like Jennie said about, I just did my best to avoid the areas where all the goodies were laid out.



Yesterday, we did a big potluck for lunch, and while just about everyone else brought sweets, I brought a big veggie tray.

I've had the same pair of headphones for years that I use for exercising. Like Vrinda said, I don't want to spend a lot on headphones for the gym. They are cheap earbuds, but they loop around the top of your ears so you don't have to worry about them falling out when exercising.

Nice poem



I have the same problem - when I'm at work all day, I usually don't have too much trouble with snacking and overeating, but when I'm at home all day, it can be much more difficult.



My wife brought home a gingerbread house kit from Costco that we put together this weekend. I did my best to not gorge myself, but I did have a little more than I should have.



This coming week is going to be difficult. Let's all do our best to tough it out together!

Great job KM, you've been making some amazing progress!

I haven't tried out a pedometer at work, but I'm sure my step count would be much closer to yours than to your husband's. I work at a desk all day too (I'm a web designer), so I don't get much walking in. I've noticed that a few people at work just walk laps around the inside of our building during their breaks. I've been thinking about trying it - 15 minutes of walking twice a day is not a whole lot, but better than nothing.