Mike,



I think the changes occurred before day 1... when you finally told yourself that you're going to do eat better.

It's there that something clicked.



That's what happened for me. My change was so simple and straightfoward that I can not understand why everyone can't do it... but then I realize.... the hard part is the decision to do it.

Clearance racks have been my ally for the past year.



I haven't been lifting... I'm all fat loss... so my clothes were getting too big. I went from a 44 pant to a 38 pant and the 38's are starting to get a little odd fitting. My shirts went from the tent like XXXL to just a single XL.



I consider wearing ill fitting clothing a right of passage.



Just be sure to maintain at least one set of proper dress clothes for visiting customers and stuff like that.

I'm leaning more toward the "mind your own" side of things.



You can also try pointing and laughing at her while she eats.



(She'll probably appreciate that better than having her friends create posts discussing her on the internet. )



Too harsh? I'm being serious, because what helped realize that I was fat was when an acquaintance pointed at my gut and made a joke, "you're obviously no stranger to the buffet." That got me to realize what I looked like. What then got me started was a company contest to lose weight.



Ultimately it's your friend's choice. You know her better than any of us... so you should know what motivates her better than us. So far the only thing we know is she might be motivated by food. And something tells me that offering her a sandwich if she loses 20# isn't going to work.

I think it's important to cheat once in awhile. My "diet" is not temporary... it's how I intend to live from now on. So I see no sense in avoiding foods that I find delcious permanently.



I just have to keep those special meals in perspective to make sure that I don't regress into eating the way that I was that put me near weighing 300#.

I say you don't have enough data.

Like said before... weigh yourself at the same time in the morning.

Your hydration level can vary your weight by quite a bit.

Keep at it. Make sure you're not cheating.

Enjoy.

It's a Planet Fitness.

I weigh in daily. In the morning, before consuming anything.

A Happy meal is all an adult should eat at McD's... with a diet coke or water... (That still freaks me out)



Try to eat at home or foods from home. Eat frequently - but smaller meals. Don't go out hungry.



If you do eat out, modify your order. Fruit instead of fries... broth instead of cream soup... no appetizers... no desserts... no sugar drinks... no alcohol...



Easier said then done? Yeah... especially because we've (American's at least) have been conditioned from marketing and society to crave the four food groups: fat, salt, breading, and corn syrup.

Delicious! (Seriously... the old Rick - would wait in line to order and eat a deep fried piece-o cheesecake, now it just seems like a horendous idea)

That's why there's Traineo!

Intend on keeping a reasonable goal and a permanent lifestyle.

Short term goals are good, but should serve as benchmarks that will eventually lead to a permanent healthy life.



1 to 2 pounds a week is healthy, doable, accessable goal. More than that and you risk starvation, crashing, and a likelihood to not meet any goal.



Track what you eat and what you burn throughout the day. Maintain the right caloric deficit and you'll be on the road to your two sizes.

Oh man... I'm debating cancelling my gym membership.

Hey look a shiny!!! <runs away>

I like my gym's price... $10/mo. Is so cheap!

Good stuff here.



I've plateaued (sp?) but my problem is that I've all but stopped the healthy part. My trips to the gym have stopped and my diet isn't as good as it was when I started.



I am still not as bad as I was and I'm digligent about what I'm eating now so that I at least don't regress.

It's malarchy. A bit of sensationlism attached to something mundane in hopes to add a little ironic shock to the folks that would otherwise ignore their drink o' choice.



Do SOME people justify their super size meals because they got a diet Coke... I'd say that's very likely. But that has nothing to do with the Coke.

I have found that my tastes have changed a little bit.

I had to learn to like new things. Asparagus, sweet potatos, green beans, snap peas... a short list of things that I'd rather just replace with a second burger.



I have become a big fan of spices. Spices help make some of the non-meat items a lot more palatable.

I don't suggest rubbing everything in Cayenne until you can't reach for the tums fast enough.

Just get creative with it so those chicken breasts a few days in a row do not get old.



Just remember to mix it up.

You can't change them. Don't try. Don't worry.

They may even resent you if you do try.

Eventually you will get more friends. Friends that are on the same path as you are.

I'll call shenanigans on that one.



Huge subsidies on meat is supposed to mean that meat is cheaper for the consumer than plants?!?



This argument needs more support. Not saying it's wrong... just not supported with the information given.



I'll say eating healthy is cheaper.

Doritos cost $10 trillion bajillion dollars.

Not eating Doritos... free.

I win.



Eating a supersized Bigity Fat Mac Meal with Fat Fries and a 55gal drum o' Coke costs $6?

Eating the brown bagged lean turkey sammich on rye with a banana, or yogurt and cup o' water... probably around $2 tops, but even at $3 I'm still winning and not partaking in the caloric intake necessary to maintain the weight of a large horse with its own weight problems.



I do say that eating out is expensive and expansive. The biggest contributor to my weight loss has been avoiding restaurants. It made my wallet happy too.

Your goal is fine. You might even find for yourself that you can do more than that from the start.

Have at it, and strive to make your new healthy lifestyle your permanent healthy lifestyle. You should then achieve your goal and make your new goal not to go back.

I have a question... how much of the increased obesity is in part of political correctness in society has asked that we accept obesity?



In the 80's, there was McDonalds-Doritos-Twinkies-and-Coke and there were two fat kids in school. And they got called fat, they were teased, pointed at and picked last in kickball.



Today McDorikie-ola is still there and the fat kids in school are the norm. People are told not to point and laugh at them. They have feelings, and probably can't help that they are genetically inclined to have enormous gut or are too poor to afford vegetables and are forced to eat Crisco for lunch and dammit fried cheese curds is healthfood too.



Are we killing ourselves with kindness so to speak? Maybe we need to demonize obesity.... to some degree.

Oh geez. Some of these lists are scary.



1. People using cell phones at the gym. It's my peeve. Probably not justifiable since someone talking shouldn't matter, but whatever. Hang up.



2. People jockeying their vehicles to get a good parking spot. Usually SUV's. Often while on the phone. People should be fighting for the far spots. The walk does count for something.



3. The guy that thinks they own a piece of gear for the duration they are in the building. I've only seen one guy do this. And it's a good thing it's only one guy. He does four reps. Walks away for ten minutes then runs back to kick off some kid who decided to use the unattended machine.



4. Gyms where the treadmills and stuff face in to the gym instead of facing out the windows. It's better watching a collection of EscaCheraVues fight for the "good" parking spot with the background song that is some lady's phone call than to watch some territorial jock guard his weight bench.

You need a good dielectric bond for it to work accurately.

Basically if your skin is dry it will read a lot higher.



After a shower it should read more accurately.