Hey, run4life, glad the post hit home. You must be the reason I was compelled to leave it to start with.

Welcome back BKTUNA, glad you enjoyed the trip AND got back to business.

Job discussion went well today...thinking an offer is in the works...after 7 years of not working gotta say I am a bit excited and scared at the same time. Will probably be sleepless for the next night or two as I think through this next phase of life...will take strength not to lean on food and drink to process thoughts. I'm hoping my workouts will relieve any decision related stress.

Glad to see more posts today. Hang in all.

Hey 9'ners!!!

I am so happy to see everyone plugging away!!!  I have had a stomach bug for the last couple days so workouts have been nil, but I am still working out really clean.  

Hope everyone is doing well.  Keep posting everyone it motivates me sooo much!!!

Cant wait to see the before and after pics of the group!  It will be good to put a face to the name :)

Take Care

~Natalie

Hi guys, good to hear from everyone.

BKTUNA, how where the slopes? Quite a bit warmer here and not as much snow as usual. Hope it was still good for ya!

TMastro, Here's hoping the very best for your new possible work situation.

run4life, I am also hitting the road for the next four days. Always a challenge. But most of my food is packed with me, along with my running shoes. Arizona sunshine here I come!

Natalie, hope you are feeling better soon. I'ts so hard to WANT to be doing it right, and not being able to.  - Right Francine?! (how is the injury doing?)

Before and after picts..... hmmm don't know if mine will look much different. But I know I FEEL different about myself! That's all good, even if it doesn't show up in a photo! My husband has noticed enough change in my shape that he is now thinking he'll try working out with me several times week. And he has quit drinking Dr. Pepper everyday! So THERE"S some improvement I can SEE!

Keep up the good work guys! It feels like just sliding into home from here.

Sherene

Boy oh boy did I eat bad on Wednesday! Punished myself on the treadmill  yesterday, felt good to workout so hard but I don't think  all the bad food I consumed really cared....LOL

Best of luck in the job hunt Tmastro

Natalie---Hope that you get better soon. I know that there is alot off stuff going around right now and  it is never fun being sick

hang in there 9ers, we are alomost there!

Happy Friday, 9ers! Still hanging in there? I feel like I've veered a little off course since I joined the Moms Triathlon training group.. basically 6 days a week of bike, jog, or swim, so I've stopped the weights the past two weeks.. I am falling asleep by 930 at night, I feel so tired! And I'm still eating Vegan.. cannot believe my husband and I have lasted this long. We are going on a Napa and Vegas trip at the end of the 12 weeks, so I'm not sure what meat (if any) I'll add back, since I don't want tummy trouble while vacationing! Anywho, I'm down from 173 lbs to 159 lbs, with 9 to go, so hoping I can crank it up these last few weeks. Keep at it, and have a great weekend!

Hey guys!!! Still hanging in here and eating really healthy.  I went for a long walk last night to loosen up the joints.  I am going to start working out again really hard tomorrow.  I am going to try to give the last couple weeks my all!!!

@cgtexas: you are my hero!!! congrats on the weight loss and eating vegan!!!

@tmaestro: Hope you get the offer!!! Good luck!!!  Working is fun haha... well thats just what I tell myself every morning LOL!!!

@SSM: glad your man is off the soda!! That stuff is sooo calorie filled.  I actually got really upset bc in my  state of sickness I drank a couple glass of regular 7-up only to realize that I had consumed about 500 calories!!!  I was out at the market buying Sprite zero in no Time!!!

Alrighty everyone off to a meeting :) joys of working LOL!!!

take care and have a strong and healthy weekend!!!

~Natalie

Morning 9er's!!!!

The music fest weekend was a challenge on the diet, but exercise was no prob -  dancing is cardio, right?

I'm back from a week in the ATL.  Sorry I haven't posted, but it was that kind of week.  Monday and Tuesday were great with diet and exercise, but I had a couple of days with really high "empty calories/simplex carb" intake (read:Vodka).  

I did receive several unsolicited comments from my colleagues and am the new poster child for healthy living and spent 30 minutes at dinner gushing about BFL to one of my bosses who was interested.

Bart - Not sure about the restless nights, but perhaps your metabolism is giving you a little more energy.  As for the treadmill, Now is the perfect time to jump on Craig's List or the newspaper and look for a used one.  People are getting discouraged with their new year's resolutions and should have some good buys.

MomO4 - Great goal to be tone, that's the real benefit of getting healthy.  1 lb of fat takes up 3x more space than 1 lb of muscle, burn the fat/build the muscle, the rest will follow.  

TMast - Crank on, Man.  You are a motivation, for sure.

I am a little nervous about my digging project.  It is coming to an end in a couple of weeks, so I may have to go back to the old P90X video...so boring!  I did it from memory this week at the hotel gym.  The good news is that I have obliques and a 4 pack showing and am sticking by the credo that abs are the new pecs...

OK, good to chime in, I'm down for my bluberry and cottage cheese breakfast, then laying some block.

Hey, Frick. Nice to see you back. Related to two things in your post...more and more people are noticing and asking "body for what? what's that all about?"....and a night of those "empty" calories (read: Bourbon).

And the reason for participating in libation meditation (just made that up!) you ask.....I GOT THE JOB!!!

I offically accepted the position yesterday...Like I said it has been 7 years (actually 7 years, 1 month and 2 weeks) since I last worked so it did cost me a bit to garnish the family's support...my wife's going to be surprised by a new Mustang GT I'm currently negotiating, the kids get a new dog and my youngest gets tickets to the Big Time Rush concert coming this summer....honestly though, I couldn't have a more supportive and loving family and I am thankful I was able to take the time I did to participate more actively in their upbringing and give my wife a chance to get more involved with their school and our church community.

I start 3/22 and here is the thing....I'm joining up with a Pizza Hut franchisee....my roots are with them and this is a bit of a home coming after leaving them to go to work for their parent company, Yum Brands, 12 years ago...so I gotta keep my diet CLEAN. Can't be eating pizza all the time....oh, my!

Since 1/9:

Weight: 208.2 (down 25.8 pounds or 11.0%; down 2.2 pounds this week)

Body fat: 23.8% (down 5.7 points or 19.3%; down 0.7 points this week)

Muscle: 36.6% (up 2.9 points or 8.6%; up 0.9 points this week)

Calories per day: 1,367 (down 38.8 calories versus last week)

Meals/Snacks per day: 4.0 (down .3 versus last week)

Thoughts / Learnings:

- 9th straight week of weight loss: last time at current weight:  May 2009 - 33 months ago

- Feeling great. High energy. Clear thinking. Balanced.

- Appetite has been non existent! Able to enjoy portioned lean protein, steamed veggies and salad and be content.

- Added sets of 10 leg lifts between 3 sets of 25 crunches Monday thru Friday.

- Time to change up some of my weight exercises. Continue to up weights.

TMAst - four of the sweetest words to hear: "You got the Job"  Right up there with "yes I'll marry you", "congratulations its a boy (or girl)" and "My parents aren't home".

Although I must say, I am unhappy with your choice of employer (I work for Coke - the real lthing), great news all around.  

Just like working through B4L, it is great to have a strong support team.  Good for you for rewarding them.

I had a clean eating day and worked out in my yard (Read:Mow/trim/pole saw).  

Looking forward to a strong week in the final stretch of the 84 day cycle.

Cheers, y'all

Frick

Tmast – Congrates on the new employment opportunity!

I also was looking at your numbers...you are amazing. Looks like you will be finishing up C1 mighty fine!

Frick – glad your back on line...sounds like the project is getting close to finishing up.

Bart /  2 iron– I too have been restless with this BFL program. I had always been that way in the past. But it has been more so lately.

I am usually waking up at 1:30 and 4:00 AM like clockwork when I go to bed at midnight. There have been several tims when I woke up at 4:00 am wide awake that I just got up and went to work. If this continues when I do C2, I might just invert my work outs from the end of the day to the beginning...that might make me a card carrying member for the BFL Coffee Crew Blog!

Mom of Four - glad you are hanging in there as well.

NatalieCA – I hope you are feeling better and are able to put more into the workouts.

BK Tuna-hope the slopes were kind to you.

Ssm – not much snow here either and the forecast seems to suggest, that where I am, that winter might be coming to an end earlier. I actually went running in Shorts Saturday (my free day) for a 5k run. It was awesome...missing the outdoors something fierce!

Cgtexas – I wonder how you are incorporating Triathlon training with the BFL program. My daughter has me signed up for a couple running activities (Warrior Dash and a ten mile run)  and a couple long distance, week long bike rides in the summer and I am currently trying to figure out how I will have to modify the cardio side of BFL to get all the necessary training in (especially the biking side –I gotta toughen up my backside so it is not sore in the bike saddle during those long rides)!

Aubreejo11 – Was wondering if you have seen more progress this past week from your last post on Mar 6th.

I was wondering how the rest of you are doing who haven’t posted in about a week...JathyJackson, chadw1275, Tukip12, Mahanavich, Warrior Goddess, Barnetter, SoccermomGK1, windsurfing, Hudsonmommy1, and others...just missing you guys and I hope it is all going strong for you!

Also BuckiBBQ hope this week is going better for you and the community...still deeply in my mind and thinking about you, your family and the community a lot.

I am back from my week away...good to sleep in my own bed!

Eating could have been better...I had a plan...some work colleagues modify the plan a little and I took to a little over indulgences on my non free day. I worked out everyday all week long and was able to put a couple double work outs in, including on my freeday to compensate for my eating splurging ...but not sure how well it went.

Anyway it is behind me and now I have to work on getting my mindset switched back over to being pure. To be honest with you I am mentally in a little bit of a dull drum on the eating side...so I have to kick myself in the rear to straighten that out. Workout wise the hotel I was at had a fantastic work out area. The rest of the hotel was OK ,but the work out facility is enough to get me back to the hotel again...I will have monthly trips there for a little bit. In fact, I worked my triceps so much with a new lift that I have a major set of the DOMS and they are tight. Having trouble extending them without some tightness soreness. I hope this goes away in time for my next upper body lift this Wed.

Well all for now...the midnight bell tolls...got to get to bed so I can be prepared for my 1:30  and 4:00 AM wake up routine ;-)

Take care 9-ers...week ten starts (double digits...can you believe it!)

I just wanted to say thanks for not forgetting about me. I have been checking in-just not posting. I have been so sick with allergies and asthma since the drought here in Texas came to an end with all of the rain....I tried to push through it but I only got worse. :( so I have been taking all of these meds and working out when I feel ok. However I am excited to report that I was able to buy shorts that were 3 sz's smaller!!!! My weight is down 20 pounds but the inches are finally really noticeable. I look forward to continuing on to my second and third challenge...For me recovering from the ruptured Achilles-the highlight was this week I ran for the first time in over a year. And for me-this is a sign of good things to come!!!!

Soccermom - Hopefully the allergies will get better and the asthma will better cooperate for you.

20 pounds and three sizes...WOW! You and TMastreo seem to be the King and Queen of the Court at the moment...though there are many who have not 'weighed in' (sorry) yet; and hopefully their successes will be equally as great. For me weight wise, I have hit a point where I am stuck for a few weeks. It's OK, I have been at this weight before as I was trying to lose and I remember beingstuck at this weight for a while. I know I will punch through it...it just takes some time.

Glad the achilles is on the mend...I know that injury is a long healing injury and difficult to overcome. Glad you are working with it with success.

Keep going strong....BFL is amazing isn't it!

Hello Hello,

So I have to admit I was in NOLA this weekend for a bachlor party... it was my first time in New Orleans and for 2 days I enjoyed eating good ole southern cooking...

However back at it today woke up at 6 am in the darn and did my 20 min HIIT ... and today after work gonna hit the boxing gym... JUST because !

I am alittle disappointed in myself for not being on pace to loose my 30 lbs... however i am down in my waist sizes and probably the strognest i have ever been, the tummy area is tuff!... but i am all about getting on pace for a C2 program going

to Run4life, SSM, NatalieCA, Tmastro, Frick, BBQ, and all the other I have forgotten lets finish up strong...

I dont have much to do for distraction before my april 8th 30th bday ... and will be hitting it hard and eating extra lean and healthy ...

Hey folks,

Things are going pretty well here in NE Ohio.  Our annual snow fall is WAY down this year and it looks like Spring is right around the corner.  I'm ready to abandon the treadmill/eliptical for my mountain bike!!

Life on the Plan has been pretty good lately other than slacking from menu planning and tracking which I need to get back to.  I have still been able to keep up with the proper nutrition and workouts as the BFL plan is becoming somewhat of a good habit.

Been very busy with school work and raising funds for the families of the victims that were shot at our high school.  Hopped on the scale this morning and I'm down 26.8 pounds and hope to close in on the 30 pound mark.  If I can drop a total of 35 by the end of this challenge I will be in good shape heading into C2 and meeting my overall goals.

Glad to see you all hanging in there and posting...I read every one and am thankful to be associated with a great bunch of folks with a common goal.  Keeep workin' it,

Hey guys... i am slowly recovering.  I was diagnosed with mild vertigo and fluid in my ears :(  really sucks.  I am very dizzy at some times and all i want to eat are carbolious foods (tons of rice, soup and crackers) :( MAJOR BUMMER!!.  I have been resting a couple of days and think that tomorrow is the day to get back to it hard!  Went for a run last Sunday and was a bit dizzy, but managed to stay on my feet.  Anywho, we only have about two weeks left (is that correct?) and I want to make it a good one :)

@Tmastro: congrats on the job and the epic weight loss.  you numbers are soo inspiring!!

@ Soccermom!!! wowser missy!!! 20 lbs is amazing!!! Good for you!!! Cant wait to see the pics!!!

@ Bucki, BKTuna, Frick, run4life, aubree, tulip, frick and cg texas: cant wait to continue this awesome awesome journey with you on C2!!!

Take Care everyone!

~Natalie