Good morning, ladies! Hope you all a good weekend.
All your support and compliments are appreciated! Nearly to maintenance! My hub was in the city yesterday and came back with a gift for me - a nice (small) box of dark chocolate chili penguins. They are 60 cals each. Yummy, but could barely taste any chili. I had two.
I still feel like I'm BIG. I've lost plenty of times before but don't remember still feeling big. When I hit 40 and got to 120 pounds (from 155) I'd put my hands on my waist as it's something I often do, and I remember always being delighted and surprised at how small it was.
I feel smaller when I look in the mirror and I'm wearing smaller trousers and the buttons on my shirts aren't about to pop. Not pleased when I have nothing on as I just see all that excess and saggy skin. It will tighten up when I build the muscles underneath it, won't it??? 
Right??!
I was going to do tae bo/jump rope this morning for my cardio but the sun was shining so I walked again. It's such a pretty walk but that 1/2 mile with the wind blowing right at me is rough! Brrr....
Workout:
Menu: (not doing extra calories today because we're going for our overnight in the city Thursday and I'll get extra calories then!) I SO deserve it!
TOTAL: 1275
Progress as of today: 32.4 lbs lost so far, only 1.6 lbs to go!
Good day ladies! Sunshine here. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Need a kick to get me going. Had to get up early to help out friends who own a B & B. They were headed for a meeting with my hub and needed someone for breakfast and clean up duty. I didn't have to cook but did serve. Full Scottish: eggs, sausage, bacon, black pudding, tattie scones, beans, mushrooms, pastries.
Got home and had an overwhelming desire for tea with milk and seeded homemade toast. So there's an extra 230 cals I hadn't planned on. Guess I won't be having that glass of wine and packet of crisps tonight. 
It's one of my 'scheduled' extra calories day, fortunately. After 11 am and haven't worked out yet! So I'd better get up and do that NOW. I would love to go out and walk but yesterday I got a blister on my heel from wearing socks that were too thin for my shoes.
In the beautiful ancient city of York, England, b & w, Sept 2010.
Workout:
Menu:
B: porridge & tea
S: tea with milk, toast with lite spread and jam
L: 2 veg sausages on 1 slice bread with mustard, yogurt
S: 1 clementine, grapes
D: soup, toast, salad drink
S: hot chocolate
TOTAL: 1497
Progress as of today: 31 lbs lost so far, only 3 lbs to go!
Good day girls! Hope everybody is doing well. 
Thanks for the comments on my photos! I'll continue to bombard you with more. 
I made a new playlist on my ipod for walking. Power walked this morning - 5 miles. It was very windy! On the way back going around the tip of peninsula is was even more windy and I was walking into it so struggled against the wind for at least 1/2 mile. Time wasn't too bad since for about a mile I couldn't keep up the pace due to the wind. 5 miles - 81 mins. Did a good stretch when I got in the house.
Some very old buildings in Edinburgh near Holyrood Palace
Menu:
B: porridge & tea
L: 1 veg sausage, 1 egg, toast with lite spread, yogurt
S: 2 clementines
D: veggie curry & rice, salad, drink
S: packet of baked crisps & (gasp) a can of diet pepsi (yes, I broke down and bought some but won't make a habit of it)
Lots of teas & water
TOTAL: 1284
Progress as of today: 31 lbs lost so far, only 3 lbs to go!
Keep the photos coming, you're a great photographer!
Good day ladies! Thanks for the comments on my photos. Yesterdays were just a quick snap with the camera phone (I was timing my hike). Here's one taken from my front porch during the summer. It's a paddlesteamer that does tours around the lochs in the summer.
FINALLY, down another pound. Seems like I was stuck at 137 for ages! I have 3 pairs of jeans I was hoping to wear - blue, black, brown, but they are loose, not that I'm complaining. I've noticed that since I'm missing the fat on my face that my wrinkles are getting more noticeable. Complained about that to hub this morning and he said it's better to be wrinkled than obese and unhealthy.
About to go out and wash the outside windows. Did grocery shopping this morning since the electric company was turning off the power to our immediate area for 3 hours. So this messed up my routine as I can't workout w/o a fan. I'll try to at least do all my weights after I'm done with the windows.
Menu:
B: porridge & tea
L: pbj on 1 slice bread, yogurt, packet of baked crisps, 100ml of skimmed milk since it's the only thing you just wash down peanut butter with!
D: chicken soup, toast with lite spread, salad, drink
S: hot chocolate with froth and choc sprinkles, 2 clementines
TOTAL: 1483
Progress as of today: 31 lbs lost so far, only 3 lbs to go!
It looks like you've got a great view from your porch. Enjoy your day.
Oh, you had asked about switching to soymilk from cow's milk. I kinda went through the different COMMERCIAL plant-based milks (rice, soy, almond) last year--didn't try hemp or coconut. I bought the plainest, unsweetened ones and I finally came to the conclusion that the stuff they add for taste wasn't for me. None of them agreed with me at that time--and they just didn't work well in coffee, which is really the only thing I drink it in. (I was also trying to sort out some food sensitivities at the time.) So one of these days I may try to make my own almond milk--plain.
Also I finally came to the conclusion that soymilk is expensive water with sugar and stabilizers, a couple of vitamins and a little soy thrown in for good measure:-) I used to eat it with dry cereals, but I don't eat dry cereals much anymore.
Good day, girls! Your support is much appreciated.
Another variation in my workouts. These photos were my gym for today. This farm is near our house and the road which goes up past it to a hiking trail is a steady incline. The last part of it is somewhat steep. So I walked to the beginning of the steep part and went up and down it 3 times. Next time I'll do more. Used my camera phone to get a couple of pics. I'm sure the farmer thought I was nuts! The horses didn't seem to care much.
Workout:
Menu:
B: porridge & tea
L: 2 veggie sausages/mustard/1 slice seeded bread, yogurt
S: 1 satsuma
D: homemade chicken soup, 1 slice toast with lite spread, salad, drink
S: apple
Lot of different teas, water
TOTAL: 1284
Progress as of today: 30 lbs lost so far, only 4 lbs to go!
Good day ladies! Thank you for your tips and support about getting me off my plateau. It makes sense that I need to make some changes as I've been in a rut with calories and workouts - no variations recently except for the addition of a couple of glute routines.
B: porridge/raisins/almonds, skimmed milk, tea
L: Quorn southern style patty, veg soup, yogurt
S: 2 satsumas
D: roast chicken breast - no skin, mashed potatoes, bisto gravy, salad, drink
S: apple, dried apricots or prunes
Lots of teas, water
TOTAL: 1466
Progress as of today: 30 lbs lost so far, only 4 lbs to go!
Beautiful picture. I have a lovely magnolia tree across the street that I love looking out the window at.
Have a good day.
Good day ladies! I'm feeling really frustrated because I haven't lost anything for two weeks. I know plateaus are normal. But I'm getting so impatient to reach the maintenance phase! I've been using my super-scale and the fat% and muscle weight hasn't changed much so it can't be muscle gain. Maybe I had one too many lazy days?! 
Guess I'd better be sure to do the full workout 6 days a week!
A church down the road from us
Workout:
Menu:
B: porrige & tea
L: liver & bacon pate on 1 slice toast, yogurt, 2 satsumas
D: soup, toast & pb, salad, drink
S: melba toast or dried apricots
Lots of teas, water
TOTAL: 1255
Progress as of today: 30 lbs lost so far, only 4 lbs to go!
Plateaus are horrible, but patience is the name of the game. Your body will eventually catch up to all the good things you are doing. Have you changed up your exercise or eating patterns that might jump start things again? Good luck!!
Good Sunday, ladies! Very foggy here today and getting colder.
I workout in a spare bedroom and the room has a big sliding glass door which looks out over the back garden. I watch the birds at the feeders when I work out and this morning saw a woodpecker which occasionally visits and steals the birdnuts.
One of my fruity photos
Workout:
Menu:
B: porridge and tea
L: 2 Quorn southern style burgers on 1 slice bread with mayo, yogurt
S: 2 clementines
D: roast chicken breast-no skin, mashed potatoes, Bisto gravy, peas, salad, drink
Lots of teas, water
TOTAL: 1344
Progress as of today: 30 lbs lost so far, only 4 lbs to go!
Good morning, ladies! I went for a walk this morning to buy a newspaper--3 miles roundtrip. Enjoyed it! Thinking about doing power walking like I used to ages ago. I noticed when I walked that my glutes and hamstrings were sore. Woohoo! I added a routine that V had posted about on the FB group. I will get on my exercise bike later.
Sleahead Drive, Dingle Peninsula, Ireland - 2004
Still on a plateau. I seem to lose quicker when I have guests for dinner or go out for dinner or have lots of wine. I am sooooo looking forward to our overnight trip to Glasgow on the 17th for hub's birthday. I've already chosen what I'm having for dinner in the pub, and I know the calories of everything I'm having, including 2 pints of beer! At intermission for the classical concert I'll just have one glass of red wine.
Also buying some new bras on this trip. Yeah!
Menu:
B: porridge/raisins/almonds, skimmed milk, tea
L: liver & bacon pate on toast, yogurt, clementine
D: leek/bean/potato soup, toast with low fat spread, salad, drink
S: apple, hot chocolate
Lots of teas, water
TOTAL: 1255
Progress as of today: 30 lbs lost so far, only 4 lbs to go!
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Wow, you look fantastic!
Adding muscle you will add tight layer under the skin, which can improve how the skin looks and take away some of the sag effect. So, continue to strength train (including ab work) by working out with dumbbells/bars and resistance-training machines. Emphasize higher reps with lower weights to maintain your lean physique while firming up muscle tone.
Maintenance is the hardest part of this journey, so continue all the hard work and dedication!
V on 11/14/2011:
Just like it takes time to take the weight off, the skin is no exception, these things take time as well Annie..My goal now is to tighten some of the excess skin that has lost some of it's elasticity from being overweight for 3 years, especially the abs..It is slowly but surely getting there so be patient and as long as you keep at with as much passion and effort as it took to lose the weight, maintenance will not be a problem!! Have a wonderful day
biscottibody59 on 11/14/2011:
I imagine over time the feeling of still being "big" will fade. Just keep on keepin' on--your mind WILL catch up--I think:-)
Of course I don't know--I do know what you're talking about and sometimes people will say things to try to derail you back to your former self. You don't strike me as someone who would let those types get to you. At any rate, you know what you've accomplished and no one can take it away from you !
As for the skin, I think it depends on your genetic predisposition. Time I'm sure will help, but the main thing is you're healthier overall. There's always plastic surgery if you're still not happy with your appearance down the line.
Kati on 11/14/2011:
the skin problem is a reality to me, too. It's terrible, I know. It can cause self-image issues, on a mental level, seriously. That's why some manage to get plastic surgeries paid by the state... they have vast piles of medical reports from psiciatrists and those help. I was thinking about that, too, right after I lost 130+ lbs. I went to see a doctor because of my arms, because I really hate to see them in the mirror, I look like a freakin' bat, at the house of 30... it's unfair. Or not! Well, moral issues apart, if I'd had the money, I'd go for it. I don't care about excess skins on my belly, etc. but I do care that I am unable to wear a simple top on hot summer days because I feel like a 90-year-old bat.
Kati on 11/14/2011:
and what about those swimming-suit like special lingeries that help correcting the silhouette?
grannyannie on 11/14/2011:
I have a slimmer that goes from boobs to mid thigh and are very nice under a slinky dress! Not that comfortable to wear though. Clothes hide a LOT, but then there's the naked truth! LOL.
Umpqua on 11/14/2011:
You look absolutely incredible! I agree with V, the skin takes time too but it will tighten and I think that building the muscle mass will help with that. I have been surprised at how much my stomach has tightened up. I still have a small pouch from my multiple surgeries that I will probably always have, but I'm pleased overall considering what I looked like even at this time last year.
thinkpositive on 11/14/2011:
So great for you to be reaching your goal. Hope you have a great time in the city.
liza36 on 11/14/2011:
Congratulations on your goal! That's fantastic, and you look fantastic!!
I can understand still "feeling" big. It can take our minds a bit to catch up with our bodies. But you are doing wonderfully!
Horn_Of_Plenty on 11/15/2011:
mmmm, pumpkin curry sounds fantastic!!! you are doing great as well with your weightloss!!! :-) congrats and enjoy!