Hi Holly, Sorry to hear you gained. For me, the food journalling really really worked. I weighed in at 128.09 lbs (58.1kg) this morning. I gained a little weight over the holidays. When I started food journalling on 1 Jan I was 133.6 (60.6kg). The weight loss was slow, but I never felt deprived of anything. I also changed one thing every week, not trying to change my diet all at once. Guess that made a difference too cause I have no trouble continuing like this. My goals still is 121 lbs (55 kg). I'm halfway there! How did everyone else do?

Well, I failed miserably this time around - but then today is not the best day for me to weigh in either. Hormonally challenged again. I think I probably stayed even - but in all honesty I really did not try to diet all that hard. I keep trying to find that mental fortitude I used to have, but it is hiding really well. I'd like to keep trying until I get it right!

Yay, Craneium! Greta job! You're totally right - it's the mindless nibbles that are my big downfall.

When we have birthday cake, I leave it out for a couple days and then freeze what's left. A couple weeks later I bring it out again. Cake freezes so well, and then we get a break from it (so I won't be eating it non-stop).

Dutchie and Craneium have done (and continue to do) so well! Wow, 14 pounds is awesome. And Dutchie will be at her goal very soon. (you too, Meg!) The rest of us... well. What can I say. I'm 141.5 today, which is where I've been more or less for weeks. Which is good, actually, because when I started all this way back (when was that Holly... December? November?) I was 145.5, so that's down 4 lbs during a difficult time of the year for weight control. Goal is still to be sub 140 for Boston, but the way I'm hanging out at this point makes that seem iffy. I agree the writing everything down is an excellent plan. I do it sometimes, and can see where my problem areas are (evening snacking). But when I get home after work and running, and dinner will be some time off because DS2 and DH aren't home yet (basketball goes late, etc.), it is just soooo hard to stop nibbling. I can eat a whole dinner before dinner, it seems. Need help with that one....

Cranium and Dutchie - Good for you guys! Keep it up. As for me, well, I forgot this was weigh-in day, so I just went and did it with clothes on and I"m at 147.8. I'm taking at least a pound off for the clothes (sweat pants, 2 t-shirts, underwear, socks), and the rest, well, I have no idea. Until just a little while ago, I literally have not eaten solids since Sunday around 8:30 pm. Been on a clear liquids diet due to surgery this past Tuesday. Maybe it's all the gas that's built up in my abdomen (ugh!). But then again, maybe it's the body trying to hang on to all it can while I wasn't eating. Dunno. I'm all for another 5-week go around.

Oops, I forgot to post this morning. Maybe it was on purpose. I weighed 136.5 this morning, which is up 2.5 from last week, but about where I started. However, as I continually point out to Holly, Jlynne, and Mary, you all are much more height/weight appropriate than me. So I echo the consensus of keeping this going and maybe doing the food journal thing. I started it on line when this 2nd thread began, but didn't even make it to noon the first day!!! I entered a 1/2 marathon for March yesterday, and I hope that will motivate me to eat less and run more. Also, I have decided that if I can splurge on a Sonic Rt. 44 Diet Cherry Limeade each morning, I can go w/out eating until lunch. They have only 25 calories and are HUGE! That' s my diet tip for the week. Nono I am so with you on the cake thing. I can't leave anything out. Last night, for no apparent reason, I decided to eat THREE of these HUGE Valentine cookies that I had bought for my sweet tooth DH. They had been sitting there for a week because he prefers the Girl Scout cookies that I also brought home, and bam! I think it was the 2, 3 glasses of wine I had following Zumba class that caused me to have the munchies. Then this morning my Dr's office called and said the blood work I had done when I was having HBP issues came back and showed that my sugar is way high and they said I needed to "watch" my sugar and carbs! As runners, don't we all live on carbs? Phew, I feel better now. Sorry for my long post. Congrats to Dutchie and Craniem.