Oooh, can I play too? Perimenopause, hypothyroidism, clients in a different time zone and too much work travel has taken its toll. If I can lose 20-25lbs as well as build muscle and flexibility, I will be a happy camper for my Big Birthday this Fall. I have beautiful clothes in the closet that don't zip and I'm not giving up on them.

So what have I done? Left a job of 16 years for a closer territory so I'm not traveling three weeks a month. That's a big one.

I also just started back with reformer Pilates three times a week after a ten year break and I'm tracking mysel on Noom. I walk between two and five miles three or four times a week, but during the work day I sit too much

I don't eat packaged foods and my sugar has been pretty much in check. I am having more trouble giving up prosciutto, cheese and social dinners on the weekend.

Now that I gave the background, this month my focus is building back up on my Pilates routine, walking more every day and tracking my food to see what else I will give up. Last week was the first week of tracking, so I'm using it as a baseline to track weight loss.

Thanks for letting my butt in and join. ;)

I weighed myself this morning, and I'm down about 15 pounds since Feb. I'm very pleased, but still have lots of room for improvement. I have been much more active, but need to improve my food choices.

Perimenopause is turning me into a hormonal nut job. I am a crazy person craving sweets and having wild emotional swings for several days a month. I have never, ever had PMS like this!

This month I am joining a 12 week weight loss contest at work. Hoping it will help keep me motivated to keep on track, so I'll feel better about myself for our family reunion and beach trip in July.

1929spanish, glad to have you joining in! Are you with the same company, but a different territory? My DH has a huge territory( almost half of the state), plus takes on territories when they lose somebody close by, so I understand how hard that is. At the previous company, he survived 3 lay offs, but then was doing the work previously done by 5 other people!

jlc, you are doing great with the weight loss! I had good luck taking vitex and DIM for those awful mood swings.

Spingroz, thank you for starting this thread! 16 pound loss spring for you and 15 pounds for jlc is exactly the kind of motivation I come here for. It was a BAD winter here in New England, in that it was impossible to get outside to walk. On top of that, I started a new job in January, closer to home and less hours/week, but still an adjustment. The wake-up call came when we went to AZ and CA a couple of weeks ago and I had to put a bathing suit on. Eeeeeks-way to much giggle! I came home and immediately joined a gym closer to my new job, cut out junk food and am down 4 pounds. It's a start. We just got home from a weekend away and I was able to do a 10 mile bike ride, the first of the season, without any difficulty.

Here's to ALL of you who are trying to attain/maintain a healthy lifestyle!

Springoz, iactually left my company for this job. I live in CA. My clients were in IL and OH. At one point they were all on the East Coast and at another point, I had the entire country. I can do an overnight trip to the other coast like nobody's business. Except it made me the blob that I am today. Fortunately I was recruited away, so I didn't have to do a ton of interviewing.

JLC, you aren't kidding about peri taking over. My mother never told me about this.

Great weight loss reported here. Keep it up!

Gaining a pound almost every day. I have no idea what's happening! Joined a gym in March. Have been working out with weights, doing cardio three days week. Since the weather finally got nice I have been walking 3.5 miles when I can on the days off. This weekend we worked like maniacs in the yard ,lifting, mulching, raking, etc. Nothing.

My plan... Tomorrow I see my GYN. I had a hysterectomy years ago, but still have my ovaries. I'm pretty sure he can do some labs to see where my hormones are related to menopause right? Next back to My Fitness Pal, where I will log every bite that goes into my mouth...sigh. I'm sure I am not doing as well with my food as I think I am, but there is no way I should be gaining weight at the rate I am. I'm also thinking I need to push for a colonoscopy sooner rather than later. I'm just going to keep at it. Something has to give sooner or later!

My sister is in the midst of a pretty scary health crisis, which has really got me thinking of things. She has spots on her lungs, but so far they haven't found cancer anywhere. She's heading to Dana Farber for some answers.

Beth- it is a good idea to have a check up and some labs done, just for peace of mind. I have experienced that kind of weight gain, and it is so frustrating! I would suggest two things. First, only weigh yourself once a week, first thing in the morning, before eating. Second, drink tons and tons of water. I tend to drink way too much coffee and Diet Coke. If I don't drink enough water, and eat too much salt, I retain water, and the scale will show an up to five pound gain. You might also be gaining muscle- how are your clothes fitting?

Hang in there. Best wishes to your sister, I hope everything will be ok.

Bethpen, this is exactly what was happening to me.....until I cut out out the you-know-what. I don't want to derail the thread with the controversy, but it is worth a try, I think!

Wow, 1929, that WAS quite the commute!

Springroz, what is the you-know-what??? We need to know if it led to a 16 lb weight loss!

I am still at the gym 3 times a week and trying to go for a long walk at least one other day, now that it's nice out. At the gym, I do weights with a trainer in a small group (plus cardio). My arms are still flabby but I can actually see some muscle tone there FINALLY after 9 months! I keep losing and gaining the same 3 pounds, and I know I have to change my eating. I start every week with good intentions... Summer will be here before I know it, so that is certainly a motivator.

Also, as many here know, I had a battery of genetic tests done a while ago because of cancers in my family (ovarian on both sides). 26 genes tested and ALL were normal!! So that was great to hear. Obviously doesn't mean I'll never get cancer, but my risk isn't as high as I have always assumed it was. Glad to get that taken care of, finally.

Yay! That is great news Sueb. I'm glad your doctor confirms you're normal. We knew it all along.

I am feeling discouraged. My weight is up and I can't seem to budge it. I've increased my activity and decreased by calorie intake and so far no changes. I just have to stay the course and stop obsessing.

Very good news Sueb. Tracking what you eat can keep you honest. You really see how little things add up. (I am a lifetime Weight Watcher and it has kept me accountable, I just now want to adjust my goal. I know I lost an inch through aging process and have to adjust for that.)

Health wise I am okay. Always struggling with the last five pounds, but I am actually now at the weight I was in my forties.

My tale of woe: I wrenched my side trying a new yoga class at the gym. He did not demonstrate, but talked us through the poses. I haven't taken a yoga class in years, but I sort of knew most what he was saying But, I realized that he wasn't explaining alignment and I called him over. He said, just do what you can, as you keep coming, it will come blah, blah. All I wanted to know was in what direction my head and neck went. The next day I felt that I did get a good stretch, but I felt a soreness on my side. Five days later, I lifted a heavy bag of garbage and saw stars! I am now nursing an aching side and can't exercise.

springroz - I missed that "testy" thread (shoot). I'm not sure that it is just wheat that is the culprit or if any of the GMO products can be solely blamed. What I do think is that our entire environment is becoming toxic with the use of products that have off-gasses, car emissions, manufacturing emissions, fake food produced with nothing but chemicals that I can't pronounce and as you say hybridizing grains, corns, vegetables, etc. And now my own province has developed an apple that won't turn brown when exposed to the air. Well there had to be some sort of chemical change done to the apple to change the Vitamin C in it so it won't allow the apple to brown. What's next?

Our bodies aren't adapting as quickly as our technology has. The industrial revolution began what, 200 years ago, and the car is about 100 years old and chemicals in our food became rampant in the 50's with prepared foods when women entered the work force in big numbers. Our bodies can't adapt to that kind of toxic bombardment in that short of a time span.

MMMMM - I may have gone OT with my soap box speech. Off my soap box now. What I do for me is run in the forest along the river. I like the idea of being right next to the trees and doing my oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange immediately with no interference. The forest that I run in isn't in the city but is, unfortunately, probably somewhat contaminated anyway.

Had a great visit with my GYN, he was reassuring. Did a quick Ultrasound to scope out my ovaries and ease my nerves about "anything lurking in there". He also sees my sister, so he was kind and helpful. The bad news is that I'm not in menopause so I can't blame the weight gain on that.

I went to the gym and worked out after work and am glad I did. I'm just going to keep at it. If things have not improved by June when I see my primary care and Endocrinologist again, I will insist on more testing.

I definitely have to track my food, and avoid wheat (and alcohol!). Sigh. So lame. :) SpringRoz, I was a pro at low-carb eating for a long time. Just got out of the groove and have had a terrible time getting back into it.

Jlc, I have to lay off the coffee for sure. I don't often drink soda, but I can have 2 cups of coffee, then a large iced coffee at work. I was drinking cucumber/lemon/ginger/mint water last week and it was delicious. I may get back on that, it was good. My clothes still don't fit. It's such a downer..especially busting out the Spring wardrobe. I did get a few items to get me through until something breaks. It's hard to be excited about getting dressed in your big girl pants.

SueB, YAY on your genetic test results! A very big relief for you I'm sure.

I love this forum.

Blfenton, you did not miss much, lol! I spend as much time in the woods as possible! We may have been on the verge, evolutionarily speaking, of being able to eat the grasses, until we decided to muck up all the genetics.

Before I gave it up, I was SO stiff that I had trouble getting off a horse if I rode for more than about 30 minutes. Yesterday, I rode almost 4 hours (12 miles), got right off the horse, not even stiff, while the 14 year old was still trying to stretch to get off!! I am not sore today. I felt like my younger athletic self.

I was also running only on 2 eggs and a little avocado, which I ate at 9:30 am, and was not really hungry until 4:00 PM.

Bethpen, I am very glad your gyn was reassuring! Cucumber lemon ginger mint water sounds great. Were those just slices in water, or did you heat it like tea?

SpringRoz, I just sliced the lemon and cuke and kind of squeezed it in, then grated the ginger.

Thanks, Bethpen!

Got the blood work back from the know your numbers tests.

The PA was right, even though it was 6 or so years ago. I am not diabetic, or pre diabetic, my HbA1C is below their ideal, but I would like to see it lower, I have almost no triglycerides, my HDL is high, but so are my LDL and total. She told me not to worry about, and Dr. Davis says not to worry about it, so I won't.

My BMI (I call rubbish.....) is still overweight, but DH found a BMI calculator that also uses waist size as a criteria, and on that I am almost not overweight (only by 2 lbs.) I will just keep doing what I am doing, as long as the weight is coming off!

There are several graphs comparing my risk for stroke, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and coronary heart disease to other women my age.......huh? Am I supposed to care what other women's risk is? Bet my risk of dying in a pick up truck is WAY higher than other women my age, since we own two.

Wear your seatbelt, springroz.

My husband joined the gym! I'm so pleased for him. The first day he left the house looking like he was heading to his execution. Last evening he said "I don't feel like going to the gym. (Pause) But since it's only my 3rd time I guess I can't start that thinking." That is correct, stay the course that just barely started. Yay for him, forcing himself outside his own comfort zone.

His sister belongs to the same gym and she was surprised he joined. She asked what made you do that? (Not the most encouraging way to put it!) He pointed to their Dad, who had just struggled to get out of a chair and was shuffling across the room, I don't want to end up like him and I want to take better care of myself.

Speaking of beverages (up thread), I have been drinking Nojitos for the last few weeks. The first time I did make the simple syrup, but then I decided it was unnecessary calories so I just do sparkling water, mint, and lime. I've never been much of a sparkling water drinker so using it elevates the drink to something fancier than the gallons of plain water I drink.

Hhireno, yay for your DH! Mine actually went to line dancing with me, and tried a couple. He has a hernia, though, and it made him sore. Last night he went, but sat and surfed Facebook!

A Nojito! Sounds good, as I have plenty of mint.

I like the idea of the Nojito! I drink San Pellegrino sparkling water since I gave up diet sodas. I drink a lot of water, but I like something different, too. I may have one diet soda per month, if that.

I just finished finals and graduation last weekend, and the treadmill desk has been working out great. Allowed me to do grading and other work where I would just be sitting on my behind. I was also still getting my weights workout, but I had missed my favorite Saturday morning Spin class since I had to be at school the past few Saturdays. People tell me I look like I've lost weight and I've definitely lost off my abdomen, which is where I need it. I have been regularly getting over 70,000 steps per week on my Fitbit.

Last weekend, long story, but I got a mild concussion, so I have had to lay low this week, and especially stay off the computer. My steps, not surprisingly, have taken a dive, but I will work myself back. It's always something! I am looking forward to having a lower-key summer, which I need badly. In some ways the forced downtime was a blessing in disguise.

Hi everyone, I opted out of these check-ins over a year ago because I was so discouraged by my own inability to lose weight, despite regular intense exercise and a healthful diet.

Well, I changed my lifestyle dramatically. I also eliminated wheat, but also sugar and any type of diet food/sweeteners. I've lost 25 lbs. since the winter. I feel so much better about myself. My clothes fit again. After not having wheat and sugar for so long, I no longer even desire it. It may not be the solution for everyone, but clearly my metabolism had a problem with wheat and sugar. I did not eat either all the time but I was still unable to lose until I eliminated them completely.

Congratulations Polly, that's impressive!

Excellent! The less sugar and salt you eat, the more you are able to taste the natural sweetness and saltiness in foods. My DH used to salt even before tasting, when his blood pressure went up, he wanted to lower it without meds. He did by not over salting and watching foods high in salt.

Polly, you GO! Glad you came back!

Ellendi, you are correct! The food tastes much better now.

I got the tape measure out this morning, and measured places besides my waist.....no wonder I am having trouble with clothes!

According to the Chico's size chart, I am an 8 on the bottom, and a 16(!!!) on the top. Hopefully, the next 20 pounds will come off of my back, lol!

For those of you avoiding gluten, there is an article in the NYTimes that many probiotic supplements contain gluten, even though some were labeled GF. So if you're supplementing and still having issues, it might be the actual supplement.

Polly929, You have found what works for you! Congratulations on your weight loss and your motivation! WTG!