Congratulations EllenA - and you are below 200 so go with it.

FWIW - My husband bought me a Wii Fit Plus on Friday. That thing can kick your bu**.

Way to go fellow "losers"!!

I've been changing my cardio a little bit and have added the stationary bike to my typical elliptical routine. I'll tell you what...that bike is kicking my behind! I didn't realize that it would be such a workout! I go almost 11 miles in 30 minutes and my legs are like jello at the end!

I went to our local GNC yesterday and was talking to a guy that works there who is also a physical trainer & body builder. He asked me how much cardio I'm doing so I told him (45 - 90 minutes/day). He said I'm doing too much and don't need to do that. I responded that this amount is working for me and has helped me to lose 60 pounds and more inches than I ever thought possible (losing 10 pant sizes!). He said if I'm going to be stubborn and continue to do that much cardio, I need to make sure I'm eating at least 100 - 120 grams of protein every day.

I completely understand that he's a trainer, but I also know how well this has worked for me. Plus, it's something I truly believe I can maintain as part of a newer, healthier lifestyle!

My fiance and I ordered P90X this weekend, we will start it Sunday! I am not expecting to have a 6 pack like the people on the infomercials, but I am hopeful it will get us in shape and be a good way to keep motivated and constant with exercising.
Has anyone tried it and stuck with it for the 90 days? What was your experience?

Keep it up fellow losers!

Congrats to everyone! I had a modest loss last week (1.6lbs) but we're still going in the right direction.

Busy Bee- I'm surprised again and again how much of that stuff is out there. People (especially the "experts" and "personal trainers") seem to get hung up on the minutae of fitness instead of getting the essentials down- like the fact that you're obviously successful thus far with your program. You just have to shake your head and if it's working for you then keep doing it!

I got a free treadmill from a neighbor this week. And last night, promptly injured my knee on the thing.

Anyone know how to unstick a sticking treadmill?
I waxed the deck (the part this is under the running belt) and really thought that would have done the trick, and then turned it on, started to go, and then the thing stuck. I was moving but it wasn't.

Argh.

I was really hoping that the treadmill would work though. But it had been in a flooded basement, so it probably has all sorts of hidden issues. Perhaps it would be best to just run at the gym when I can and not get so hung up on my schedule.

I think I am going to pull out my Power90 tapes (it came before P90x) to do on my non-running days. I seem to remember it being great from leg strength (I haven't done it in 7 years - so we'll see). That will give me something to do.

Way to go EllenA! That's a great mile stone. I hope you take a moment to savor your victory then keep on trucking!

Busy Bee, keep on being stubborn! I'd wish I had the time to get in that much cardio. My goal is to start lifting again this week. I told my husband that I wanted to get back into it and he said he'd do it with me - so we'll see if we manage to fit it in this afternoon as planned. Weight wise, I was down marginally this week - maybe a half pound or so. I don't have a digital scale, so sometimes it's hard to tell. I'll take a half pound though!

Just wondering what people's menus look like during the day. Especially at breakfast time. I'm trying to get some more ideas.

I am loving the Fiber One poptarts! One poptart has just 3 points and is very filling.

I'm insanely boring when it comes to food, but especially breakfast. I eat cereal, generally Shredded Wheat, almost every day. The main exception is when I know I'm going for a long run in the morning, I'll do oatmeal and stay away from the milk. I'll also eat Cheerios, multi grain or honey nut, for breakfast when I get sick of Shredded Wheat.

For lunch I'll either do a turkey sandwich with veggies and chips, a can of soup with crackers or a frozen meal. I also try to bring leftovers to keep from getting to bored.

Afternoon snacks are fruit, nuts, and the occasional granola bar.

Dinner is typically a lean meat, veggies and starch (whole wheat pasta/brown rice). The kids usually help me choose.

Bedtime snacks, on occasion, are quite often Coco Puffs. I eat it dry, kind of like popcorn. I love chocolate and 2/3 cup is only 100 calories. I was bad last night and had an ice cream sandwich, but they're only 150 calories. I do better with portion control on the ice cream sandwiches than I do with a tub of ice cream.

I'm trying to keep below 100 carbs per day here. This is a typical day for me (I'm also eating about every 3-4 hours. I'm a big dude so I'm consuming more calories than average and still losing)

7:30am - Smoothie made with 4oz coconut milk, 4oz of grape juice (anthocyanins in the juice help muscles recover more quickly- helpful if you're getting into a fitness routine.) 8oz of a frozen mix of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, 1/2 a banana. The smoothie is awesome because you can pre-measure everything the night before and set everything in the fridge (blender cup and all) overnight to thaw. Then I buzz it in the morning on my way out the door and instand breakfast. Also 2 hard boiled eggs if I'm working and 2 sunny side up eggs cooked in olive oil if I'm not. Those don't go in the blender

Several cups of black coffee between 8-10

10:30ish - Handful of almonds or walnuts, a piece of fruit (typically apples or some kind of cirtus right now) and 24oz water.

1:30ish - Leftovers or lately I've been buying lean, thin cut pork chops that take about 3 minutes to cook (they're about 1/4 inch thick). I cook a chop or 2 (they're 3oz each) and sautee some baby spinach with the residual heat left in the pan. I also toss in some vietnamese chili-garlic sauce with the spinach. The spinach and chops are awesome, and I've found that at least for me really spicy food tends to abate my hunger. I also have another handful of nuts with lunch, almonds or walnuts. 32oz water

4:30ish - Another piece of fruit and handful of nuts with 24oz water. This is exactly like my morning snack.

7:30ish - I keep chopped romaine lettuce in the fridge at all times and usually throw together some kind of salad or a lean meat plus a salad. I've also been making my own balsamic vinagrette to keep sugar levels low- commercial dressings have a lot of carbs, usually from HFCS. 32oz water. If I don't feel like salad I usually have blanched and shocked broccoli in the fridge that I will microwave and eat with a lean meat. I love broccoli.

If I'm still hungry I'll have another handful of nuts late in the evening.

Thanks for the smoothie recipe Buccs...I dont like dairy (it doesnt like me either) so I generally shy away from them. I doubt the coconut milk would upset my stomach and I love fruit. I'm not wild about bananas in smoothies, but with only a 1/2 I bet you barely taste it.

My day is way too high in carbs, even for someone training for a 1/2 marathon. I dont get enough protein. I really need to try and do better.

Breakfast: I either eat an apple or a Flat Out fiber wrap with 2 light laughing cow wedges and hot sauce spread on it.

Snacks: 100 calorie Kudos bar or a small amount of any kind of chocolate! Or veggies and hummus or salsa, those rice puff "cheetos", or a laughing cow wedge.

Lunch: leftovers from dinner the night before (chicken breast, black bean and brocolli sloppy joes, pork loin chops, edamame, salad)

Dinner: I love to cook so I try to get creative with low calorie versions of things I normally eat. I just google "low calorie recipes" and explore. Anytime a recipe calls for ground beef I try do half the meat it calls for and substitute brocolli or beans for the other half. It helps with calories and also provides some nutrition.

Weigh in: Down 10.8 lbs, 18.2 to go!

You really don't taste it- but they key is to get the bananas get a little freckled with spots and then use them. They lend an amazing creaminess that gives the smoothie a yogurt based consistency without the dairy.

And the plus side is if you see bananas like that at the grocery for a reduced price you can just bring them home, halve them and freeze them for smoothies!

FIXED! C'mon Jen, do the full!!!

Easy...I said yes to a FULL in November. Right now I'm training for the 1/2 in April. I want to get through it first before thinking that far ahead...I could chicken out!

I shot my mouth off earlier this week. I'm hoping to go to OK next weekend and have 10 miles on the schedule. I dont want to run it alone or on the treadmill, so a friend of Steve's offered to run it with me. He's got 12 on the schedule for that day. So what do I do, I say I'll run 12 with him. I haven't ran over 9 miles since OCTOBER. A 12 mile long run isn't in my schedule for another 4 weeks. WHAT was I thinking???

When I eat bananas I like them a little green. As soon as they start to get speckled they get peeled and put in the freezer for banana bread. I could 1/2 some for smoothies. Have you ever added protein powder to it?

Jen, the difference in 10 and 12 miles is all psychological You'll do fine, especially if you have someone to run with. I am eyeing up a half marathon at the end of March.

RR- Can't say I have, but I imagine it would blend well. I worked at a smoothie bar in college and routinely did smoothies like that.

Worked at a smoothie bar huh...what other non-dairy smoothie recipes do you have?

You all are great - and maybe a little nuts <grin>.

Peach strawberry:
4oz coconut milk
4oz any juice you like
6oz frozen sliced peaches
6oz frozen strawberry

Mango strawberry:
same as above, just substitute mango for peaches

Really, the formula is 8oz liquid to 12oz fruit- it always blends up really well. Frozen fruit works best, but you can let it thaw overnight in the fridge. I always use coconut milk instead of moocow milk because of a similar dairy issue. The juice you use should have some sweetness, unless you like sour stuff. I'd shy away from stuff like cherries, grapes, oranges (too pulpy). The sky really is the limit. Just dump in your protein powder if you're so inclined! Also nut butters can be blended in if you're looking for a more natural protein punch. 2-4T per smoothie tends to work best.

Also- I haven't ever tried this but avocados supposedly make great smoothie fodder. Substitute an avocado for a banana if you're so inclined. Just wait to cut the avocado until you're ready to blend, or else you get a brown avocado, and no one likes that

The peach/strawberry sounds yummy! I wonder if a strawberry kiwi would work? Or is the kiwi to pulpy?

I'm not crazy about peanut butter in smoothies. I'm not a fan of avocados, so I'll skip that one!

I add a scoop of protein powder.
My smoothie is this for breakfast:

8 ice cubes
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Handful of frozen strawberries
Cup of Water or Cup of Milk (depending on if I want the extra dairy calories for the day)

Then I got myself this blender from QVC (of course )http://chrisfreytag.com/products/health-and-fitness/household/fitnessblender and mix it all up. I have also done chocolate powder with a few tablespoons of natural peanut butter for a change

I used to have the caloric breakdown written around somewhere...

So you could use skim milk instead of coconut milk, right? I don't like coconut.