Our second treadmill went. Is this a sign or what? Should we buy another treadmill or is something better for consistent workouts and burning calories?

Does anyone out there struggle with weight loss? Or is it EASY for all of you Flaabers? I am up against the wall!! It seems that everyone succeeds, and I'm worried about myself.

Don't get me wrong ... I'm happy for all of you, but sad for myself!!

My college friends just contacted me and they want to head back to SU for homecoming!!! Yea I say, but they cannot see me like this. It's bad enough that people who know me and see me all the time have to see me like this.

(having children can no longer be an excuse; my youngest is 8)

So here it is. I've been dieting for months and only lost 20 pounds. Then the heat hit and I gave up (and yes gained 3 pounds back). Now I have to get back at and some!!!

I'm looking for any and all fast acting diet tricks. I'm praying for a disorder ... anything!

Here's my plan, but I'm open.

Walking 3 miles at least 3 times a week. Exercising with my kettleball at least 3 times a week -- the days when I do not walk. Using my AbCircle every day since that only takes 3 minutes. And of course, diet foods.

But the problem I need to lose 60 pounds in 2 months. Is that doable? I once lost 30 pounds in one month.

My one friend agreed that she would need the biggest loser and a make over, but I'm not sure I believe her.

So I'm uping the challenge and the need all the way around.

Ready, set, here I go!!!!

I've been coasting the last two weeks. Things were just getting me down. It's amazing how easily I can put my weight-loss focus on the back burner. I just let work, stress, problems all come into play and there goes my "my-time" which means no walking, no using my AbCircle -- NOTHING!!! (Apparently I'll never wear a cute work-out outfit like in the pictures.)

But now I have to get back at it! I haven't gained but I haven't lost either. (But I don't feel as successful. Is that possible? I think I was losing inches without pounds. Is that possible?) I was on a roll. So now I'm back to the beginning getting myself motivated. Suggestions?

I have to focus. I was drinking Isopure protein shakes every morning; does anyone drink those? I stopped because I ran out and I was waiting for them to go back on sale. Are they beneficial? That's the question. If so I'll buy a couple during the Gold Members savings week. Let me know!!!

So I walked my regular three mile trek last night and I plan to do it again tonight -- when it's cooler. I wish I could run but that's a long ways off.

If anyone has good recommendations, then let me know. I'm all ears. I am trying some of the comments. But for me, things don't often work. Does stress impact weight loss? (Wow lots of questions this post? Apparently I'm second guessing everything.)

Perhaps I should see a psychic?! I need someone to work through my thoughts. I'm looking for real inspiration -- something life changing.

How can I exercise when I'm sweating just standing still? I really need to get moving. I haven't lost a single pound in 5 days because I've been bad.  I keep telling myself to start doing my exercise tapes. But I'm not a very good listener. Any suggestions for getting one's fat ass off the couch?!!

I guess I should join a gym. It was easy to lose weight when I did high impact aerobics. Do they even offer such a thing anymore? I know those classes were fading out when I stopped going. Is there a great new class that I should check out -- something similar to high impact (calorie burning, get you moving type deal)?

For some reason, I cannot lose unless I go to the extreme of everything ... very little eating, lots of exercise.  Although I've been drinking a great protein drink for breakfast and that has worked miracles.

It's been difficult. It is difficult. But I am not up to 17 lbs. The weight is coming off super slow but my mindset is in the right place. I am conscious of what I eat. And yes I've cut back and started walking. Now I have to start doing my videos and using my ab circle. You may or may not know but I actually think my sketcher Shape-Ups are making a difference. Apparently I'm losing my rear (according to my grandmother). Hooray for me!!!! If you've read my entries you know that this is a major triumph. Let me know if you want details -- perhaps someone else can benefit as well.

I am back at the battle. I just came back from the doctor and she is going to do blood work as a way of humoring me. You see I'm convinced that there must be a problem because it's impossible that I cannot lose weight.

She told me it's my age -- now I envy 20 year olds even more!! -- and my metabolism -- o.k. so how does one get that to move?!

So I'm back at flaab.com looking for answers and success stories. So lay them on me, please!!

I've started exercising and walking. I'm drinking water like crazy (I've heard water is the key). perhaps I'll try drowning myself.  I also bought an AbCircle just because I needed something else to hang laundry on. Now I'm going to have to use it. Yeah!!!! Yeah!!!!! Yeah!!!!

If anyone has mastered the struggles that I'm facing, give me some insights. Thank you in advance.

It took me a long time to get over the fact that I was losing at such a slow rate that it was virtually non existent some weeks. But now I'm ready to commit again. AND

Since summer is now winding down, I can deal with the slow progress. I now have the entire winter to slowly lose the weight and then I can really look forward to next summer when I WILL LOOK AMAZING!!! I have to. Besides this summer sucked the big one!! It didn't even feel like summer. It felt like I was living in Washington State without the travel.

So I'm back on the straight and narrow (well actually I have to finish my piece of Tiramisu then I'll be back on the straight and narrow. Hello fellow flaab-ers. Let's do this together.

There's a new US out there just waiting to be flaunted.

I'm going to try to mini diet option. What's the mini diet option you say? Well supposedly you rotate the items that you eat and focus on others for a very short 4 days. So one mini diet restricts carbs and pushes proteins and on and on. I will let you know how this works.

Of course I have to get back on my exercise schedule. It's amazing how easily I fell off that horse.  And how difficult it is to climb back on.

But on a brighter note -- my son has lost 3 more pounds so he's plugging along.

I have a love, hate relationship with the beastly hot summer days that are not hitting NY. One this is for sure -- these hot days sure do help ME lose!!! It's glorious when the sweat just runs off you even standing still. I lost 25 pounds just from cutting my eating and sweating at work. It was great because I wasn't focused on dieting!!! Now that's the way to LOSE!!!!!!!

For some reason (because I'm a desperate believer), I tend to believe magazine articles that offer advice on boosting metabolism. And now I read an article on the internet--10 things to avoid when dieting--how all of those things are bad because the weight loss is not permanent and the gain-back is two-fold (possibly). The article was also saying that diet pills are the biggest waste of money and yet billions are spent on them yearly.

Another example, I was trying this cleanse that is used by the rich and famous and others successfully (organic lemon juice, cayenne pepper & maple syrup). But now I read that it is not good because if you lose, you will re-gain in a very short time. I guess I'm lucky that I didn't even lose. Probably because I didn't do it exclusively; I still allowed myself low calorie food. I am still convinced that my metabolism is messed up. So I continue to search for solutions. Perhaps I should follow the advice of Jillian Michaels.

Low and behold, I guess it's back to the treadmill and cutting out foods again with the slowest of slow losses. What a drag!! I was really hoping for a miracle. Just my luck -- miracles do not exist when I want to drop a decent amount quickly!!! 

On a positive note, my son continues to lose like a little trooper. And yet I continue to struggle. Somehow I was blessed with stubborn fat.

Hooray for my son!! He's lost 9 pounds so far. Our goal for him for the summer was 30 pounds. He's off to a great start!!! I'm so proud of him.

I've crossed back over. I've turned the corner and broke through my wall. I am back on track losing. I'm sure it's a mind thing. It really does drive me crazy but I'm back. And my son is doing fabulous!! He's joined Karate and that seems to help. And (this one I do not recommend), he is getting braces so that has really slowed his eating. And yes it all goes back to the mind. The dentist told him to watch his eating and it sunk in!! Wow -- break through!!! I am just so excited about all of this that I just had to share.

I also think E. should add a special place for those of us who didn't make our goals but who are still really interested in losing. It's tough to talk about the challenges all of the time. So I find myself only sharing when I have successes. Do any of you agree? Or is it just me? You can be honest!!

Here's hoping all your flaab melts away ... until the next time.

Well let me tell you it's a frickin' nightmare. First of all it's hard enough getting myself back on track. But now I have to force my son to drink lots of water, exercise and cut back on his food intake. He has been steadily gaining since birth. Thank goodness he is not a sweets maniac like I am.

Unfortunately the scales did not cooperate with me. I had plans BIG plans that include my losing 40 additional pounds by the end of July. I'm not sure why I thought I could accomplish this like I use to in the past. Because let me tell you -- IT DID NOT HAPPEN. And it took me a while to recover from that realization. But now it's all good and I'm back doing it.

Yesterday my family & I walked and today we biked. I'm not a bike person but I'm trying to keep the child happy and motivated. So we are moving again with exercise. I have to also get going on a regular basis with the Slim in 6 workout. I always felt beat and invigorated after that workout.

My eating is O.K. I've been trying to cleanse and drink a health shake for vitamins. I'm trying to see if the whole notion of my body being out of wack has any truth to it. At this point I'll try anything (well I haven't gotten around to being a vegetarian yet -- that's my last resort. I'm trying to eat healthy and for the most part I have.

Now the next factor is wine & beer. I tried cutting this out completely but on really hot days and fighting boys or after a really, really bad day at work, it's hard to say no. So I'm cutting back to just one on the before mentioned days. Some days I can actually do without.

Well that's it. It's time to move on to the next project. I should be thin as a lettuce leaf because I never sit still but that's not the case.

Good luck all!! Let me know how you are doing as well!

Apparently I look like I'm losing but that's just a huge myth!! My weight has not budged. Of course it hasn't gone up either (maybe I should focus on that). I'm going to try to hit everything hard; I'm upping it all -- more exercise, vigorous walks (hell I'll climb mountains), cleansing and healthy eating. And yes I'm going to check out Emily's links.

If this all fails, I got nothing. Here it is July and I'm not looking super!!! I refuse to fail. Failure is not an option. Positive thinking, prayer?!! Deperation doesn't look very good either.

Until the next time, I wish you all strength and success!!!

And I have nothing good and positive to say so I won't say anything other than ... the rain has ruined my exercise schedule. I've lost the rhythm and I have to get it back. It's mandatory. I can only cleanse for so long. My fat is stubborn fat and it needs sweat, pain and tears!!! Otherwise it's content to stay put!!!

Will the rain ever stop? I'll sacrifice my flubber. I swear!!!

BUT, let us know how you are doing!!! Are you on track? Are the pounds falling off?