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Introduction Text My name is Karen and I live in Toledo, OH. I'm 37 years old and I've been struggling with the same 40 pounds for what seems like forever now. In 2007 I became a vegetarian and promptly gained 15 pounds! Mostly for lack of knowing what to eat so I had a lot of fast food. French fries and cheese pizza are vegetarian people! I met my goal weight back in like 1998 for about a year and then have yo yo'd ever since. I've been as close as 15 pounds away in the past few years but I always throw it all away? Why do I do that!? It can be frustrating to keep losing the same weight over and over only to gain it back again but I firmly believe that you can NEVER fail until you give up! So I haven't given up! I tried a different approach beginning in 2008. I'm trying to focus more on making healthy habits and choices rather than focusing so much on what the scale says each week. Of course I do want the scale to be lower each week, but I don't want to beat myself up over having an ice cream cone now and then or going over my calories a couple times a week. I'd rather lose it slower than be miserable! Update for 2011 and early 2012: Had a horrible 2011. Was already struggling with a 10 pound gain and then gained 10 more in 2011. Could have been worse! Now I'm struggling to get back on track. Once you get discouraged it's difficult to get your motivation and momentum back. But I'm here and still at it! 2008 year end update: I reflect back and it was a good year for me! I was more consistant with exercise than any year as a whole for a long time! I've lost 18 pounds and even though it did come off slow there was never any point where I felt I wasn't doing very well. I never "gained" weight this whole year! I maintained (within a pound or so) or lost slowly. Now with 22 pounds left till my goal I'm hoping to meet that goal in 2009! I want to continue to stay positive and know that slow and steady will win the race! Even if it takes 2 years:) (or 3! :) 2009 year end update: 2009 was a pretty good year. I ran my first 5K and got down to within 10 pounds of my goal weight. I'm sure I've gained a few back over the holiday but I think 2010 is the year I'll hit my goal! 2010 update (6-15-10) : Started off the year at 153 pounds, put on a couple over the holidays. On 5/14/10 I hit my lowest weight in about 10 years! 144.2 pounds. And stayed there for about 3 weeks before I became frustrated and took a week and a half off. I'm up a couple now but have no doubt that I can take it off and get to my goal weight of 140 pounds. I really need to focus on putting on muscle right now. Body fat % on 5/10/10 was 23.1% and I really want to get it to 20-21%! My current plan is: Trying to stay around the middle of my calorie range on most days Cardio for 25-60 minutes at least 4 days per week -running on the treadmill or doing aerobics is usually 25-60 and walking at the park or around the neighborhood with the dog is usually 45-60 minutes. Weight training each body part 2 times per week, shooting for abs 3 times a week. Tracking certain nutrients in my tracker and taking my vitamins and supplements each day. Trying my darndest to eat 4-6 servings of fruit/veggies per day! As always drinking my water each day, no troubles there, I prefer water most of the time.

I'd like to reduce my body fat percentage to around 20-21%. 3/19/09 it was 27%. 7/7/09 I'm at 24% body fat! 5/10 = 23.1 % fat. Non weight related goals are going to be to strive for five! Fruits and veggies each day.

Food plan: Breakfast, 7-8 am- about 250-300 calories Snack #1, 11:00 am- 300-400 calories Lunch, 1:00pm- 300-400 calories Snack #2, 3:00 pm- 175-250 calories Dinner, 6:00 ish- 400-500 calories One free "cheat" meal each week, with alcohol optional. Work out program: Goal is to burn 1400 calories each week through cardio. Work each muscle group twice a week with strength training. I usually do a total body work out with light weights/high reps one day and then split the other strength days up and use heavier weights.

I began my most recent journey around February 2008. Stats were: Height- 5'9" Weight- 180 lbs. Pant size- a tight size 16 (bleck!) Stats as of 9-11-09 are: Weight 147 lbs. Pant size- 12 2010 beginning stats: Weight: 153 lbs. 1-8-10 Pant size- 12 May 28, 2010: Weight 144.2 Pant size- a baggy size 12, 10's don't fit yet! :( March 2012: I have gained 20 pounds in the last 2 years. Not without putting up some sort of fight. But I'm ready to get these pounds off me again!!!!



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