Congrats - that's a major accomplishment!

How will you transition from meal replacements to meals once you've reached your goal?

Keep posting about it all... having to report your progress should keep you on track. Also, I think the picture taking is a great idea... you get to feel good about the progress you've made and you can see what you need to improve all at the same time. I think dressing in front of a mirror helps keep thing on the front burner too... does for me anyway.

Bloody hell Cherry. You're really good at this! That's amazing progress. I have so little will power it's shocking, I am so impressed.

Jinx is right, keeping the reportage going will probably keep you motivated.

Could I also suggest, maybe a blog? Something that charts and expresses the journey, how it makes you feel, what you're doing, funny incidents, random foodie thoughts. It might stack up to a really interesting read by the end, and it might be particularly interesting for anyone who is trying to lose weight or get healthy. And it might be fun to write, with slightly more structure than posting here (though please do that too!). As a creative writing exercise it might be quite good fun. Like those people who do documentaries where they follow a diet or health regime and chart it with video blogs and diaries.

Just a thought. You're doin' great. Oh and aren't those slimfast meal replacement drinks tasty? I sometimes have the chocolate one instead of eating if I'm in a rush, cause I can grab one from the shop and drink it on the move.

CONGRATULATIONS on your achievements SG - you're doing great! I know where I need to cut back - it's prolly the wine ... I just don't want to: so in the meanwhile I keep up the swimming which I really do enjoy and which is also a stressbuster (my morning one!). Some of the stress will ease off in a couple of days and then I might review the question of the evening glasses of stressbuster!

I've only bought a limited amount of shakes, and even when using them I'll still be eating a meal in the evening. I have enough for a week, so I assume it will be pretty easy to snap back into having actual food again. After all, I already drink my breakfast most days (home made smoothie) and sometimes have soup for lunch.
I have thought about it, honestly. The trouble is Dad and his attitude to me "being up there on the computer all day" I've cut back my time here (I only really drop by these days, and not even every day any more). Writing a blog would cut down my time here even more.

Hmmm, just thinking it through. Maybe I can type it up during the week on my laptop (no internet connection) and have it ready to retype on Saturday night/ Sunday morning, when he is always out...

That's a good idea Sundae. No reason you have to post daily on your blog. No reason you have to do it straight into the blog rather than a text file on your laptop that gets transferred weekly.

Good job! My roommate is attempting to lose weight as well and he has probably dropped 5-10 pounds in the past few weeks. Good luck.

Last official weigh in and measurements from this cycle of the Weight Loss Challenge.
I'll start again in a week with a new challenge - flying solo this time.

Official Results
Weight lost - 2 stone 1lb (29lbs)
BMI reduced by- 4.5 to 34.7
Body fat lost - 19lbs

Inches Lost
Arm - 0.5
Bust - 3.5
Waist - 4
Thighs- 2.5
Leg - 1

I know I've achieved a lot (no false modesty, I have) but I'm still obese, I'm over 200lbs and I'm still out of the range of normal dress sizes. Another 12 weeks is unlikely to completely resolve that, but it's something to aim for.

I have another 30lb to lose before I am Overweight rather than Obese.
I have 22lbs to lose before I break the magic 200.
I have 2-3 dress sizes to go down before I can find clothes on the High Street (more accurately, have more choice on eBay!)

Deciding on what my future goals are is fairly easy as you see. I just have to remember not to expect too much and get discouraged. Slow and steady.

My intention is to achieve this by more vigourous exercise, staying teetotal and continuing with Alli and continuing to report back here with words and pictures.

Speechless at your accomplishment.

You inspire me, Sundae. You really do.

congrats. that's quite an achievement, particularly given that you had so many "false starts" in the time tou've been reporting your weight challenge here on the cellar.

What exercise are you doing at the moment? If it's just walking, you might want to consider adding something a little more body-shaping oriented, particularly working on the abs area -I think this will increase your speed towards high street dress sizes even if your weight loss curve levels off a little.

I too have been eating more fruit and veg recently. You ladies guilted me into it. ;)

I'm still on low impact (mostly because I hate reps) cardio
I alternate between the stepper and the exercise bike indoors as well as the walking.

You're right. Abs work is on the cards.
Urgh, wish you hadn't said that!

Yes, I think I have my motivation properly sorted this time.
I might even ask a mod to change the thread title to Olney Weight Challenge '09 - I'll keep my surname in because it makes it easy to find. Lazy in one, lazy in all!

I've got to start working on my abs. My stomach is so saggy it's depressing.

Maybe we could have an abs challenge. :D (I'm not posting pics lol no way am I that brave)

today i did way more crunchies on the exercise ball that my PT expects of me. this time next week, abs of steel ;)

A WEEK??!!! It'll take me a month at least to get mine in even reasonable shape...let alone steel. lol

eta: I am happy that my stomach isn't taking a rest on my lap when I sit down now though.

(I'm lying/overly optimistic ...see Flint's abs thread for the real deal.....)

Oops, been a while since I posted.

Am now 15 stone 2 (213lbs)
So that's 2 stone 10 (38lbs) lost

I have a graph of my weight loss, but no idea how to get it on here.
I know, I'll take a photo of it on the fridge and post it.

I tried some size 18 clothes on yesterday (UK 18 of course, US 16) and they fit.
Yay! Can't afford them, but it's like being a teenager again, trying on clothes with no intention of buying ;)
Over the next few months am going to slowly convert my wardrobe of 24 - 22 - 20 - 18... and beyond?! Okay it's via eBay, but I've never regretted the quality of clothes I've bought, and only once or twice been caught out by not liking stuff.

I celebrated by dying my hair back to blonde.
Mum is really pleased.
What she doesn't realise is I'm almost definitely going pink again tomorrow...!
It makes me feel good, so why not.