I did the first day of the squat challenge yesterday, but am not sure I"ll manage to do the second day today. :)

Go Vortex! That sounds awesome. I...have not made any lifestyle changes. If anything, I've been eating really badly lately--not just what I'm eating, but how MUCH--I keep stuffing myself silly, and I don't even know why.

I went to an exercise class today and it was VERY demoralizing to see myself in the mirror wall.

Side note: why does exercise bother my dog? Seriously, I couldn't exercise in front of Bartleby at all. He's go into hysterical fits of flop-shed and fret his way into whatever I was doing, to a potentially dangerous degree. Cagney, the much, much less neurotic heir apparent is bothered too.

Ever try doing yoga in front of cat? I advise against it. Helpful is the thing that they are not.

Seeing y'all discuss the squat challenge and the other things you are doing, it makes me wish that I wanted any of the things I can actually get out of exercise.

Ever try doing yoga in front of cat? I advise against it. Helpful is the thing that they are not.

"Why are you bending like that, Mommy? Can I strop across your face while you're down here? Oh, we're laying down now. Hey, your lower back makes a great nap spot!"

I need a good class to motivate me, but since I LOVE my stretch teacher I pretty much have that covered. I'm now going 3-4 days a week for a 1 1/2 hour class and it's making a huge difference.

I keep stuffing myself silly, and I don't even know why.

This has been my day today. I am not hungry but I still want to go eat something.

I stopped dieting three weeks ago. I'm done. If I'm fat for the rest of my life, that will suck, frankly, but I'm done. After 23 years of desperate dieting, I'm fatter than I was when I started. It doesn't work, it isn't going to work, and I'm done. I'm done trying to find the "right" diet, I've tried them all. I'm done doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I'm done loathing myself for not being as skinny and sexy as I was when I was 25. I'm not going to stop trying to be better - healthier, stronger; I haven't given up on life, but I'm giving up on dieting. I'm giving all that energy to something else in my life. I'm gonna live this life, in this body, now. I'm gonna be 50 years old in a couple months, my life is more than half over, I'm not spending the rest of it as miserable in my own body as I have been the past 23 years.

Applause to you, Zen! I'm 52, and I don't want to spend my days fretting over everything I put in my mouth. I could spend the next few years pummelling myself so I can be someone that may be happier in that time, or I can be happy now.

Right on, Zen!

I'm fatter than I was when I started. It doesn't work, it isn't going to work, and I'm done. I'm done trying to find the "right" diet, I've tried them all. I'm done doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

This is a very powerful realization, and is generally almost always the case with dieting.

I've been looking at the squat thing and thinking that it isn't something I could do because it would be hard on my knees.

Tom's been biking a lot and it has helped with his mood and sleeping. I want to start getting some daily exercise in once I have my days free again. I just want to feel a little stronger and more physical.

Good for you, Zen. I'm sure that realization will bring at least some peace to your heart.

I may end up feeling the same way after this month, but I'm giving it the ol' college try simply because I can't fit into any of the clothes I love...seriously, I'm down to one pair of comfortable trousers...and I'm not in a position to buy a new wardrobe. Besides, I _truly_ love some of the clothes I've collected over the years.

There have been moments in the last couple of years where I have realized that I like myself heavier in some ways. I'm really not bothered by what I see in the mirror and I certainly don't get any resistance from the outside world.

In fact, I think there are certain people in my life who are pleased with me being heavier.

But. I want my clothes. And I can't be in them now. So.

I should mention, that me 20lbs lighter than this is still very, very heavy for a 5'0" woman. So, it's not like I'm even striving for skinny.

I keep stuffing myself silly, and I don't even know why.

This has been my day today. I am not hungry but I still want to go eat something.

Me too! I kept to the type of food I want to learn to love but I ate a LOT of it.

As well, as Jilli said, every little but helps and I did succeed in finishing the second day of the squat challenge. Interestingly, my legs don't hurt as much this morning. Which tells me tomorrow will be super sore.

Aw well. I'm doing it and that's that.

Now, off to get Cagney's nails trimmed, which constitutes a 2 mile walk.

I wish I had a Fitbit!