You have all the support from me you need to be happy. Even if it means I have to text you at 5am and tell you to start shred-ing. Or to get to boot camp. Or something.
x

Been there. Aw hell, am there...reading this while shoving a Pop-Tart in my mouth (but it *is* organic!)...and still carrying much too much baby weight...

Oh lord, I've so been in your shoes (figuratively speaking of course, my shoe collection pales compared to yours ;o) Summertime is my nemisis...it's so hard to pass up ice cream, strawberry pies, etc. I'm hoping that your admission will help reinvigorate my resolve too. Good luck my friend..xoxo

You know, I have permanent creases in my gut where the folds don't see the light of day because they're all squished together when I sit (hell, even when I stand.) There's nothing that makes me crazier than pinching the 7 inches of belly I've packed on. But? I'm still a hot mama. And? so are you. muah.

OK, I am not going to go all crazy and post a shot of my belly (causeohmygodI'ddieofembarassment)but I am going to support you and join you. When the kids go back to school I am shedding this body and getting back something similar to my pre-baby body. I don't even know who I am with all this fat on my frame.

Good for you!!!! You can do
it!

Okay, well I won't tell you that you are totally beautiful and have a terrific body, despite your summer of eating too much greasy food. I won't tell you to be happy with who you are - a great mother of three little ones - and a great writer - I'll just say that I know. I know what you're talking about. I stareted noticing changes in my body when I was living in D.C. in my 20's. I ate too much and my body started changing. Losing weight has been a struggle ever since. After having two children, it has been even harder. I too eat the food that falls off the high chair. And I will always get a happy meal for me, too, when we are at McDonald's. This weekend on our road trip we ate at every bad fast food establishment you can imagine! So, argh, I feel it too. (I even got a pimple. Ew.) My boy starts kindergarten in a couple of weeks, so I'm looking forward to routine and packing him healthy snacks - snacks that I will hopefully take to work with me, too.

You're going to look even better than you do now for the Holidays! Everyone else will be gorging on pie and you'll be hot in your stilettos. I can see it now! : )

My excuse for this summer is not having my husband around. And therefore I just don't feel like cooking for one person. so I ended up buying anything under 5 bucks...which including in a grocery store isn't always something healthy! I need to get on a schedule again!

Thank you for posting that picture! Thank you for saying the things I repeat in my head daily (err....every 3 minutes). THANK YOU for being YOU!
Let's kick some booty and get our booties kicked into shape!!

this has been a tough tough summer ...

Just by looking at the picture ,I thought: oh, she's pregnant (you know, a summer surprise ... lol) I will go back to exercise too when the 3 kids (yeah !!! ) go back to school (that is when my back will stop killing me ;-) )

PS: yes, I wish I was still a 8 !!! lol

I still think you are damn fine.

It is so hard to eat well when I'm home all the time. I snack way too much. When I taught I always gained during summer. I'm a SAHM now I need to figure out how to eat better since I'm home all the time.

You have my support and you may have even found my lost motivation. If you find any extra, motivation, would you be sure to send it back my way? I could sure use some right about now. Good luck!!!

I have a hard enough time with non-stiletto heels!

& while you are Fairly Small, go forth, kick thine own arse, and get in shape.

You can DO it!

in the same boat over here, lady. Being at home with my kids this summer has been disastrous on my belly. let's lose it together...mmmkay?

Okay - I won't tell you how gorgeous you are. What I WILL say is this ... I love you no matter what you think you look like. I love you just as you are - no matter how that is at any given moment. I love who you are - and I learned to love you long before I knew what you looked like.

(and I STILL love the red soles on those stilettos)

FYI

Hang in there. I feel your pain. Still 20 pounds overweight myself. You'll get there, especially when you're determined. Good luck and keep us posted!

I hear ya, sista. I whiled away the summer inhaling mounds of cold ice cream with my precious daughters. Definitely paying the price now with a new tire around my middle. Sigh.

But it was a wonderful summer...

You can do it! Although, I cannot lie, I now want strawberry pie!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...pie! I could write something about getting in shape for your sister's wedding and outshining her, but she'd kill me...so I'm NOT going to write that.

I know you don't want to hear it, but you DO look gorgeous! None the less, good luck with your new boot camp.

twizzlers are fat free!! Are you going back to boot camp?? and you are so not heavy!

As I sit here and eat M&Ms as I drink my big cold Pepsi (not diet pepsi, mind you) I totally understand what you are going through. You, however will do something about it. Me? I will just keep eating my M&Ms and drinking my Pepsi.

I know if anyone will be looking gorgeously thin and buff by Halloween, Pauline-it will be YOU! You did it last year and you looked FAB! Probably the only benefit of my kids having all of their food allergies (wheat, gluten, dairy and soy) is that their food is super healthy. So even if I pick off what they have left behind. I am eating organic gluten free lunchmeat on millet and flax bread or veggies and fruit...sounds delish, eh? There is no cookie/brownie/pie making going on here:(

I am kick starting my post-summer-indulgence plan with a two week program of very careful, mindful eating (no sugar, bread, or pasta, lots of fresh veggies) and daily exercise. I already feel better, just a few days in. I think you've hit the nail on the head when you say that the key is changing habits. When I figured out a year ago that I would easily cut 500 calories a day just by not finishing the leftovers on my kids' plates, that was an easy change to make. Good luck with your own plan! (Perhaps we can keep each other motivated?)

I am in your shoes!!! Thank gawd school starts and I can devote time to me...after I finish my volunteering at school, for both classes, finsihing decluttering and getting rid of "stuff" and everything else that gets in the way of me time. Gosh the bus gets here early after school.....
hugs and good luck;-)

I just had a moment like this, too. Although it didn't involve a mirror but rather a pair of pants that I usually wear that I can't get into quite as easily anymore. I have no excuse, though....just need to get my butt back in gear.

I love you that you posted that pic. You are amazing and honest and inspiring...it's what keeps me coming back time and time again xoxo

I will not only support you, but I will jump on the bandwagon with you. This summer started with me saying I still needed to shed the extra 5 lbs that was still clinging on from the holidays. Did I shed it, NO....instead I kept whooping it up all summer at picnics and parties. The fun is OVER with a capital O.

You look beautiful, but I know how you feel.....you know you are not where you want to be and it changes your mood and how you feel about yourself.

Lisa

I'll walk with you in the mornings... I have to get moving too. I am such a lump, I can't stand it.

I am totally sitting here eating chocolate peanut butter ice cream. Now I feel guilty, but also inspired!

No ice cream tomorrow night!

I don't care if your don;t want to hear it:

You still look great to me my friend!

Go for it! You have to do what makes YOU happy!