Go Tama! Hey what part of Arizona are you in? I'm going to Bullhead City AZ in April, its by Laughlin Neveda.

Hey, Sunshine! Yes, I know Bullhead city! I am down south, though. What brings you to the desert, if I may ask?
Anyway, I am really getting pumped for this "summer of the bikini" that we are all going to have! Going to take some work, though. Every time I work out I hear the Jell-O gelatin theme song playing in my head, "Watch it wiggle, see it jiggle, Tama's booty, is so large and flaaaaby"
I figure, I'm 28 years old and I have never owned a bikini past age 3. If I don't get into one now, when will I ever? Anyways! Thanks for the motivation, guys! I am way up for this!
Hugs, tama

Yes, I'm very pumped too for a bikini. I am a major sun goddess, love the sun, I know they say its bad for you and when you get to be 70 you'll have so many wrinkles, but at 70, I deserve to have wrinkles, my opinion. I was supposed to be going to Acapulco in March, but they have switched the trip date to April 17, so that gives me more time to loose some of my "jello" LOL.

My Grandfather's 80th bday is in April too, so we are planning on flying out there and surprising him. So the party is going to be at my Aunts place in Bullhead City, so I will be going to the desert April 12th.

Yes at 28 is a good age, I'm 35 and I wish I would have got this weight off in my 20's. The older you get, the harder it is.

Keep up the great work Tama, you Tae-bo queen you. Billy and I had a date last night too, but Billy is too fast for me, but I'm not giving up.

Tama,
Hey, I was talking about body frame size (bone size) a few weeks ago on another thread. It's kind of hard to tell from the measurements you gave. Try this and let me know what it says.
http://www.healthstatus.com/fsz.html

Talk later,
Heather

I myself have a large frame.

So you all have made the commitment and I am thrilled to see it. So has anyone shopped for suits yet?

We (I) need to know who has some good stuff. I already know that a $90.00 bikini is going to look great on me when I get to that point, but I want a starter suit thats gonna cost much less. Let me get abs of steel and then I'll break the bank.

Anyone with ideas?

The chair exercises were great anyone with more? I noticed that no on asked for more crunch exercises. No pain no gain ladies!!!!

I also noticed we have a few people with vacation dates coming, are you doing anything different to speed up the weightloss?

TTFN
Shannon

Hey Shannon, I have really upped my exercising program for the "bikini countdown", Expecially those ab exercises. Even at my desk during the day I do simple exercses for my abs, like tightening, then loosening them. I've also started doing some ab video tapes 3 - 4 x per week.

I think my abs will fall into shape once the fat melts off around them. lol.

I'm not ready to shop yet for a bikini, by far, I only look at a few in the magazines, but I have that perfect swim suit picked out in my head. I've even cut my face off of a picture of me and stuck it on a picture of a swimsuit model and put it on my bathroom mirror. This way I can visualize what I'm going to look like some day. I know I'm weird, but this makes it real for me, that I can do it and i will do it!

I'm so pumped these days about getting into shape, my husband said I'm obsessed! I'm glad I'm obsessed with loosing weight instead of eating!

I have been just focusing on doing my Tae-bo, myself. It seems to be all-encompassing for me. Abs, arms, legs, booty, got it all covered. But since setting this goal, maybe I'll add a few more extra crunches at the end of the hour, just for good measure. But I sure am tired by then! What do you guys think?
As for picking out a swimsuit, I know this is a bikini countdown, but I am totally in love with tankinis. Does that count? I think they are so cute and would be so flattering on me, once I am in better shape. It really is something to shoot for, anything that helps get you there, huh?
Hugs, Tama

Bikini's are great but Tankini's count too!

Sunshine2 I think for us to be obsessed with weightloss is an ok kinda thing. Obsessed with working out is what we are because we see the goal and want it bad enough.

I was working out tonight with my trainer and I mentioned this group and she gave me a new ab exercise that has nothing to do with a regular crunch.

So here it is - I liked it and it wasnt a killer.

Lay flat on the floor arms stretched above your head and your legs flat on the floor in front of you. Now lift your left arm and right leg and try to reach up to touch your toes, then release and repeat with the right arm reaching toward your toes on your raised left leg.

Doing the right and then the left leg counts as 1 do as many of these as you can. Right now I am doing 15 and they werent hatefull!

I use to chant to myself "I think I can" over and over now my chant is "I can, I can".

Some of us use bikini photos, I do mental chants... what do you do to stay motivated?

Write ya soon
Shannon

I was using a gift certificate I received for xmas in 2000 for a store I couldnt previously wear anything. So feeling good about myself I scamper into "The Limited" I buy some pants and a shirt and spent only $3.08 on top of my gift certificate.

As I walked back towards my car I go through Macy's. And there it was, the bathing suits section. To further motivate myself I grabbed a ralph lauren and a calvin klein in a size 12 knowing that it was too big for me and a further boost to my ego.

I tried it on and that's when the shrieking scream let loose from my lips and escaped. Dogs began to bark in nearby neighborhoods and the display windows within the mall shattered one by one, small children cried and people yelled to duck and cover. Those damned bathing suits were way too small, I couldnt/didnt want to believe it. I took out my pants and blouse and re-tried them on again. I have been working so hard for this and I looked so hideous as if I hadnt lost a pound.

With a scowl on my face and hatred in my eyes for all things ralph lauren and calvin klein I left the mall. If I had some cash on me I would have gotten something to eat to make myself feel better. Thankfully I was broke and putting the need for gasoline ahead of my quest for comfort foods. Although I went to the gym yesterday and today from now on I plan on going everyday!

The bikini has won this round, but the next one is all about me!

See Ya
Shannon

Hi Ladies.

I can't wait to be able to purchase a bikini. The last time I wore one was when I was five years old. I keep setting small golas for myself, but the last 10-14 days I haven't seen much of a difference on the scale. It's starting to become frustrating, but I am not giving up.

Hopefully I will be going a way this summer and I want to feel good about myself when I am sitting on the beach. I set mini goals of about 4 lbs at a time. Well good luck everyone!

Welcome, Danielle! I can't think of a better motivation than a summer vacation. Maybe I will plan one myself. Try not to get frustrated with the scale. I have learned that you can lose inches without losing pounds. Have you measured yourself? Good luck and keep it up, you will get there!

Shannon, I did that new ab exercise your trainer gave you tonight. I did it right after my regular workout and at first, I thought I couldn't feel it working, but after 10 reps, I could feel the burn! Not intolerable though. Quick question: Is the back supposed to stay flat, or can your shoulder come up a bit? Just want my form to be correct.

Thanks, Tama

Hi Danielle - welcome to our group of bikini bound babes. A summer vacation is the absolute best place to sport a new bikini. I have the exact same plan... I am going to 3 islands in Tahiti and am hoping to sport the new bod and bikini for the trip. Good luck on your crusade, we are all here to help in any way we can.

Hey Tama - I am glad you tried the exercise! Its great if you can lift your shoulder up off the floor just remember to keep your chin up. You dont want to tuck it in and put a lot of strain on your neck. Let me know if/when you want a group of different ab techniques to put them together in a circuit. You Go Superwoman!


See ya
Shannon

I start with a personal trainer today, matter of fact in just 10 minutes. We are going to strictly work my abs. I'll tell you how it goes tomorrow. Looking forward to a grueling ab exercise.

Just got back from my ab exercises, all I can say is OUCH!! I'm already feeling it, I hope I can even breath tomorrow.

One of the things he had me do was lay flat on your back, then raise your shoulders off the ground, then raise your butt and legs off the ground, (keep your shoulders up at the same time) then start peddling like your on a bike. This one killed me, I did 100, then several other exercises too. I'm hurting.

But the bikini will make it all worth while.

YIKES>>WHO SAID THAT BAD WORD! MY BUNS WOULD TAKE OFF RUNNING ON THEIR OWN AT THE MENTION OF A BIKINI>
thats why i am here....goal 145...current about 165...i think!
5.11 height and turned that dreadful 31 last month