[LuckyLadyBug]

What we really want in a weight loss support group, boils down to one concept; we are looking for a sanctuary.

Sanctuary means different things to different people. Sanctuary is a place of peace, rest, safety, and rejuvenation. It keeps our spirit and our sanity intact.

Many of us who have a long journey down the weight loss path find ourselves in need of a break. Sometimes our bodies crave it, and sometimes the choice isn't ours, but circumstances forces it upon us. Other times, we need the clamoring throng to cheer us along our way as we breeze past milestones and overcome obstacles.

Sanctuary can be all that as well. It is what you need and when you need it. Sanctuary can be found in good friends who aren’t afraid of your truths and in an open, honest atmosphere.

Sanctuary isn’t judgmental, neither does it discriminate or ask to be censured. It is open to anyone with a desire to share, and especially those in need of and willing to offer support

[chrily]

My plan...I hope it works....
I"m doing WW, so I'm going to keep my eating between 24-29 pts. a day. I also am going to do at least 30 min. of exercise. I bought some carrots, celery and cucumbers for munching and have no junk in my house to eat. I"M SOOO READY!

~chris

[LuckyLadyBug]

BarbG: I added your bio to the list.

Just that I'm such awonderful, neat person and everyone should love me, but you all already knew that!!!

You are right I did know that about you!!!

LisaFL: I added the FL because we have a Lisa in Minnesota too. You don't have to do anything but start typing!!!

Here is our bio form if you would like to fill it in. You don't have too but it helps all of us to get to know one another a little better.

DATE -

USER NAME -

REAL NAME -

AGE -

BIRTHDATE -

WHERE YOU LIVE -

SIGNIFICANT OTHER -

KIDS -

PETS -

OCCUPATION -

WHAT PLAN ARE YOU FOLLOWING -

FAV. EXERCISE(S) -

FAV. NO-NO FOODS -

FAV.BOOK(S) -

FAV. MOVIE(S) -

FAV. SONG(S) -

FAV. QUOTE -

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE: -

Are you following any particular diet plan? We are also doing a 2 X 2 Challenge from Jan 24 to Feb 7th if you want to jump in. Again you don't have to just if you want. All of us are trying to lose 2 pounds in two weeks and at the end of the two weeks we post our loss and I am the adder upper to see how much we lose as a group.

Otherwise we just chat away about our lives - the dieting and non-dieting parts.



Skittles:

Oh and it looks like there is no Superbowl this year.

That's the way I see it too.

Lucky, I was thinking we could start a website where we could keep all of these things such as bios and pictures and other goodes, and putting the link in our messages. What do you think?

That is fine by me but don't we have to pay for a site like that?

Kat:

~Have you weighed in? Yep
~What kind of plan will you follow? Yep - for this week anyway
~Exercise? Yep
~Have you made it easier on yourself by getting the junk out of the house? Gotten the good stuff in?Bad out - no good in - well just the leftover good from last week
~Is your head in the right place? 2# is a realistic goal, easily attainable in 2 weeks!
Surprisingly yes!!!! SHOCKED aren't you.

Jawsmom:

a few jumping jacks while I wait for the coffee to finish in the morning

I had to laugh. My sister told me she started getting up 30 min early every day so she could exercise - actually, she said she is standing in front of the coffee pot waiting for the coffee to get done so she may as well stay in bed!! She is a real coffee freak in the morning - NO talking to her until she has had some. Now that I think of it she hates exercise so why she thought her plan would work is beyond me!!

Okay, Chicks - we can do this - lose two pounds by February 7th. Even if they are pounds you have lost before

So far so good for today!!!

[southern gal]

Hi everybody! Hope you had a very good day! I'm working on school stuff (does that ever stop?) but decided to take a break for a few minutes and check in. Not enough time to write a good post though...

Lucky, you come up with some of the coolest graphics!

Jawsmom, jumping jacks and jogging in place...hey, nothing wrong with that! What a great way to get in some exercise when you normally wouldn't.

Welcome, LisaFL!

I've done fine food wise and I did exercise this morning. Not my normal walk though (too cold). I'm still working on getting in enough water...Hope everyone else has done well today!

Oh well, back to work. I have a conference on Thursday so I'm working on lesson plans for my sub. It takes me about 10 times longer to write down what I need my class to do for someone else to teach...Talk to you later!

Laura

[5 dogs]

Hello, my name is Gloria and am looking for a fun support group. I read some of your post and said "This is the group for me". I am 53 and have been married 32 years (First time, only time) to a wonderful man but, he has never had to diet in his life! I have lost the same 10 pounds at least 10 times and am getting discouraged at myself.

I am kinda new at this and am not sure if this is the right way to go about joining your thread.
Thank you
Gloria
P.S., My user name is 5 dogs and yes, i have five dogs.

[katrinabgood]

WELCOME, Lisa and Gloria! Just jump right in! I still haven't exercised yet today, but I'm going to put my TaeBo tape in RIGHT NOW and do it. It wouldn't do for me to NOT be compliant on the very first day of the challenge! Food and water have been great. Feeling good. Thanks for starting the new thread, Lucky!

[c bo be]

Hello everyone, my name is cheryll and I've been searching all the threads for over a week trying to figure out where I belong. I'm new to this forum but certainly not new to weight problems. I'm 49 years old and have been married 30 years to a wonderful husband with weight problems too. I need to lose around 35 lbs. I am pretty good with exercising but i tend to snack at night. Not good. Anyway, I hope there's room for one more in this thread. My user name is c bo be. Thanks!

[Skittles]

Good Morning Ladies ooops and Tony (Sorry bout that)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Monday. I got some things done, went to the chiropractor, I love the roller bed, so nice on my back. I am going back this Friday for a session on using a big ball. She is going to fit me with the right size ball and show me how to do some exercises for my back and stomach. I think I will feel better about exercising with a ball having someone show me the proper way to use it.

Lucky, I was thinking we could start a website where we could keep all of these things such as bios and pictures and other goodes, and putting the link in our messages. What do you think? That is fine by me but don't we have to pay for a site like that?

Nah, there are free sites out there. I wrote to someone here but have not gotten a response from anyone yet.

~Have you weighed in? ummm yes, 319#
~What kind of plan will you follow? I will follow the "You know you can't have that, put that down, and drink that water," plan.
~Exercise? If I have too.
~Have you made it easier on yourself by getting the junk out of the house? Gotten the good stuff in? There are still a few bad things but I just have to leave them alone. I do have more good things though.
~Is your head in the right place? 2# is a realistic goal, easily attainable in 2 weeks! Is it ever? I think so, this is starting a week earlier than I planned my new year to start but I am willing to go with it.


Welcome New Chicks, Gloria, LisaFl, and Cheryl

Ok, Off to work Buhbye for now.
Skittles

[katrinabgood]

Always room for more here! Welcome, cheryll! Just jump right in and join the fun. We've just started a 2 week challenge to lose 2 lbs, you've come at just the right time!

Hey! I wanted to tell you all that I've been experiencing this strange sensation lately...I get this rumbling, growling, empty feeling in my gut. I've heard that this is what HUNGER feels like. Really? I wouldn't know about that! Til recently.

I'm trying to do the 6 light meals a day thing. Which means I can eat every 3-4 hours or so. Sure enough, right around the 3.5 hour mark, there goes that rumble telling me it's time! Now, I'm not chowing down 6 times a day...just small meals or a snack. Training myself to be aware of the hunger and when it's no longer there. Also taking note of how much 'grazing' I normally do. Eating that extra piece of bread while I'm making a sandwich...grabbing a cookie while waiting for the coffee...stuffing an extra piece of cheese into my mouth...a bite or two or three of dinner as it cooks. Amazing how those extras do add up!

AWARENESS. MINDFUL EATING. CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR.

Just a few thoughts...

What about you? Tell us what you are doing differently this time. What are you going to do to be successful this time?

Time to get the kid off to school...and me off to the gym. That's one of the things I'll be doing!

[katrinabgood]

Hi, Skittles! We were posting at the same time. You always bring a smile to my face...

I will follow the "You know you can't have that, put that down, and drink that water," plan.

[fierum]

Hey gang

Eep, I am _so_ far behind in reading posts. But this is a good thing, isn't it? It means the thread is alive and prospering Unfortunately, between the mounting work in school and the oncoming exams (like staring at a freight train coming at you), and the other demands on my time, I haven't had a whole lot of time to come here, much less post.

BarbPA: Green smiley faces, huh? That's a trick I need to remember. That's pretty cute

Sneaking in this reply real fast during class, so I don't have time to fully read the other posts. If you asked me something and I missed it, I really don't mean to ignore you I'll try and catch up during a break.

Welcome to all the new women, I think you'll like it here!

As a side note, as of this morning, I broke my 210 plateau! *cheer* *fanfare*

[qsilver]

Hey everyone

I really haven't fallen off the face of the earth! There have been a lot of pressures lately, and I've found myself holing up and not coming out and asking for support like I should. When those times hit, I should be here first!

I got off on a decent foot yesterday for the first day of our challenge with my food. I kept meaning to get out and do some exercise, but that holing up mentality kept taking over. I didn't leave the house again after getting in from work in the morning. I planned to use my big ball, but the cats have punctured the thing. It is brand new! (Now would be a good moment for a primal scream emoticon!) At least my abs are still tender from doing crunches on it the day before.

What do I plan to do today to ensure my success? I have physical therapy, so exercise is taken care of. I have started the day with some lean protein and have been planning my foods to take with me so I'm not tempted to wander from the path. My water bottle is already filled, and as soon as I finish posting here, I'll get my PDA in the purse so I'm able to journal everything. I've got to admit that I don't feel all empowered at this moment. The thing is, if I do all the right things, there is no reason to not find success, even if I don't feel successful this exact moment. Did that make any sense?

Kat, you said it for me. "AWARENESS. MINDFUL EATING. CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR."

My eldest is begging for a ride to school, and I can't think of a reason to not take her. Time to get off here and into the shower! Have a great day, everyone! Mind is looking better already.

Andria

[lucky]

Kat, you make a very good point regarding mindful eating and conscious behavior.

I had a really dramatic revelation at the beginning of this particular weight loss journey that I think will be the key to my success this time around. In the past, I've never really listened to my body - I equated not being full all of the time to hunger. I don't know what made the light bulb go off but it occured to me that just because I wasn't stuffed didn't mean I was hungry and I thought to myself, "this is what NORMAL feels like." Now, I can tell the difference between being hungry and just wanting to eat and I don't feel deprived just because I'm not putting something in my mouth for the sake of chewing. In my case I believe that the reason I always regained lost weight was because once I reached my goal I still didn't have a real grasp on when to eat and why. This time I do and I think it is going to make all the difference in the world. As a matter of fact, it already has. I haven't had to struggle week by week like I used to and it is because if I'm not HUNGRY I'm not looking to eat.

Now, of course, the challenge is to eat the RIGHT things when I am hungry. That one I'm still working on. LOL.

Hope you all have a great day. And a great big welcome to all of our newcomers. You've picked the right place for support and fun. I look forward to getting to know each of you better!

[5 dogs]

Hi Cheryll, I to am new and have been looking for a good support group. When i read your post, i thought you were talking about me. I have a BIG problem with snacking at night. I'm o.k. during the day with the junk food, but hooooo the night. I nibble all the time and its not because I'm hungry. I have to tell myself when i start nibbling, "You know what it taste like so DON"T take another bite".

Here is my bio.

I like to exercise and have joined the Y.M.C.A where i take belly dancing and step classes and do water aerobic.

We have two kids. A son 29 (Will) who is married and lives in Mo. No grandkids yet. Daughter (Jamie) is 26 and lives in Az. She just came back from Iraq this past May.

I love to quilt and have a very large stach of fabric that i will probably never use.

I was in a car accident in 2003 and am unable to work because of neck problems. Had an operation last year on my neck and am able to exercise from the wast down.

I started South Beach just before my accident but was in so much pain all i could do was eat and sleep. Gained a lot of weight then and am having a hard time getting it off.

Did i see someone is from Ga? Hubby and i are going up there on vacation next week. Love the state of Ga.

Hubby (Carl) and i have been married 32 years and he still makes me laugh. He's a great guy as a husband, but i need someone to push me to exercise and STOP the nibbling at night.

So this is me and would love to hear from you.
Gloria

[lucky]

WooHoo! I am so excited I am about to burst. I handle all of our finances and given my accounting background I am one of those, "balance to the penny" types. I keep everything in Quicken and was balancing our statement. I don't know how I've missed this in the past but I happen to have noticed that we had a lot of uncleared items that went as far back as 2002 but ended early 2004. I'd seen them before but didn't pay much attention since I was able to balance our statement to $0. So, long story short I take a closer look and somehow I managed to enter some things twice. Turns out we've had an extra $2200 dollars in our checking account for the past year! I know that isn't a huge amount of money but it is "free" money to us at this point. I figure that is a nice little budget for all new clothes once I reach my goal weight. And, lucky for me, Greg is generous enough to have said he thought that would be a good idea. I had to laugh when I told him that I was glad to have made a mistake that actually did us some good and he said, "Yeah, wish I could make a mistake that didn't get me in trouble!" Poor guy.

Gloria, I am glad to hear that you are recovering from your accident. I had knee surgery back in college and was on the couch for about 6 weeks straight. I was like a bowl of jelly by the time I began physical therapy and it was very discouraging. Luckily, at that age it was pretty easy to bounce back. When I was 6 months pregnant with twins I was put on bedrest. The same thing happened. Of course, this time it's been a much bigger struggle to get in shape. Pretty sad that they are 4 years old and still my excuse for being fat! Not for much longer though - I am going to really get myself together this time.

How wonderful that your daughter made it home from Iraq. It must have been very difficult for you while she was gone.

I see in your profile that you enjoy growing vegetables. I don't have a green thumb by any means but I also enjoy planting small vegetable gardens. Usually we just put out tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. A couple of years ago I decided to actually put a little more into it as I thought it would be a fun project for the kids. We added watermelon and sweet corn, zuchini and squash and worked so hard. Then, within a month of everything being ripe and ready to pick - we sold our house and moved before we could enjoy any of it. We let the kids go ahead and pick the watermelons and a couple of the tomatoes. We didn't have time to do much this past spring but we are making our plans for another small garden this year. I can't wait. There is nothing like a home grown tomato.

Have a great day everyone.

Tricia