WW Clubs and Groups - Turtle Club #38

Here's Lin's official introduction to the group:

The Hare and the Tortoise

A hare met a tortoise one day and made fun of him for the slow and clumsy way in which he walked.

The tortoise laughed and said, "I will run a race with you any time that you choose."

"Very well," replied the hare, "we will start at once."

The tortoise immediately set off in his slow and steady way without waiting a moment or looking back. The hare, on the other hand, treated the matter as a joke and decided to take a little nap before starting, for she thought that it would be an easy matter to overtake her rival.

The tortoise plodded on, and meanwhile the hare overslept herself, with the result that she arrived at the winning-post only to see that the tortoise had got in before her.

Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

This comes from a book handed down from my grandmother to my mother to me. The book is so old it doesn't have a copyright date or an author/editor's credit.

That fable has been the motivation for us turtles for about two years. Someone on the ancient WW forum mentioned the fable and I discovered it was very motivational for me. I talked about it in posts and other people said that the tortoise philosophy worked for them, too. So, I started a thread for us turtle types.

We work toward accepting that our bodies have a natural speed of weight loss when we choose to live a healthy life, instead of "going on a diet". Many of us have experienced "the diets" as go on/lose weight-- go off/ gain the weight plus more back.

We choose to perservere with each choice we make throughout the day. We believe that choosing to be slow, steady turtles helps us to learn the skills we need to learn in order to not only lose the weight, but keep it off and become the healthiest people we can be.

So, welcome to all who realize that losing and maintaining a weight loss is a lifestyle change. And who want support as we all learn the skills we need to successfully make the changes that will allow us to reach our goals.

Hi, everyone. Lin, the other one was getting long; hope you don't mind my leaping in.

Judy, a "gain" of 1/4 pound counts as staying the same in my book. This week, my WW leader told us about another WW leader who didn't let any of her folks find out what their weight was this week. They weighed in but didn't get to see the results until after the meeting. She asked each person if they had a good week or a bad week. Her point: don't let the scale be your only barometer of whether you had a good or bad week.

And boy, have I ever found that to be good advice. Maybe it was warmer than usual, so your body holds onto water. Or maybe you had something salty. Or maybe your body built up some muscle. Or maybe it's because you had a big loss the week before, and your body needs to adjust. Or, or, or ... there are so many reasons why our bodies might not lose weight, even if we've done all the right things.

The main thing is not to let it discourage you, and to KEEP AT IT. It's the only way to get the weight off long term. I know you know all this; I'm just reminding both of us, since I need to hear it right now, too, with TOM impending. Another helpful thing, I found this past week, was to write down one positive thing I did on the program each day in my journal. Last week my WW leader said that in order to be successful, you have to FEEL successful. So she made us think about all the ways we were successful this week. That' so much more helpful that thinking about ways we let ourselves down -- which always seems to be easier, for some reason.

This week she asked us to pick one behavior and focus on changing it. I picked getting in more fruits and vegetables. I always eat less junk when I do that. I'm eating a lovely salad with tofu as I type. :)

Boy, is it windy here -- and cold! Yesterday it got up to 72; today we're having a high of 48! Brrrr. I need to buy a winter coat. My old one is finally just way too big, but it was sooooo warm. I hate to spend money on a coat I may not even be able to wear next year. But what can you do? I have to have a winter coat! So I'm checking out thrift stores ...

I got in about 4 hours of exercise yesterday! :eek: I did just a 30-minute workout in the morning, then I walked with a friend for another half hour later in the day (impromptu walk), and then I cleaned the house -- and really worked up a sweat! Housecleaning is good exercise.

Have a great Thursday, everyone.

Onward and downward,

Lauren

Hi, Turtles,

I was weird, Lauren, to log on, ready to start a new thread and see it's already been done. Thanks. I'm not used to you starting it so soon after it hits two pages, but that's the best time. I never managed to keep my connection long enough yesterday to set up a new thread.

Judy, ditto what Lauren said. Think of it this way--1/4 of a pound is a mere 4 ounces. Look at a measuring cup and think about how little 4 ounces seems when it's the portion of food you're having. lol! Maybe that thought can put some perspective on the issue. Now, I know that those 4 ounces can add up, but only if they continue. I doubt that will happen because you're doing so well with sticking with the program. Hang in there!

Lauren, I really liked the report about things your leader said that were helpful to you.

Get yourself that coat. You deserve to be warm this winter. It's OK to buy a coat and then get another one next year. Sometimes we just have to forget about the money issue and be good to ourselves. We're more important than money. If it were your dh, you'd buy him the coat, wouldn't you? Right--so treat yourself as well as you'd treat others. You're the only self that you have. And this is the only time you'll pass through this part of your life. Enjoy it. (Can you tell that I struggle with this myself?)

WOW! Do you remember when you couldn't do four hour of exercise? That's so cool, the progress you're making.

I did my long walk yesterday. I'm going to walk today after lunch. And maybe go with my dh on another walk this evening to pick up a rental car. Rental cars are cheap here and we're renting one so we can go to see my younger son's play. It's a one-act comedy and he's the lead. He was worried about the monologue, but I'm sure he got it worked out. I'm looking forward to it. He's so much fun to watch onstage. My mother thinks that we shouldn't spend the money because we have to get the car fixed, but I think that my son's play is much more important. We can eat omelettes for dinner a couple of days next week and save some money from the grocery budget to cover the cost of the car.

Things are going well this week. I'm not sure how the weight loss is going because I don't step on the scale between Sunday weigh-ins, but I've been at the top of my range and occasionally a few points over (covered by acitivity points and banked points) but . . . I've not exercised this much on a regular basis in a long time. I'm not sure how it's affecting my weight loss because I have been a little more hungry lately. So, I'm feeding myself and we'll see what happens. I can make adjustments if I need to.

Hope everyone is doing well today.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
272/242/135 or so

Hi All,
Thanks for all the good advice. It's so reassuring to come here and be in touch with you all.

Lauren,
Get out and get that coat. I know exactly what you mean. I could use a few things , but I don't want any more clothes in this size. I think we all go through those feelings. Anyway--get out there and get yourself something nice and keep on keepin' on.
You're really hitting the exercise part of WW. That's fantastic. Keep it up!

Lin,
So glad you'll get to see your son as a lead in a play. What wonderful times for all of you. Enjoy it. And keep up the exercise.
That's wonderful that you're doing so well.

Let's all do this!
Judy \
234/thinner/199 by Christmas!!!!!
;)

Lin, I regularly have omelettes for dinner! They're a good source of protein--if I was a vegan I don't know WHAT I'd do, I can't stand to handle tofu and there's a limit to the soy products that are made. Though I have to say, I do love Morningstar Farms. :) I agree with you, your son's play is far more important. Think how crushed he would be, even if he didn't admit it, if you didn't go. It's good to see you have your priorities in line (at least, to me ;) )--not that I ever doubted you didn't!

Lauren, get yourself a good coat. It's something you need, and you need it right now. If you don't need it in the future, then yay for you. But you need it *now*. It's not even a splurge, it's a necessity. Be kind to yourself.

Judy, it's nice to see you're still with us. There's the pot calling the kettle black, but anyway. When I read about your computer problems I was afraid you'd gone for good!

Life is going remarkably well right now. :) It's the end of DH's first week of work, and he's been coming home each night and laying in bed with me and telling me stories from work. Always, he interjects at random moments-- "You know, I love my job." :) It's lovely to see him so happy, and to get the man I married back! Right now he's happily surrounded by guitars at the local guitar store. He's allowing himself to dream again, and who am I to get in the way of that? :)

I've been OP, REALLY OP, for this last week. Remarkable how well the program works when you do it as it's written, isn't it? ;) I've dropped 3 1/2 pounds as of this morning's scale! I've started a bead chain for every day I'm OP, too, so I have something tangible to focus me. No forseeable upsets in the future, not even imminent in-laws (how nice is it that they live 5,000 miles away?). If upsets happen in the future, of course, I have a battle plan now. This whole regain thing will NOT happen again.

Oh well, must be off to battle a headache!

Lin, that's great you're getting the walks in. I'll bet you feel better, too. How was the play?

Judy, it is reassuring to come here, isn't it?

Mousie, I love the image of your DH surrounded by guitars and dreaming.

Well, I've had one tough few days with our younger cat, Chloe. She wasn't herself for a couple days toward the end of last week, and on Friday evening (after all the vets are closed, of course), we felt her stomach and it was hard and distended. Got her to the emergency vet hospital, where they checked her for blockages and then gave her a laxative. Didn't do any good, so the next day we had to bring her back and they gave her two enemas! (The first didn't work.) This was one constipated kitty. Apparently that can kill them before too long. :( Today she's got diarrhea and feels pretty lousy. I hope we can get her to drink at some point. Naturally, I worry. I can't imagine having human kitties -- er, kiddies. I'll probably have to take her to her regular vet this week, too, to find out what caused the problem in the first place. Nothing like throwing a little money around ...

As for as the program goes, when I'm really anxious I have trouble eating. It's the only time that happens. But I haven't hit my minimum points the past couple days, and was low the day before that. I figure it'll even out, since TOM started on Thursday and I had eaten more before that, as I usually do. My workouts have suffered, too, though I've been getting in walks. Just not as intense.

Ah, well. Onward and downward,

Lauren

Hi, Turtles,

Judy, it's good to hear from you. I hope things are going well today.

Mousie, I'm so glad your dh loves his new job. There's not much that's worse than dragging yourself to a job that you can't stand, day after day. And it's great that he's back dreaming about those guitars.

Congratulations on the three and a half pounds! Your bead chain is a great idea. Those things really help keep the fun in this so we find it easier to stick with it.

Lauren, I'm glad that there wasn't anything worse wrong with your kitty. As for the "kiddies", well, when you have them you just take what comes next and deal with it. And there's always something, even after they grow up! :lol:

It's good that you're getting in some walks, while you're not able to get in your regular workouts. Those walks will keep the exercise momentum going. I find, for myself, that at TOM walking is the most strenuous exercise I can manage to get the energy to do.

I lost one more pound this week. That's four in four weeks. A steady, turtle pace. :D

Chris's play was really good. He's funny. He says he's not, but the audience was cracking up. David is doing fine at his new job. It's hard for him because he really doesn't like working retail, but that's all there is around here, so he's doing it anyway.

I've been getting in my walks and staying within my points, except when we were in SJ. But, I had banked points to cover and we walked at least 4 hours during the course of the day.

We may have either the use of a car or we may be buying it, which will give us a second car. The bad news is that it's another ancient auto with a lot of miles on it. But, it's safer than our car is at the moment and if we can use, buy, or rent it from the owner (a friend of David's) for a few months, it will save us worrying about Paul's safety while he drives to work every day.

Talk with you all later. Hope those of you who aren't posting are doing as well as we all are. Have a great day!

Happy turtlin'! :cool:

Lin
272/241/135 or so

Lin,
So glad you had a great time at the play. You must have been so proud of your son. It's really wonderful to see them grow up well.
As far as David, even though it's not his first choice of a job, good for him for earning money. I always told my kids when they were working at jobs they didn't like to keep it in their experience bank and vow to get an education so they could do the things they'd prefer. Gosh, it's often not fun to work, so you might as well get as close to something that you like as possible.
I think it's fabulous that you lost another pound. This sounds like a record! Way to go......

Lauren,
Sounds like you're a little off kilter right now. You're really centered and well balanced, so think this through and you'll be right on track. The kitty scare is a tough one. I had a cat a long time ago. We helped her rescue her kittens from drowning and I always had such a warm feeling toward her and her babies. We need that touch with someone other than ourselves to care for.
Take good care of yourself right now and nurture your kitten too.

Mousie,
Good to hear from you. I sure am trying to find different times of the day to read this forum. It's extremely important to my state of mind and weight loss. I've got a great picture of your dh in my mind surrounded by guitars and looking really happy. That's pretty remarkable when you figure I have no idea what he looks like. I am so happy for you that you lost 3 1/2# this week. That's fabulous. Take care of yourself and keep on posting.

Everyone,
Well, Saturday night we had a Halloween party. It really was a lot of fun and I enjoyed myself. Then my son, his wife, and baby stayed over and we had a nice time. Unfortunately my eating isn't as good as I'd like. I have to figure out what to eat when they want to eat high caloric foods. I had it figured out and planned, but it was for too long a time of temptations for me and it was tough. I guess I just really wanted to eat more than to lose weight. So----I'm OP now and will continue so right through
Wed. at my WW WI.

Best of luck to everyone. Post when you can and join us in this turtle march to victory!

Judy
234/thinner/199# by Christmas:dizzy: :^:

Judy, the Halloween party sounded fun. I know what you mean about succumbing after periods of prolonged temptation. It's rough. I guess the holiday season kind of begins for many people right around now -- Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then the Christmas month-long festivities. I always enjoy this time of year (September through December is my favorite time of year), but it can play havoc with one's weight. I may have mentioned this already, but my WW leader, Pam, now makes a concerted effort to lose 5-10 pounds every year *before* the holiday season. I think that's incredibly smart of her and no doubt contributes to her having kept her weight off all these years. I know I have to work to be more vigilant now, since this is roughly when my weight loss has slowed to a crawl (or reversed) in the past few years.

Thanks also for the kind words and good advice. The cat is back to having extremely hard poops, so of course I'm worried she'll end up back in the hospital and am neurosing about what to do for her. I really don't know why I've been so stressed out about this cat. Probably in part because I can become anxious and obsessive about little things when I'm alone a lot -- even though I do enjoy being alone. And being unemployed does add some stress of its own. And then there's the whole terrorism thing, which is more of a background than foreground concern for me, but it's there. Ah, well. At least I'm not having nightmares about it any more.

Lin, great job on the pound down and the good, steady, healthy pace. Whatever you're doing sure is paying off. Good news about the possible car help -- I hope that works out for you.

I went for an hour-long walk outside today instead of doing the videos because I felt it would be more rejuvenating to be outside in the autumn air and intermittant sunshine. It was; I don't feel I got as good a workout, but I really enjoyed the walk and didn't want to come back in. Maybe I'll spend time out in the yard as much as possible today. (Can't go too far because repairmen are coming over this afternoon.)

The home scales show me down 2.5 this week. That actually isn't as huge as it sounds, since I had only lost 2 pounds for the month prior to this loss. So that's still about a pound a week average. A good turtle pace, even if it happens in fits and starts. It does look like my Christmas goal is within reach! And in just another pound and a half, I'll have lost 70 pounds! :eek:

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/205.5/199 by Christmas

Hi, Turtles,

Judy, you seem to be struggling a little right now. I know that your life seems to contain a lot of food challenges. I wonder if you are including enough special foods, foods that nurture your soul, as well as your body, on a regular basis. They don't have to be high calorie junk food, either. I make sure I keep homemade bread in my freezer and soup in my fridge. I discovered that by making sure that the foods I absolutely cannot live without are in my food choices on a regular basis (saving up points, if necessary), I don't have as much of a problem with parties and get-togethers.

It's easier to focus on the company because I don't feel deprived or punished by "not being able" to eat foods that don't fit my plan for the day, since if I really want them, I eat them periodically. I don't see it as "not being able" to eat certain foods or the foods usually served at certain times. I see it as "not choosing to" eat those foods because they don't fit into my plan for the day. Or I save up points and choose the foods that I really want, in small enough quantities to fit into my plan. I went through a whole party once and didn't eat anything. I had some bottled water and that's it. I wasn't hungry and I was having too good a time to be worrying about food. No one noticed or cared. Good luck to you as you work through this holiday season.

Lauren, way to go! I think your Christmas goal is definitely reachable. You know, an hour-long walk may not be as strenuous of a workout, but I've noticed that it definitely makes a difference. I didn't get mine in yesterday, though. I've found that when I bake bread it's hard to get out for that long walk because I don't want the dough to rise too much, so I need to be at home to check on it. But, I was 2 points under my minimum, which is the minimum for Winning Points, without any activity points. So, I think I'm on track, anyway. Waiting to celebrate your 70 pounds in about a week or two!

You're doing great despite being a little stressed about not having a job and the cat and the terrorism that is in the back of all of our minds these days.

You mentioned that being alone a lot can cause you to obsess about little things. I know that I get that way if I'm alone too much without a project that stimulates me mentally. Creative projects are particularly good. Right now, I'm enjoying that I'm alone for hours every day. I can write in peace. No one interrupting me to ask me stuff they could figure out for themselves, if they'd take the time to do it. (Like finding things that are in the closet, but behind something else.)

So, have you started any writing or other creative project, as you mentioned that you wanted to do? Maybe this is a time you're being given to do more of the creative projects you enjoy. Or maybe I'm just thinking that way because it's so clear to me that my current situation is precisely for that purpose in my own life. :lol:

So, my life is totally different from what it was last year at this time. WW is not an issue any more. I just do it and I don't really think about it. I hope I can maintain the attitude that is allowing it to be not a big deal because it means that I have more time to focus on the other parts of my life. My writing. My photography, which may get a large boost if my son can figure out how to turn our small bathroom into a darkroom and where to dispose of the fixer, which cannot legally be dumped down the drain. And a new quest I've been sent on. It's a spiritual quest and it's something I think God has wanted me to take for years, but I wasn't listening. And I hope that doesn't sound crazy to you guys, but I've always, from the time I was a child, interested in the spiritual and philosophical aspects of life. And it's become clear to me that it's time to explore some issues that have been bothering me for a while.

So, I'm very busy. OP. And things are going fine. It feels so good to be writing that after all of those months of setting my alarm just because I was afraid that if I didn't I wouldn't bother to get out of bed. I'll know more about the car situation tomorrow evening. The guy has to discuss it with his wife. He didn't want to start a family thing if we weren't interested in it. Which I think is a good plan.

Hope things are going well for all of you today.

Happy turtlin'! :)

Lin
272/241/135 or so

Lin, great minds think alike. :) Yesterday I did indeed start writing again. I was surprised at how hard it was and how short a time I was able to make myself do it. I think it's kind of like exercise -- you have to build up, and it probably never actually gets "easy." Part of the problem is that I have no idea what I'm writing about at this point -- I'm just writing. But you're right, it's what I need right now so I don't go nuts.

You're also right about an hour-long walk making a difference. I definitely felt more energized afterwards, and I really enjoyed getting outside and just seeing the neighborhood -- what people have done with fall decorations, squirrels tunneling into pumpkins on porches (I got a huge chuckle over that). I'm going to walk again today. I did a new video workout this morning and found that it wasn't strenuous enough, though it was fun (Richard Simmons "Disco Sweat" -- great John Travolta moves). I don't want to outgrow Richard -- I love his routines!

Last night's WW meeting was good again. I really enjoy Pam, the leader. She had 17 words that can get you through any situation, and she listed them for us. They were:

Prepare
Care
Believe
Forgive
Change
Risk
Listen
Choose
Relax
Pray
Persist
Wait
Smile
Focus
Act
Trust
Accept

(Personally, I would add "love" and "give thanks" in there too.) She then talked about how Halloween is, for many, the kickoff for the holiday season. She referred to Halloween as the pop quiz, Thanksgiving as the mid-term, and Christmas as the final exam. So she asked us to look at that list of words and pick one that we could apply to Halloween that would help us through. A lot of good discussion ensued. I picked "prepare," and mentioned that I'd prepared by buying candy I don't like so I wouldn't be tempted by it. Another woman said "focus," and said she would focus by writing down whatever she ate. Another woman said she would focus by putting up the list of points for different kinds of Halloween candy! (Pam passed that out to us.) Pam asked us all to do one thing on Halloween -- write down everything we eat. (Everyone who does this will get entered into a drawing next week for a prize -- usually a box of 2-point bars or smoothies or a cookbook).

It was a good meeting. Turns out I lost 3.2 pounds on the WW scale, which was a surprise. Nothing like having TOM end in order to see a good loss. :)

Onward and downward,

Lauren
279/209.6/199 by Christmas (WW scales, evening)

Hi, Turtles,

Lauren, glad to hear that you're writing again. I agree that it is hard, especially when you're searching for something to write about. Have you read or used "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg? The main purpose of the book is to get you writing regularly. I have two copies. If you want one, I'll send it to you.

It will take time to build the habit of writing regularly. And once you start working again, I hope you'll keep writing a little every day. I think you have a lot of talent and a lot to write about. You just need to let it out onto the page.

Super congratulations on that great loss! I know that you said that some of it was the end of TOM, but your weight is still lower and getting closer to your goal. If you hit 199 before Christmas, have you thought about what your next goal will be? Just curious.

I like your list of words and the report about what the class was about. I'm saving it for my file. I think it can help me. I think that my word for right now is "risk". I feel as if I'm risking a lot to lose over 100 pounds because I haven't been anywhere near my goal in over 25 years. Contemplating that makes me realize what a huge change I'm making. It feels risky, but it also feels good. It feels like the kind of risk in life that is a good one to take. It's still scary, but it's going so slowly that I think I'm being given the time I need to deal with the scary parts.

I'm still OP. I changed the way I deal with banked points. I was getting a ridiculous amount of points built up, but I didn't want to have 0 at the beginning of the week, in case I need some on the first day. So, I cap it at ten, the amount you're allowed to use in a day. If I use enough that I go under ten, I'll add back any I bank until I build it back up. If adding the banked points for a day adds up to more than ten, as it did yesterday, I record the amount for my reference, but only count ten of them. I never use more than a few in a day, anyway, unless it's a special occasion.

I didn't walk again yesterday. I had a small stomach problem. It's probably due to the time change. Getting overly tired usually causes this type of problem. But I'm going out after I finish this post for my walk today.

Hope all of you turtles are doing very well today.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
272/241/135 or so

Lin,
So glad you're OP and writing. Two really remarkable goals that you've been working toward. Hooray! Also hooray about the weight loss. Slow and steady still knocks off a huge amount of weight in a year!

Lauren,
Your cat's going to be fine, and if she's not you'll get her medical help. Being alone and not going to work sounds heavenly until it's not. It presents its own problems that have to be faced and worked through. I'm glad you got some outside exercise yesterday. I think that's a great way to chase away cobwebs in our brains.

Mousie,
Glad to see you're doing so well OP. Isn't it great when we work WW and WW works?

I'm having a tough time here still. I have to shake up my thinking. I'm doing a lot of impuse eating. I had stopped doing that and had kept the food out of the house. However, dh brought some things in for Halloween, and we had delicious leftovers in the fridge from our party (I had given most of the stuff away). I skipped my WW mtg. yesterday which is always a bad sign. I PLAN on going Saturday morning and I plan on eating correctly between now and then. Right now I think I have to have short term goals of a day at a time--right to my goal.
This starts the holiday season for me and I want the winning outcome at the end. I just figured out that I have not lost and kept off a pound since last Jan. 1st. I had lost 6 pounds, but have not kept them off. I am trying not to whine, and I am trying to stay OP and I am trying to lose weight, but I'm not doing it.
So--here I go again. I am learning what to do and make extraordinary progress at times, but I have huge eating challenges often and I'm getting tired of it. I've got to work out better plans and I've got to exercise. You all take care and keep on. I'm happy to read of your successes.
Judy'
234/thinner/199# by Christmas

Lin, interesting method of handling banked points. Exercise really can make them climb pretty high. For me, I just look back over the past 7 days and add those together, and that gives me my banked points for the day. I find I haven't been using them much lately, though I expect to use a bunch tomorrow (I'll be eating out twice). Like you, I've been trying to keep myself from using more than 10 banked points in a day. It really does help.

Judy, I think we've all been in your shoes. Last year (2000) I ended the year exactly where I started it -- after having gained and lost the same 16 pounds during the year. I then stalled out pretty much the first half of this year, gained a few pounds toward spring and early summer. So there's a year and a half "wasted" -- except that it wasn't wasted, because I learned a lot from it. I learned what not to do (nibble on junk food that happens to be around, for starters; we had a ton of the stuff at work) and what *to* do (journal, journal, journal -- and did I mention journal?). I learned I HAVE to religiously keep my journal, or I'll start lying to myself and stall out, and then gain weight.

So what lessons are you learning right now about what obviously isn't working for you? What are your goals for today? And what *positive* thing have you done today that's related to your weight-loss journey? By focusing on the positives, maybe you can start building more confidence in yourself and thus more success.

What turned me around this past summer was setting that 199 goal for myself. I don't know why, but it really helped me get motivated, and it has pulled me through a lot of different temptations. As I've gotten thinner in the past couple of months, seeing how I'm starting to look and feel has added huge additional motivation.

Lin, you asked what my further goals are. I've been thinking a lot about those, since I'm obviously finding that setting goals motivates me. Here they are, at least right now:

1. My first goal is, of course, 199 by Christmas.
2. My second goal is to get out of the 190s by early March. I'd like to put some distance between me and the 200s! Along with this, I hope to be comfortably in non-plus sizes by then. (I can wear them now, but I prefer my clothes to be looser.)
3. My third goal is to be 174 or lower by the first official day of summer, which is June 21 or 22, I think. The reason I've picked that number is that once I hit 174, I'll statistically no longer be considered obese! :) I'll be very happy once I'm finally just overweight.
4. I'm not sure what the fourth goal is yet; it depends on how the others go. (160s by my birthday, which is in early August, maybe.) I anticipate that as I get thinner, it'll be harder to take the weight off. I doubt I will reach my stated WW goal of 145 by Christmas next year, though who knows.

And of course, in between, I'll have 5-pound goals along the way (199 then 194 then 189, etc.).

Non-weight goals for the coming year include:

1. To be able to jump a little when I exercise. I'd like to do a few of the dance moves I'm seeing in my videos, and right now I'm still not quite light enough.
2. Getting into non-plus sizes (as mentioned above). Eventually, I'd like to comfortably wear a medium. Maybe even in 2002.
3. To be able to hike, preferably even up hills or small mountains. I'd like to be in great shape by next fall so when we go to the Adirondacks again, I could hike up Gore mountain or take that 10-mile walk we had to skip this year.
4. To get my cholesterol down to normal, healthy levels (it was 240 when I weighed 268; don't know what it is now).
5. To manage my weight such that I never again gain more than 4 pounds at any time of the month. This is the biggest goal for me, really. This is the lifelong goal -- to never let my weight get out of hand again.

So that's what I'm thinking right now. I guess I've gone on long enough for one day!

Onward and downward,

Lauren
279/209.6/199 by Christmas (WW scales, evening)

I just found this quotation over on Dotti's, and it made me think of us and of your struggles right now, Judy --

"High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation."--Jack Kinder

When we expect to succeed, we usually do. When we expect to fail, we usually do. When we perceive that we're doing nothing but failing, well, we expect to continue to fail! That's why it's SO important to focus right now on what we're doing RIGHT, and where we're successful. So Judy, try that little exercise. Each day this week, write down something that you did RIGHT. Start to trust yourself again.

--Lauren

Dear Guys,
Thanks for your help. I've had a good day today (after having some Halloween remains--but I've counted them in and I'm okay).
This is something I can do. Thanks so much for your support.;)

Hi, Turtles,

Judy, I thought about you and your struggle while I was on my walk today. Lauren gave you some great advice, especially the advice to focus on the positive things that you're doing.

I went through a similar situation last year, too. My goal was simply to maintain because I didn't care whether I lost weight or not. I did manage to maintain for almost a whole year. When this year hit the super high stress levels, I started to gain, but very slowly. More slowly than at any other time in my life. I had learned so much about what works for me, but I couldn't seem to make forward progress or even to stay in the same place for a long while.

Well, as you know, I worked through a lot of issues using my journal. A lot of them were weight-related issues, but a lot weren't. I've been on a campaign to figure out who I am, now that I'm not mainly MOM anymore. It's a common journey for middle-aged women. Anyway, part of that process has been to figure out and deal with the things that were keeping me from losing weight.

The point is that, as you can see, Lauren and I faced similar situations, but the solutions were vastly different because the reasons we were in the same situation were vastly different. You need to figure out what is behind YOUR stall. Not an easy task and it may take a while, but you can do it.

I was noticing our signature lines and how helpful they are. Mousie's quote from Yoda is one of my favorites when I'm fooling myself with "trying" instead of "doing". And my quote from Henry Ford is appropriate when I'm stuck in "I can't" mode. "I can't" mode usually is followed by "trying" and back to Yoda I go for inspiration. Of course, Lauren's quote is the backbone of our journey--eternal vigilance is the only thing that will keep us from becoming balloons--swelling up and then letting the air out, metaphorically speaking. I love the new quote she gave us today. People do tend to live up or down to what's expected of them and that's particularly true when the expectations are their own.

If I were to sum up what I think is the most important thing you could do, it would be to figure out what's going on. I did the planning, the determined efforts, etc., but until I figured out why I was sabotaging myself, why I didn't care, what I gained by staying fat, etc. I couldn't stop the downward spiral. Once I figured that out, the whole process became easy.

One last comment--I think you might reconsider your Christmas goal. You'd have to lose a bit more than 15 pounds each month to reach that goal. The fact that you probably won't hit it may be causing some of your discontent. You feel like you've failed because you didn't make a goal you really wanted. But, sometimes setting weight/time goals does backfire.

Good luck. I hope some of this ramble helps.

Lauren, it's great that you have such a specific plan for the future. You have a good plan. And great advice. I'm saving that post for future reference and your quote for my file of quotes. I have one from a newsletter I get every day. It's not weight related, but really worth thinking about.

We are all born originals - why is it so many of us die copies? -Edward Young, poet (1683-1765)

Happy turtlin'! :cool:

Lin
272/241/135 or so

Judy--

The best advice I can give you is "listen to Lin"! She has helped me several times before, when I felt like my WW-World was spinning out of control. It sounds to me like you've got something happening in your brain that is making you "impulse eat", and it would do you well to try to figure out what that something is. Possibly you're feeling a bit angry or deprived at the thought of having to watch what your eat through the holiday season? That's just a shot in the dark, understand, but you've mentioned *Halloween* foods an *party* foods and the fact that this is the start of your holiday season, so you may be feeling irritated that all this lovely food is around and you "can't" have any. Just a thought.

Two additional things. One, something Lin wrote to me last year, when I was struggling: give yourself permission to just maintain for a little while. Maintaining is a skill too, and that may be what you can offer yourself right now. Sometimes losing just takes too much energy! Two, something I figured out at a friend's Thanksgiving three years ago: feel free to have the foods you can't get any other time of year (in reasonable amounts, of course). There was a vegetarian roulade made by a friend of mine that I have never seen her make again, and man I'm glad I had it that time! But there were cheese&crackers there too, and I can have cheese and crackers any time I want them. There's a kind of brittle toffee my sister used to make only at Christmas--until I got the recipe and started making it throughout the year, when I wanted it. Figure out if these foods are a once-in-a-lifetime thing, or if you can have them again later. You're not depriving yourself, you're making healthy choices and giving yourself what you want more than food--a slim, healthy body!

Lauren, I'm so impressed by your lists! You've really given this a lot of thought, and I think they're marvelous goals. I'm also impressed that you have non-weight goals. So many times people get caught up in their weight and lose sight of the health benefits.

Lin, as always, you're my guru. ;)

I'm doing well, my bead string has 10 beads on it so far and I haven't missed a day. :) I'm down another pound, too! Yay me, and I hope my doctor will be impressed. I see her again in a month, to monitor my blood pressure, and I hope now that DH is working, I'm losing, and I'm exercising, I can stop taking the diuretic she put me on. On which she put me. Whatever.

Hi, Turtles,

Mousie, it's so great to hear from you. I'm glad that some of my ramblings has helped you in your journey.

It's so cool to hear about your bead string getting longer and longer. I love seeing my sticker pages get empty as I paste them on the top of my journal pages.

And super congatulations on that pound! It's so cool!.

Judy, I had one other thought I want to share with you. Don't let yourself get discouraged because you may be seeing the rest of us losing and you currently are struggling. Sometimes when that happens, people stop posting because they feel guilty about not doing it or because they feel ashamed that they aren't doing as well, or other similar feelings.

We've all gone through our ups and downs and the main reason we're all losing those tiny bits right now is because we kept posting and kept doing different things until we discovered what works for us. So, please hang in there with us. We will help you, as best we can, through your struggles.

Even if you decide you don't want to lose weight right now. We've done that, too. I wondered for a while whether I wanted to lose it at all, but I kept coming while I worked that out. And I decided that I wanted to work through some stuff, then tackle the weight loss again. Which is what I did.

Hang in there, Judy. We know that you will be successful as you continue your journey. Just pick one little baby step that you want to do. Drink your water. Keep your journal. Whatever.

Talk with you all later. Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
272/241/135 or so

Lauren,
Glad you're closing in on your 70 pound weight loss. What a terrific accomplishment. 199# by Christmas sounds great!

Lin,
It's terrific that you've got WW working on a daily basis. You're in a good place now so that you *do* WW without having to obsess over it or worry about it. It's the frame of mind we're all aiming for.

I didn't go to my Wed. WW mtg. I knew I'd be up after maintaining the week before following the 3# weight loss the week before that! So, I went to the Sat. morning mtg. instead.
The girl at the scale ( a trainee) was jumping up and down at my success of 1 1/2# loss, but I know it's just a difference of p.m. to a.m. WI. It looked good, and it also looks like I got myself back ontrack and am losing the weight that threw me off earlier in the week. So----downward and forward! I'll WI again this Wed. and get myself back on that p.m. WI time. I have knocked off the fast weight I put on, but honestly right now I'm maintaining which is not what I want to do. I'm going to take these next three days and work hard on getting in more protein for myself. I lose better that way. I also may graph again because I am often OP and won't lose. When I was younger I would lose a lot once a month and then not lose any more throughout the month. That may still be happening to me, so I need to be patient.
Successes--many this week! I put Halloween stuff outside the door for my dh to find a spot where he'd like to have it. When my daughter and her hubby came in Friday we did a lot of running around as usual. This time I said I wanted to eat dinner first. When they get busy, they forget to eat but I don't. So, I made a good dinner OP. Also stayed OP on Sat. with them when they decided to stay overnight. These are constant food challenges that I face. Tough to do the right thing when it's more fun to head out to a diner or restaurant or fast food place. When I'm on track, I choose all sorts of OP things when eating out, but lately I"ve had too many challenges. So yes, LIn, I am keeping lots of things I like to eat in the house. I never eat things I don't like because that can boomerang.
Anyway--this is too long--sorry to be so self-indulgent right now, but I want this weight loss very bad and writing helps me achieve it.
Good luck to everyone! Have a good weekend and keep on keepin' on!!!!
Judy
234/211/199#by Christmas!;) :cool:

Hi, Turtles,

Judy, you crack me up! Worrying about your post being too long! If I worried about that, I'd be in real trouble, as would Lauren and a lot of the other turtles we've met over the years. We know and appreciate that often we need to write long in order to allow ourselves the support we need. So, don't worry about it. Write what you need to write.

It is so good to hear you say that you're back OP. I know what you mean about things you don't like boomeranging. One of the reasons this program works so well is that we don't have to eat stuff we don't like. I shudder at some of the previous WW programs I've been on and at some of the food I ate in a desparate attempt to conform to society's standards of feminine beauty.

But now I realize that I only have to conform to my standard of how I want to look, to be, to live my life. So, I choose to lose weight more slowly so that I can choose to enjoy the things I love, including some indulgences in favorite foods prepared the non-lowfat way, at least once in a while.

However, today is weigh-in day and I'm really puzzled. I gained a pound. It's probably either muscle from all of that walking I've been doing lately. Or it's water retention because sometimes I start to retain water at this point in my cycle. Or it's who knows what. But it isn't that I haven't been diligent with WW. Unless I need to increase my food intake a little. I haven't been eating my activity points, just staying in my range.

Anyway, I've decided to keep doing what I've been doing for a month and see what happens. If I start losing again, I will assume it was muscle mass. If I continue to gain, and get bloated, I'll see what happens after TOM. If I don't lose it after TOM, I'll add my activity points to my minimum range and make sure to eat them for a while and see if that helps. If not, maybe I'll go down a point range, but I doubt that will help because I'm mostly eating within that range now. This is frustrating! But I'm not going to let it get me down because I know that one small gain may mean absolutely nothing, which is why I'm not changing anything unless it becomes a pattern.

Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
272/242/135 or so

Lin,
Regarding your weight gain. You make so much sense. Glad you're working on analyzing what may have happened--including the fact that nothing may have happened! Good for you . You make more sense than many leaders. Wouldn't it be neat if you decided to get officially involved with WW?
Judy
234/211/199#by Christmas;)

Mousie,
Thanks so much for writing with such great encouragement. Somehow when I checked in, I missed about 8 posts and I'm not quite sure how that happened. I've read them all now and I have just finished printing them out. Last year before I joined Turtles, when I made my 10% difference, I posted that and got wonderful responses in the general category. I printed them and do look at them for encouragement from time to time. So--turtles, thanks so much. Mousie you hit the nail on the head. There are times when we need to maintain. I feel I am coming out of that time right now and I really want to lose. So, I have to figure out a few more things to keep me ontrack. I had a great day and a great weekend. I am proving each day that I know how to do this and that I can do this.

Lin,
And yes, I did feel funny that you guys are doing so well and I am not. It doesn't feel good and I don't like the emotions this situation brings up--sorta like--okay I can't do it the turtle way, so now what? Well, that's just silly. I am focusing (one of Lauren's words) on persist right now. I fully recognize that I am lucky and have many eating and social opportunities around me. However, that is also a huge challenge that I am working on full time right now. So, I will do this a little better. I won't try, but I will *do* ala Yoda.

Lauren,
Thanks for all your insight too. You really have been where I am now and I want to be where you are now and by doing this day after day, I'll get there. It is unrealistic for me to think that there won't be setbacks. I have to work on getting OP much longer than setbacks to see the weight loss I deserve to get.

So good buddies---thanks for all your input. I've had a great OP time since Thursday. There were many challenges and I saw myself putting myself first and planning to succeed and it has worked so far. Thanks for your good wishes and great advice. Let's keep on keepin' on.

Lauren,
One more thing: I must have the numbers wrong at the bottom of my signature. When I write 234/211/199#by Christmas, I thought I was writing that I started WW at 234#, am now 211#, and hope to be 199# by Christmas. If that's not right, tell me what I should be doing. The way I figure it, I'd have to lose 12# by Christmas to make my goal and I have about 8 weeks to do it in. I know that's unreasonable, but I bet I could lose 6-7 # if I keep OP and ontrack. I like the idea and sound of 199# so much that even if it takes me into the new year, I am determined to get there. I just don't want another whole year without a true loss to go by.

Love,
Judy
234/211/199#by Christmas:dizzy:

Hi, Turtles,

Judy, it was I who suggested that you might want to rethink your Christmas goal. However, I somehow got the impression that you weight 234 now and needed to lose quite a bit to get there by Christmas. From 211 to 199 is definitely a realistic goal. Go for it!

BTW--you are doing it the turtle way. The turtle way tries to be realistic and practical. It's important to realize that all parts of our lives affect our weight loss efforts and sometimes determination to be OP isn't enough. Sometimes we have to take care of other things in our lives before we can make that total commitment. When I've been faced with those times, for whatever reason, I chose to work at maintaining the weight loss I had attained up to that point, with the intention to commit to losing again when I was able to do so. That's what worked for me.

The other thing about the turtle way is that we all must find out what works for the body we have, within the parameters of the program. Some of us need more exercise than others to successfully lose weight. Some need to eat more of our points and some need to eat less. Some people need small, frequent meals, and some need a more traditional three larger meals each day. And so on. It takes time for people to work that out and during that time the weight loss can slow down or stop. Then it picks up when we find out what our individual bodies need.

I'm suspecting that my small gain is water retention. I'm beginning to have the symptoms that show up when I start PMS water retention. The only thing I know of that helps is to keep on walking and drink an extra quart of water. The extra water may not get rid of all of it, but it helps keep the gain down to a minimum.

I'm continuing to stay OP and today I'm doing some cooking that will help me with that. Making salsa and more soup. I baked bread yesterday, but I have a craving for cinnamon bread so I'm planning to bake some today. I also had an idea for a cornmeal bread with salsa and cheese that I want to try this week. It will go great with my soup and add a bit more protein when I have soup and bread for a meal.

Hope you all are doing well today.

Happy turtlin'! ;)

Lin
272/242/135 or so

Hello, Turtles. Lots of great posts since I checked in last! I love to see that.

Judy, you're doing terrific! And as far as I'm concerned, a true Turtle is anyone who's still here five years from now. :) Still plugging away. I've found that we all fluctuate quite a bit in this group. There have been times when Lin was really taking off the weight while I was floundering, gaining and losing the same two pounds for months. And vice versa. And that's just one example -- none of us are really doing the same pace of weight loss at the same time, or at least rarely. So banish those comparison thoughts. You're still here; that makes you a Turtle.

And way to go on counting those successes!! Do you think it's helping you get back on track?

Lin, it's always a little tough to see those one-pound gains when we don't feel we deserve them. I suspect I'll see one this week, too. In my case, it may truly be that it's time to move down a point level since I'm so close anyway. But in your case, my guess is that it's the increased exercise. I watched a very interesting video called "Mastering Your Metabolism" recently, and they said that when you first start to exercise (if you're really out of shape), this is what to expect:

First couple weeks: hungrier and tired

Next couple weeks: more energy

Next SIX MONTHS: inches go down but WEIGHT DOES NOT

After six months: inches AND weight go down

I found that fascinating since it's exactly what happened to me. I started regularly working out in January and was ravenous and tired for a while. Then I found I had more energy. Then I found my body shape changing, but my weight did not. (I also wasn't working the program consistently.) Finally, I began to see weight loss -- and I also got more focused on working the program and staying OP. But that wasn't until July!

This is a fascinating video. My husband got it when he recently joined a health club in town. It talks about the processes your body goes through and how you can raise your metabolism. Nothing earthshaking, but I really found the above applicable. It explained a lot to me.

So are you taking your measurements once a month or so, too?

I've had a few days this week above my maximum. I also had days below my minimum. Weird. I don't think I'll end the week with as many banked points as I'll need to lose weight, though. I ate out a few times, and that always has a detrimental effect. Amazing how many calories they pack into those restaurant meals! Ah, well. I've gotten in lots of exercise, anyway, and I had a big loss last week.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
279/209.6/199 by Christmas (WW scales, evening)

Hi, Turtles,

I don't usually post twice in one day, but after reading your post, Lauren, I had to thank you for the helpful information.

I thought it was the time change that had me so super tired. I went to bed at 8 yesterday and just zonked out. Because I do the mini meals, I hadn't noticed that I was hungrier, but looking at my points on the days I walk vs. the few days I've missed, I've been eating a few points more on exercise days, but not out of my range.

I know that taking measurements really can help, but right now that just feels like one more thing to remember and one more thing to write down and keep track of. I'm trying to keep my record-keeping as simple as possible, so I'm using the way my clothes fit and which ones I can wear as a guage for body shape changes. And since I had to wear a belt to keep my pants up yesterday, I do see a change. Now, I want the belt to get back to the hole I used to put the thingy through! :lol:

Anyway, I'm saving that post. It's one of the most valuable ones I've read. Thank your dh for the video info.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
272/242/135 or so

Hi, tortoises.

Lin, I hear you about the "one more thing to track" thing. Using your clothes as a gage is good. I'm glad that info helped. It sure helped me! It's a very good video.

I'm down 1.5 pounds on my home weigh-in this morning. That puts me at 70 pounds gone, and it also puts me in the home stretch to my goal of 199! I'm thrilled. My husband is also really noticing my weight loss. He's always made nice comments about it, but now it's starting to really hit him how much smaller I am. Basically, he saw me this thin when we were dating but not once we were married, so he never saw me this thin (or this fit) naked! :) It's kind of weirding him out. To me, it feels like I'm finally heading back into more normal territory. It was the super high weight that felt weird to me. It'll be interesting, though, to see how he feels when I lose another 25 or more pounds. He's never seen me as thin as that.

Well, it's another beautiful sunny day here, so I'd better get outside and walk. I did a good workout this morning, so my walk will be more of a stroll today. :)

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/204/199 by Christmas (home scales, a.m.)

Lauren,
That info. about exercising is invaluable. I remember exercising, knowing I hadn't built muscle yet, and gaining weight.
That was not fun. Thanks for putting the information here so we can hang onto it and use it and print it out.
Wow, it will be so interesting to see how your dh reacts to the new , thinner you. This is a learning experience for all of us.
I love that you've knocked off 70 pounds and are on the home stretch for the magic 199#. Thanks for being vocal about your goal because it helped me set one too.

Lin,
You've been so helpful with your suggestions. Now I have one for you. Sometimes the weight does not come off even as we go down in size. Would you be interested in buying three ribbons? At WW thy suggested not using a measuring tape, but simply having three ribbons for chest, waist and hips. You wrap a ribbon around you and cut it. Date the ribbon. From then on out all you do is use the ribbon to see how much you're losing as far as inches. You could always quickly mark the date on the ribbon with a pen--or just forget that if it seems too much trouble. When you're all finished it will be so much fun to see how many inches you've lost. This seems doable, and accomplishes the same thing as more complicated methods does. In any case it's great to know that your clothes are fitting better and that you're losing.

Me--I had another great day. I was triumphant over the weekend and packed lunches for yesterday and today to make sure I had enough freeby foods with me to keep me satisfied. It looks as though I may have lost 1/2 pound this week which would be terrific. I'm down to 210 at home. Tomorrow is my WW
WI, so wish me luck.
Success and good vibes to you all.
Love,
Judy
234/210/199# by Christmas!:lol:

Hi, Turtles,

Do you suppose that it's a Freudian slip that this cat lover often hits the "o" and "i" keys at almost the same time and my name gets spelled "Lion" (never the other way around)? Just a weird coincidence that I thought might make you all chuckle.

Lauren--congratulations! 70 pounds gone! That's the best news. Way to go!

I love the response of your dh. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to having a wife that's thinner than he's ever seen her. Bet after he gets used to the new you, he decides he really, really likes it.

I haven't thought about my dh's reaction. He's always been so supportive. He and the kids listen to me and give me the kind of support I ask for. It's really cool. But I was only about ten pounds overweight when I met him, so he's seen me pretty thin. He doesn't care whether I'm fat or thin, just that I'm happy with the way I am. It puts the whole burden squarely where it belongs, right on me.

Judy, I absolutely love your suggestion about the ribbons. I will hie myself down to the local craft store and buy some. I'll have to break down and take those measurements so I can figure out how much I need. I'm NOT going to tell the clerk what I want them for! :lol: Thank you so much!

And congratulations on that great day. I love to hear you say "another" great day. I'm so glad you're racking up the successes. Good luck with your weigh-in.

I feel a lot better about the gain. I'm sure it's a combination of the walking and a bit of water retention. My clothes are fitting looser, even after our poor quality dryer gets done shrinking them. :lol: And I hope I get past that tired stage soon. I get back from my walk ravenous because it's lunch time and so tired that I end up taking a ten to thirty minute nap about 3 pm or go to bed really early. :rolleyes:

I'm OP today, still. Even though I splurged and made real fried chicken for dinner. I combined it with low point mashed potatoes and 0 point salad with salsa. My dh went to the store and came back with Godive ice cream. I'm using some banked points to have some. It's worth it and my dinner ended up being only 8 points. I also did my walk today.

Hope everyone has a great day tomorrow!

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
272/242/135 or so

Hi, tortoises.

Judy, way to go on yet another good day! Building up a pattern of success feels so good, doesn't it? You're doing so great.

Lin, you had fried chicken and mashed potatoes for just 8 points?? Wow! For me, a grilled chicken breast and baked potato with LF margarine comes in at that number. I'd love to know how you managed it.

When I started exercising last winter, it took me more like a couple of months to stop feeling tired and hungry (rather than a couple of weeks, like the video said). I suspect that was because I was particularly out of shape. It sounds like you're in much better shape than I was, so hopefully this period will pass more quickly for you. Way to go for sticking with it! Basically, what the video said was that when you start exercising, you have to build up your blood vessels in order to carry the oxygen to your muscles; until you've built those up, you'll feel more tired. Also, there was something about glycogen storage and insulin that contributed to the feelings of hunger -- I'll have to watch it again.

Last night I tried on my wedding dress with DH just to see how it fit. Turns out it fits fine but is just slightly tighter than it was when I got married. So DH *has* seen me this thin, it's just been a while! (And it wasn't for very long, either.) He told me again how happy he is that I've done this. He's always found me attractive (miraculously) and has always loved me and never commented negatively on my weight. But he's just so happy for my health that I've lost the weight and especially that I'm exercising regularly. He's a sugar lumpkins. :)

Last night my WW leader told us a story about focus. A guy buys a bird feeder and puts it up, and before long a squirrel figures out how to get into it and eat the seed. The guy chases the squirrel away a few times, then decides to return the bird feeder. He goes into the store with the feeder and tells the clerk he wants a squirrel-proof feeder.

"Sorry, but there are no squirrel-proof feeders," says the clerk.

"What? You're telling me we can put a man on the moon, but we can't make a squirrel-proof feeder? How is that?" says the guy, irate.

"Well, look at it this way. How much time did you spend trying to keep the squirrel out of the feeder?"

"I dunno, maybe five minutes here and there."

"OK. Now how much time do you think the squirrel spent trying to get *into* the feeder?"

Moral of the story: In our weight-loss efforts, our success will mirror the amount of focus we put into it. So think "squirrel" this week. :)

She also talked about setting goals now for this holiday season. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to maintain? Do you want to do "damage control" -- just gain a set amount of weight rather than the average (which is 7-10 pounds, amazingly)? Set your goal, then look at what you'll need to do to accomplish it. She gave us a list of suggestions, which I'll type in later as this has already gone on long enough!

Oh, I was down 1# at WW weigh-in. I think because I'm so close to that 199 goal on my home scales, I'm going to keep posting that number here in the turtles group. :)

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/204/199 by Christmas

Hi, Turtles,

Lauren, about the fried chicken and mashed potatoes--the potatoes are easy to keep very low in points. For regular mashed potatoes, I figure out how many points more than the potatoes I want each serving to have and then add that much butter and milk. If they're too thick, I'll fill in with chicken stock.

But, I usually do the skinny way, which adds 0 points, by using chicken stock, roasted garlic, parsley, salt and white pepper. Or I use roasted garlic mustard instead of the roasted garlic, when I can find it. I also only ate a 1/2 cup of potatoes.

About the chicken--the trick to lowest possible fat in fried foods is to do them yourself. Then you can get the oil to the right temperature. When the oil is at the proper temperature, it seals the meat and you get juicy meat with very little added fat. The other thing to do is to put a baking sheet with a wire rack on it in a warm oven and let the food drain for a few minutes before serving it. You can also take the skin off before you cook it, which is where most of the points are. Again, I reduced the point count further by eating a very small piece. Higher fat foods are a lot more filling, so smaller portions are enough for me.

I've never tried the southern method of soaking the chicken in buttermilk so I wanted to go ahead and fry it the regular way so I'd have a benchmark to use while I figure out the skinny method. I have two methods I use for lowfat crispy chicken and I want to see which will work the best for this recipe.

I'm glad that you filled in a bit more detail about the exercise video and your own experience. It's really helping me to keep going since I know that my experience is normal and doesn't mean I'll be this size forever even if I exercise and eat right. I could live with that because I'd definitely be healthier, but it would be a huge disappointment. Glad it's not the case.

Wow! You can fit into your wedding dress. That's great. Now, just think, when you've reached goal if you ever decide to do a remarriage ceremony, you'll have to have your dress taken in--probably totally remade to fit your smaller body instead of having to buy something else because your dress cannot be altered to fit your older, heavier self. What a thought, huh?

Congrats on that pound! It's terrific to see you so close to your Christmas goal and it's not even Thanksgiving.

I realized something while I was walking today. I have spent a lot of years and a lot of energy trying to lose weight. And trying to do a bunch of other things, too. I realized that no matter how determined we are or how much we want something, we can't talk ourselves into having it. We have to keep doing those baby steps and eventually they become second nature. Something has to happen inside our heads. I've been drinking the water, no matter what, for over ten years. After I had that revelation in September, I haven't had a single day that was over points (without having banked points to cover it.) It was like I got what I needed to do and just did it. Now, with the walking, I'm also just going out and doing that walk. I never thought I'd be saying that. What happened?

Well, I suspect that my attitude changed from I HAVE to do this to get what I want (the old discipline and determination) to I WANT to do this, and I will end up with what I want. Wanting to do the process, not just having the result is what made the difference for me. I realized that I wasn't going to lose a pound or get in shape if I didn't want to DO the process!

That's my insight for the day.

Boy, do we need your prayers again. My dh got some bad news yesterday. His plant is shutting down for a whole week at Thanksgiving and he is still working for the temp agency. That means we're out a whole week's pay. Unless they can figure out a way for him to get some overtime, but his boss isn't too enthusiastic about that idea. The really bad news is that the same thing will happen in December, if they don't hire him permanently. His boss wants to, but he doesn't get to decide when that will happen. I don't know how we can survive on three weeks pay for two months in a row. And it also means no Christmas presents and no birthday gift for me, either. This year is the worst!!!

Hope you all are doing well.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
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Just a quick note here. Lin, we'll pray. That's so hard!

Have you thought of getting a holiday job in retail? I know everyone around here is currently hiring people, starting now and going through New Year's. Maybe that could help pull you through the next two months.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know we'll be praying.

--Lauren

Hi, Turtles,

Time to start a new thread. See you there.

Happy turtlin'! :)

Lin