WW Clubs and Groups - Fabulous 40's, and then some... #?

What a nightmare it must have been for Suzanne to have lost this site...kudos to her for getting it back up so quickly.

I hesitated as to what to number this new thread...I believe we were on #152...then thought it might be a good idea to begin again with #1...what are everyone's thoughts on this?

I'm hoping we'll see some of the lost lambs return...Terri, Zoe, Ruth, Janie...now that the holidays are over.

Since I couldn't get on the forums last night, I checked out the Chat Room, which was working. There were quite a few people there, it was fun. We should try to get together there once a week...what do you all think? Perhaps on a weeknight?

Actually exercised today! First time in a while....did the 1 mile WATP tape and was really huffing and puffing. I feel great, tho.

~Jen

Hi Girls:wave:

Jen, whatever you think is fine with me. If the others want to start with #1 or continue with 152, I'll go with the flow.:D

I have so much to do during the week but a Friday night is good for me. I think it would be nice for our group to get together in a chat room.

Hugs,
Es

Hi guys:

Yes, it must have been a nightmare when this whole system crashed - great job Suzanne did in getting it back up so quickly!

Jen - I'm not sure why we would go back to #1, but its fine with me, if you want to do that. I would love for us all to chat - the only night during the week that isn't good for me is Monday because of bowling, but any other night would be fine. Let's do it!

Hi Es - I didn't have a chance to answer your last post, when the system crashed, but I think it would be cool for you and I to get together. We could meet somewhere and have coffee or lunch. I'm not sure where but we could probably meet somewhere in the middle. I have easy access to the Belt Parkway East to Eastern LI, Sunrise Highway, etc. Just not sure what your'e near.

I wish we could all meet. A group I used to chat with gets together in different areas and spends a weekend together with activites planned, etc. They've met in Boston, Ohio and other places. I was'nt able to meet, but if I could have it would have been the Boston trip since that's the closest place to NY that they traveled to.

Anyway, hope you guys are all okay - its freezing here in NY, right Es? Brrrrrrrrr!!! I'm sure its probably not much better in Chicago, huh Jen?

Hi Terri, Janie, Ruthie, ZoeGirl and Sandy :wave:

So glad we're back in business!

Hugs,
Dianne

Let's consider this thread to be #152, whoever begins the next one, use 153.
Why don't we try Friday as the night to meet in Chat? 7 p.m. here would be 8 p.m. on the East coast. Does that work?

It's been fairly cold here...I don't mind that tho. It's the snow I could do without! We had about 3 inches fall on Sunday, I was very glad that was all we got.

Not much going on here. I'll do the 1 mile WATP tape after this; I've been away from it for so long, have to work up to the 2 mile again.

HI :wave: to all,
~Jen

Hi All,:wave:

I think Suzanne did an amazing job and has a lot of dedication to get us on line again so quickly. Thousands of people depend on this site for real support.

I love the idea of meeting in person some day. In the meantime chatting should be a great way to get more in touch with each other.

I have been trying to post a few times and my long notes have gotten lost and in frustation I haven't bothered to rewrite them.
Anyway I am having some concerns about my son Greg. He seems to be falling into a depression and is having a hard time coping with going to school and continuing with his usual activities. Mike is taking the day off from work and we are bringing Greg to the doctor today.

Over the holidays my SIL gave me a copy of the South Beach book as a gift. I am trying to go very low carb this week to see if it will help me reduce my level of cravings.

I will try to write more later.

Hugs,
Sandy

Sandy,
I'm very sorry to hear that Greg is having a bout of down time. It's good that you and Mike are in tune with him and his behavior, able to recognize that things are not "normal" for him. I truly hope that everything turns out okay. Depression is probably the most misunderstood disease; my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Dianne and Es,
Do you think you'll set up a lunch meeting? That would be SO cool....I'm already jealous! You've gotta go for it! Then we can all think about a meeting someday....

I heard from Terri, she's not able to access the site since she's returned, probably due to the problems with the site. I'm hoping we'll see her here soon.

My niece's husband is establishing a scholarship fund for the grammar school that she (and all of us) went to. He's in a band, they'll be holding a fundraising concert in March for her birthday to raise the funds for the scholarship in her name. It is so cool.

Jess is ready to begin a new semester of classes; I'm so happy that she's sticking with it.

hi to all,
~Jen

Hi:wave:

I don't know why I'm not getting a emails when someone has posted.:mad:

Dianne, maybe in the Spring we could meet. I'm on exit 54 on the Sunrise Highway. That would be so cool. Pete knows how bad I want for all of us to meet so he said sometime in the near future we should plan it. We would have a blast!!! It's freezing today!

Jen, when was your niece's birthday? David is March 2nd. The fundraiser will touch everybody's heart. She was one special lady.

Sandy, I have a friend that I met online. She doesn't belong to this group. I met her thru ediets. She just started the SBD & lost 10 lbs. in 1 week. :cp: Cool huh! Low carb is the way to go but I can't seem to stick to it for very long. I LOVE my carbs. I'll pray for Greg. My nephew seems to be going thru the same thing(my brother's son). He's only 14. Depression runs on my SIL's side of her family.

Well, my friends, I have quite a bit to do today.

Hast luego:grouphug:

Love,
Es

Es,
My niece's birthday is March 3rd, so close to David's! I believe you'll have to reconfigure your "user cp" settings in order to get email notifications about this new thread; you may be linked to the old threads. Check it out.

Sandy,
How is Greg doing? You've been in my thoughts and prayers. I know depression can take many faces, quite a few people in my family have been treated for it. Hopefully he's open to discussion and will welcome the help you and Mike are willing to provide.

Some thoughts on starting a fresh new year....
The South Beach Diet sounds very interesting from what I've read about it. The first weeks sound like a healthy quick start.

The whole carb thing..well, that's pretty much how I got to this size...not avoiding them/overdoing it. I'd rather poke my eye out than give them up! Moderation seems to be the best option for me.

Quite frankly, I can't bear the thought of starting a diet. Not very good to post that on this diet site, I suppose, but that's where I am right now!

I know that I'm very lucky to have good health, and don't want to jeopardize that by staying at this weight, yet getting older. I'll keep on trying to make good choices, and walk. That's a baby-step start.

We're meeting Joey and Iliana for pizza tonight, then back to his place to play some games. Funny how we don't get together for salad, isn't it? :shrug:

Have a good weekend,
~Jen

Good freezin' morning everyone -brrrrrrrrrrr

OMG - I went to ww today after not having been there since before thanksgiving and I only gained 1 lb!!!! :dance: :cb: I was very happy since I was dreading going back to face the music. As you all know, I don't give up my holiday food and I felt that I probably put back 4-5 lbs. :ink: so that was a pleasant surprise. So, this means that I'm still down 8 lbs. I also wanted to get the "fast track" material and exercise material, but my center claimed they still haven't received it. Have any of you gotten it? I'm curious to see what the fast track is.

Jen and Es - its funny because lately I've been getting e-mails about the SBD and it sounds like a good way to lose fast, however, I am definitely not giving up bread for anything or anyone. I know me, and that would make me so miserable that the lbs lost wouldn't even matter to me. I have to do something that I know I can eat whatever kinds of food I want as long as I count them. But having said that, I feel that whatever works for someone is great, it just wouldn't work for me.

Es - I'll meet you any time you want, wherever. It would be nice in the spring when the weather is better for sure. It would be so great if we could all find a place in the middle to meet for a weekend.

Jen - We all get in a rut where the whole "diet" thing just becomes overwhelming sometimes. You'll get past that, don't worry. At least you're doing the walking tapes, I haven't been and you have now inspired me to get back to it. I will start today......so thanks!

I also think its harder in the winter when its cold and your body craves hot, heavy and comforting meals. Have fun with Joey and Iliana - I'm glad you seem to like her. She has a little boy right? So cool about the scholarship in your niece's name and so cool that you all went to the same school!

Sandy - So sorry to hear about Greg. But its good that you and your husband noticed and are helping him right away. That's really important.

Terri - Sorry to hear you're having trouble getting back in - hope to see you soon and hope you enjoyed the holidays with your family.

So.............Where the heck are Ruthie, ZoeGirl and Janie????
Come in and say hi ladies!!! We miss you.

Well, gotta get a move on and do some cleaning today - good day for it since I sure don't want to go out in this weather today. Willie's got some dvd's from blockbuster. And Alana is at Lisa's for the weekend so it will be nice and quiet here.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Hugs,
Dianne

OMG! I went food shopping today & just from the supermarket to the car my hands froze!!! We were planning to go to David's but decided to stay home to watch a movie. Too cold.

Dianne, you did really well with the holidays & all. I'm up 5 lbs.! My own fault. I ate a lot of chocolate!! I'm really looking forward to meeting you. It's going to be fun. :D

Jen, I couldn't stop laughing when you said you'd rather poke your eye out than to give up carbs. :lol: I know what you mean. I feel the same way. I just bought Slim Fast Low Carb shakes. They were on sale & they're new. I'll try one tomorrow.

Gotta go. Pete's waiting for me to watch a movie.

Till tomorrow:wave:

Hugs,
Es

Hi Buddies:wave:,

I tried to find you all in the chat last night, but no one was there at all. I hope we can actually do it sometime soon.
Well, we saw the doctor with Greg on Thursday, and he said that he felt it was probably biochemical and wanted to know if it ran in the family. I had always thought that in our case it was more situational. My parents have been very depressed at times, but I thought it was just dealing with the stress about their health issues. Needless to say it sure has brought me down at times too. The doctor said that depression in teens is very common nowadays. He wondered aloud if it was something in the environment or if the stress of growing up is so much greater in today’s world. In either case he suggests that we get a combination of talk therapy and some antidepressant medication. Our pediatrician will be keeping a close watch on him along with the therapist whom Greg will meet on Monday.
I am on the fifth day of following the SB diet. It is not too bad so far except that I am consuming vegetables like they are going out of style. I want to go back to WW after the 2 weeks. Knowing myself, I am afraid I won’t make it through the entire 14 days without indulging in rice or bread or fruit. My SIL gave me the book as a gift and I felt that I had to give it a try. She is doing it too. Lately I haven’t found any spare time to exercise at all. I need to plan it! Today Greg and I went to work out together finally!
Es, that is amazing that your friend lost so much so quickly, I am inspired to try to stick with it. The only thing is I want the lbs. to be gone for good this time!!!
Jen, that is such a wonderful thing that your niece’s husband is doing to start a scholarship fund and to plan that special concert. It is a good thing to help her children to remember how special their mom was, and that she will never be forgotten. I realize there is going to be a hard time ahead for them still and will keep them in my prayers.
I am glad that you are going to get away soon. It is probably a good time to really relax. Mike and I call it going to zero. No stress! You can keep how you are going to plan your fresh start in the back of your mind and when you are ready for action, it will surprise you and you will just do it. I have many spells where I am just not ready to try to deal with my eating. The fact that you are exercising is really great. I think it comes down to knowing ourselves and making choices that we can develop into permanent healthy habits.
Dianne, :cp: :high: that is terrific that you got through all that time and gained only 1 lb. I always do very badly over the holidays. Especially with all of the Polish, Greek, Italian, and Jewish heritage in the family, there is a whole lot of amazing cooking going on.

Terri, we really miss you, I hope you can get back in soon, even if you have to reregister with a new name.

Hi to Ruth, Janie, Zoe, I hope all is well, drop by soon.

Hugs,
Sandy

Dianne,
Wow, only 1 pound..that's great. You don't have much to regret :D I love what you said about not giving up carbs for anyone or anything. My sentiments exactly! Hope you're staying warm.

Es,
I don't blame you for staying home out of the cold. I really dislike going out at night in the winter. Brrrrr.
How were the Slim Fast shakes? I can't believe how many lowcarb food items have hit the shelves. Everyone is looking for the miracle.

Sandy,
My prayers are with Greg. It can't be easy growing up in today's world (wow that makes me sound old).
I think it's great you've been on SBD for 5 days already. Do you feel any different? lots of fiber, huh? ;)

I've been noticing that Joe has put on weight this past year. He says he hasn't gotten on the scale so isn't sure how much, but I can see it in his face. When we return from vacation I've got to make some changes in the kitchen. We've gotten into some bad habits during the last year.

Picture is of Joey and Iliana on Christmas Day.
HI to Terri, Ruth, Janie, Zoe :wave:
~Jen

Hi Buddies,:wave:

I am heading into Boston today, the temp outside is way up into the 20's. It has been so cold for the past week, and we are expecting another arctic blast. The weatherpeople always call it the Montreal Express. In fact they said it may be the coldest it has been in twenty years. My hope is that I will get what I need to do finished on site today, and then I can stay cozy and work at home for the rest of the week.

Greg met with a therapist for the first time yesterday, all he said was that the man was cool. I guess it is a start. He has always been so talkative with us and now it is mostly one word answers. I am hopeful, but fearful too, because of other kids we've known.

On the South Beach front, I am still hanging in there, but I had a little bit of chocolate the other night. On the cover of the book they say "lose your belly fat first" and that is surely appealing to me. I have lost my waistline as I've gotten older, more of my weight seems to accumulate in my tummy nowadays. One of the points they make in the book is to eat low on the glycemic index. So I have been looking at a lot of diabetic web sites. The logic behind this plan of low carb or complex carbs is making more sense to me now. I am losing the intensity of my cravings, but they are still there.
I believe that I may be down about 5-6 lb already, today is day 8.

:yes: :moo: :ink: :chicken: :cheese:
:?: but I need some veggie symbols


:nono: :corn: :jeno: :hb: :cookie:

Hope you are all well, I have to go to work, awwww shucks,

Hugs,
Sandy

Hi guys:

Jen - Joey and Iliana make a really cute couple, great photo. Do you think they're getting serious? How are Matthew and Brandon doing?

Es - How do the slim fast shakes taste? I remember buying one years ago and it took me about 3 hrs. to drink it :p My sister told me that Waldbaums has the ww smart ones meals on sale for 1/2 price. I'm gonna get some tonight. I have on every Monday since I bowl and have no time to cook and then I usually try to have one on Friday since wi is Saturday - trying to cover all bases :lol:

Sandy - I'm glad David thinks the therapist is cool - I would think its very important for you to like the person you are trusting to help you. I wish him well. Wow, 5-6 lbs in 8 days is great. Seems like the SBD is working for you. Now, after the 1st 2 weeks do you start introducing fruits into your diet? What do you eat now? Meats, vegetables?

Terri - Miss you :( Hope you can get back in soon. Maybe Sandy's right - you can try to re-register under a new name? I had to do that this past june.

Well, gotta get back to work - hi to ZoeGirl, Janie and Ruthie - hope you are all doing well.

Talk to you's soon.

Hugs,
Dianne

HI GUYS!!!!!
YAY!! I GOT IN!!!!! :dizzy:

I got sick Christmas night through Saturday but by Sunday I was tubing on a mountain in PA. It is great to have a pharmasist as a brother. :lol:

Brandon got sick New Years day but was better by Saturday.
This week Bruce got sick and I haver a nasty cold. Hope it stays a cold. Britts and Bradley are following us and touching things we touch. They want to get out of school. :dizzy: I always threaten to spray Lysol at them :lol:

Sandy,
It does my heart good to hear about parents who caught the signs. So many say "I wished I would have known."
Depression runs in Bruce's family and he has had to go to a Dr. when he was working on an especially hard project. He still has bouts once in awhile.
My prayers are with you.
Hope the South Beach diet is going well as well. Congrats on the loss.

Jen,
Great picture of the couple. How is it going with them?
When is your vacation? Have fun.
You and Joe can do it together. The buddy system.
That is great that your niece's husband is setting up the scholarship. So sweet! I keep thinking about those little girls. So sad.
Thanks for giving me the heads up about the site.
How was Christmas for those 2 grandchildren? Didn't spoil them did you? :lol:
Did you see the list of the Survivor All stars? :cool:
Can't wait.


Es,
I tried Slim Fast a couple of times and it was great but after 2 weeks I was having painful gas. I can't have a lot of fiber. :( I can't eat the high fiber cereals either.
Good luck. How's that little Sammy and Suzie of course?

Dianne,
That 1# is great. I gained 1.8# over Christmas. 2.5 weeks with great cooks in Ohio I don't need to tell you I was relieved. That would be great if you and Es met.

Hi Zoe, Janie and Ruth. Miss you!!!!!!

Terri

Terri,
glad you're back :D I missed you. Sorry to hear about all the bugs your family has had. This is the worst time of year, so much going around.
Survivor all stars will be cool. Lots of people I don't like will be on it tho!

Sandy,
How old is Greg? I've forgotten. I'd say that's a positive sign that he found the therapist to be cool. If he's not communicating with you and Mike right now, at least he's got someone to turn to.
You're doing great on SBD! I have to educate myself a lot more regarding nutrition; it seems to be not as simple as we thought previously, with more studies available now.

Dianne,
Joey and Ili really get along very well. While I had (still have) my reservations about her age and daughters, I'm happy to see them together. She is well-mannered and respectful of others, intelligent and positive. Who knows what the future will hold? I'm making an effort to change the way I look at things, and trying not to worry about those I have no control over.

Brandon is scheduled to have the second set of tubes implanted in his ears, and, possibly, his adenoids removed, on Jan. 29, the day after we return home from vacation. I think we may have Matt here for a couple of days at that time.

~Jen

Hello ladies :wave:

Terri!!!!!! Welcome back! :) We missed you. Sorry to hear about you and the kids not feeling well. Hope everyone is back to normal soon. I hear you on that good holiday cooking - but knowing you, you're already back on track and probably lost those 2 lbs and more :smug:

By the way, these smilie guys are a little dopey looking no? I mean what are they supposed to be clowns/cowboys from the Swiss Alps??? Oh, well.....anyway.....

Jen - Now I remember, I believe you told us Iliana's daughters were 16 and 20? Well, relationships come in all shapes and sizes, and the qualities you describe sound really good, and its great that you and Joe get along well with her. Awww, poor Brandon - hope everything goes well for him with the ear tubes. Are you leaving this weekend on your vacation?

Hi Es, amiga, how are you? Cool enough on the Island for you??? OMG.....tomorrow is supposed to hit the single digits and be snowing. We (the girls in the office) have decided to "dress down" a day early if its that cold and snowing too! They'll be happy we made in it :p Stay warm amiga.

Hi to Sandy, Janie, ZoeGirl and Ruthie:wave:

Gotta run, hope we can maybe go into chat soon???? Let's set a date/time.

Hugs,
Dianne


PS : I can dream can't I? :s:

Hi Girls:wave: :lol:

Dianne, we're supposed to get 4 - 6 inches of snow. I went to Curves & their front door had ice all over it. It's so cold. I hate driving in the snow so it looks like I'll be taking a personal day. I ran into a woman that goes to the same hairdresser I go to & she said since she joined Curves she lost 20 lbs. & she's on WW. When I see & hear things like this it motivates me. We really need to set a date to meet in the chat room. Maybe a Friday night?

Jen, vacation is right around the corner. How exciting. ;)

Terri, welcome back. Hope you & Bruce feel better soon. Say hi to Britt. :)

Sandy, SBD is really working for you. Way to go(high five)

I'll be back tomorrow.

Love you's,
Es

Jen,
Poor little Brandon. My Brandon had 2 sets too. They took his adenoids. Hope everything goes perfectly.
Jerri ( from the second one- Australia) is the one I hated the most that will be on.

Dianne and Es,
Hope the snow isn't to bad. Stay warm.

My kids got their report cards and they all made the A-B honor roll. YAY! MY 5th grader (Bradley) has an 11th grade reading level. He was so happy and proud.

Talk to y'all later.

Terri

Hi:wave:

We're getting lots of snow but the bad part is that it's so cold the roads are icy. I'm staying home. I don't like staying home because I eat too many snacks. I have to pray for willpower!

Terri, Sammy is just adorable & so is Susie. I bought them sweaters & they look so cute! Susie just stands there stiff as a board. I was laughing so much. They were both looking at me like wondering what the heck am I laughing at. :lol: Your kids are so smart! You must be so proud.

Did I tell you I rejoined WW. I wanted the DVD they're giving out when you join. I think it might be too easy but I'll give it a try. The meeting was packed!! Lots of really BIG people. I love their testimonies. I know it's so hard to lose 100 lbs. They inspire me, they really do.

I guess I'll clean today. I have to keep busy.

Later ;)

Hugs,
Es

Hi Buddies:wave:

Greg is just not like himself right now. I think he may need an antidepressant eventually. For his entire life he has had the sweetest, happiest disposition. Last night he gave me such a tight hug that I had the sensation that he feels as if he is drowning. He does not want to try medication because he has a friend who was diagnosed as bipolar and he seems to be afraid of how any drugs will effect him. In the meantime I am cutting back on my work projects and I am trying to be home more. In spite of the depression he is choosing to be a helper with the first grade in Sunday School, and has a small part in the musical, Mame.
I am trying so hard to focus on something other than Greg. So in the meantime following SBD is keeping me distracted. I used my copy of Mastercook to analyze my entire day's intake. I posted it here as a journal. I found it rather interesting to see that without any vitamins, I was way over the top for all areas of nutrition. It is really labor intensive to do all this planning for veggies, shopping, chopping, cooking. I think it will get easier as it becomes more of a habit. I am staying away from the scale until next Tuesday when the 2 weeks are up.

On a much lighter note, I don't know if I mentioned that my older son Dave got an internship for the spring term at a public tv station as a production assistant. He already got the chance to be a cameraman for a live political tv program. We are all really excited for him.

Jen, Just a few more days until your trip! I hope you are excited about it.
I am sure Brandon will do well with the tubes, thank goodness for medical advances, Mike, my DH has severe hearing loss in his right ear due to infections as a kid.

Terri, I am so glad to see you back. How warm is it where you are? We are so cold, it may not go any higher than 10 degrees today. When I took Greg to school this morning it was -6. Bradley, an 11th grade reader? Wow, tell all your kids I am proud of them too.

Es, What fun with the sweaters for Susie and Sammie, I wish I could see them myself.

Dianne, I sure am glad the dopey smileys are gone. They look like they were a bug in the software.
We are all thinking of you Zoe, Ruth and Janie hope all is well.
Well everyone, stay warm, bye for now. I sure am getting wordy lately. Can we try for a Chat Friday night at 8PM EST?

:grouphug:
xoxoxoxox
Sandy

Es,
The sweaters sound adorable. My brother had a chihuahua and we put a sweater on him and he stood like a statue for a solid hour. Refused to move. It was the funniest thing.
I bought the full DVD a while ago and Britts and I do the high intensity and it seems like it isn't hard but man you feel it the next day. We exaggerate all the moves like Rhonda in the back and I perspire a lot.
Stay warm. It is in the 50's here. I know we will get blasted before it is all over.

Sandy,
My MIL and SIL and Bruce have all gone on medicine and it seems to have made the biggest difference. Bruce doesn't take it all the time but the others do.
I hope and pray it all works out with Greg. He sounds like a sensitive young man. I am glad he is getting help. Just be there for him, that is all you can do.
Congrats to Greg for the part in Mame and to Dave for his internship. Good luck with SBD. Keep us informed.

It is so easy to do bold and color now. Love it!

Terri

Es, Dianne, and Sandy,
STAY WARM! Wow you are really getting socked with the cold. :eek: I hope you're all safe and warm, and can stay off the roads if at all possible.

Terri,
congrats to your kids on those great grades :high:
Everyone loved the letter albums; we read some aloud on Christmas evening. Even my niece's teen-aged daughters were fascinated hearing them.

Es,
good going on joining! WW must love January, I'd guess the bulk of their revenue comes at that time of year :lol: I can't believe I'm going on vacation without having lost a single pound. :o: I haven't decided if I'll join again. After our trip Joe and I will be doing the program together for the first time. I'm sure that will motivate me a bit more.

Sandy,
I can understand Greg's reluctance to take drugs. Your description of his hug was touching. All you can do is be there for him, right? Many kids don't have even that.
My Mom was diagnosed as manic-depressive back in the late 60's, early 70's, and was eventually put on Lithium. She went through many years of extremes...high end for months, excessive arguing,shopping, travelling, then deep depression, laying in bed for months at a time. One consolation is that more is known about depression now, more therapy and medications are available. Back then she was considered by some to be mentally ill.

Dianne,
You're right, we need to make a chat meeting. I know weeknights are out for Es. Anytime is fine with me.

will be back later tonight,
~Jen

I have to take advantage of this time. Sammy is sleeping so I can type. He just loves sitting on my lap. He feels like a teddy bear. His fur is so soft.

Sandy, I've been on an anti-depressant for almost 1 yr. I haven't told anybody. I told Pete around a month ago & he was so surprised. It's helped me so much. I didn't think I needed it anymore so I went off of it for a few days & felt the difference. I guess I'm not ready to stop. How old is Greg?

Jen, Dianne, Friday sounds cool. Around 8:00 is perfect. Pete works Friday nights.

Jen, when it comes to my weight I'm so conscious about it but yet give up so quickly. I've really screwed up my metabolism. All this yo yo dieting has destroyed it but there is hope with exercise.:strong: When you get back from vacation you can get right back into it. Set a target date & mark it on your calendar.

Terri, sometimes I fool myself when it comes to exercise. It may look easy but when I try it it's not as easy as I thought. Maybe I'll try it later since I'm homebound. :lol:

Dianne, it was great chatting with you. :)

Later gators,
Es

Testing the colors. Cool:cool:

I am meeting my SIL tomorrow for pedicures then having dinner together, as the guys are going to a fishing show. If I get back in time, I'll see you all in the Chatroom at 8 p.m.! If I can't make it.....say something nice about me :lol:

What a way to lead into vacation...have a u.t.i., which I haven't had in a couple of years. The dr. gave me a strong antibiotic, already am getting a yeast infection. It's like, ok, Joe, here we go for our nice romantic tropical getaway! I'm hoping it will be finished by Wednesday when we leave. :crossed:

Picture is of where we're going..Punta Cana :D
later,
~Jen

Hi Buddies:wave:

I wanted to stop in to thank you all for sharing my concern about Greg. It always means a lot to me to find your supportive presence here.

It is so cold that most of the local schools are closing for the day tomorrow. some of the school buses were having trouble because the diesel fuel was binding up at the low temps. The other thing is that a young student was hospitalized for frostbite. The 30's sound positively balmy at the moment

I stayed in all day today except for driving Greg to school this morning. I did some housework, watched a movie on TV and chopped and cooked more vegetables. We had a zucchini frittata for breakfast and eggplant parmesan for supper. I miss OJ. It is not recommended at all on SB even after the first 2 weeks!

Jen, Thank you for sharing your mom's history with us, I am so sorry that she and all of you had to deal with that. It seems that depression of some sort is only too familiar to us all.
Get your sexy sandals ready for your trip after the pedicure. Those UTI's are awful, but the meds do work fast.I'll cross my fingers for you too. :crossed:

I plan to be there for our chat, Mike is playing poker at his brother's

Hugs,
Sandy

I was watching Joan of Arcadia and I forgot. :(

Jen,
Have a great time. You will be so warm. How long will you be gone? Hope you feel better.
I am so glad your gifts were a hit. What a moment. You have to contact Womens World magazine. They could have a picture of all of you with your books. This is their kind of story. :lol: I get it every week.

Es,
I am glad you got help. Did it make a big difference? It did with Bruce. I hated to see him so sad. He was always
so up and happy. It is good to see him happy. That is always what we want. Our loved ones to be happy or at least contented.

Sandy,
I hope you are warm. You too Es.

TTYL,
Terri

Happy Saturday guys :wave:

I lost 1.2 lbs. this week, so I got rid of the 1 lb. holiday increase :dance: total- 9 lbs. now. My center still didn't get the Fast Track kits, but Essie ( :thanks: ) gave me a site to download with the 2 week menu. I may start next week - have to take the time to really look at it and plan for the food, etc. In the meantime, I'll just stick to the regular flexpoints plan for this week. It seems to be working for me. Just need to get some exercise in :thread:

Es - Too cute about Suzy and Sammy's sweaters - did you take a picture of them? :lol: By the way, did you try the exercise dvd from ww yet? If so, is it easy? I'm gonna do the walk away the pounds tape in a little while.

Jen and Sandy - great chatting with you last night. Linda is alot of fun, but I'm not gonna explain about the "toto" remarks or the rickshaw without panties :lol: She has a fantastic memory and loves to tease me :devil: I hope we can set up a chat for all of us soon, maybe when Jen gets back from vacation.

Hi Terri - congrats on the kids grades - fantastic! When I was in the fifth grade I had a high school level reading score too - I was reading magazine covers when I was 4! Should have known then I would be a reading fanatic :lol:. You must be so proud!

Well, this has turned out to be a 5 day weekend for me - YAY! On Thursday when it snowed, I left for work and was just about to get on the train when willie called my cell to tell me a co-worker called the house to say the University was closed. Then Friday morning the same co-worker called and told me not to bother coming in, she thought they would be leaving early because of the cold (problem with pipes, boiler, etc.) - so that was way :cool: And we're closed for Martin Luther King's birthday on Monday. I'm a happy camper :p

Willie and I are probably gonna go to the movies in the city today - thank God the weather is better - we want to see House of Sand and Fog with Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly and we have free passes - my grandson's mom gave them to us at xmas.

I hope you all have a great weekend and I'll talk to you's soon.

Hi ZoeGirl, Janie and Ruthie :wave:

Hugs,
Dianne

P.S. Here's Jen and Joe next week.

Hi Buddies :wave:

Dianne, , Way to go! 1.2 is a great weeks loss.:cp::bravo::cp:You are really back on track.

Just a quick check in before we go to church. Mike has to leave early as he is practicing with the choir. I am really glad to be part of that community. We have been going there for over 15 years, and it is a great source of friendships and support. Like this one!!

Last night we watched "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days". It didn't work for either of us. We kept watching the clock, waiting for it to end. What romantic movies are your favorites?

It was really fun to chat in live time. I hope we can do it again soon. It turns out we can set up our own subroom each time if we want to.

Hugs,
Sandy

Dianne,
good job! :dance: they all add up. It was fun to talk the other night....no problem about "skeletons" we all have them ;) I kind of got distracted with a phone call during our chat, so missed out on the good stuff? Enjoy your long weekend. That movie is one I want to see, let us know how it is, ok?

Sandy,
We felt the same about that movie....couldn't wait for it to end. I love some of the older movies such as African Queen, and Irma laDouce, the Doris Day/Rock Hudson combos, like PillowTalk; enjoyed watching Dirty Dancing about a million times when Jess was a teenager, also You've Got Mail-love the bookstore settings. My all time favorite movies? The Quiet Man, It's a Wonderful Life, Gone With the Wind, Chicago, The Wizard of Oz, just to name a few.


We had the kids over for a family dinner last night. They ended up bringing so many appetizers and snacks that we never had dinner :rolleyes: I sent everything home with Jess so they can have it today. Today Joe and I are just lazing around. Will probably begin packing, everything's out and ready, just not packed.

Es,
We've set our target date as February 1st. By following the program together, I'm confident we'll support each other. I've got to find out how many points Joe will be allowed.

I'm hoping you'll all get together on Friday to chat. When we return, I'll miss the chat on the 30th :( as it's my volunteer night.

:wave: to Terri...Ruth and Zoe, where are you??
~Jen

Hi Girls:wave:

Amiga, way to go with your loss!!!! :cb: I took a lot of pictures of Sammy & Susie with the sweaters. I have to get them developed. They really look cute! I'm off tomorrow. I'll be doing some cleaning & food shopping. I haven't tried the WW dvd yet.

I was out earlier. Went to buy jeans & came back very depressed. Size 16 felt tight!! I bought the stretchy 16 which fit fine. I have to get my butt in gear here. They had 3 way mirrors :yikes: I got out of there real fast!

Jen, Feb. 1st is a good target date. Doing it together is going to make it much easier. When are you leaving? How are you feeling? I hope you get over that infection real soon.

Sandy, a subroom rooms sounds pretty cool. I'll write myself a reminder for this Friday.

Terri, the medication helped me a lot. It took me a long time to realize that I was going thru this until I saw a commercial about symtoms of depression. I set up an appt. to see my Dr. right away & that's when she prescribed Effexor. In 1 week I felt the difference.

Let me go. It's a real stay home type of day. It's snowing/raining. I'm going to watch the Lifetime channel.

Hugs,
Es

Okay, I'm not lost anymore!! Hi everyone. I've really missed you guys. I have no idea as to how long it has been since I've been here. According to my weight, it's been a while. I've gained and now I'm starting almost from the beginning. Oh well, at least I never give up!

JEN, I'm so sorry about your niece. The whole family is in my prayers, but especially her daughters.

TERRI, I know you are proud of you children. Tell them I said congrats on the grades.

DIANE & ES, I have no idea how you girls deal with the cold. It's in the low 30's - high 20's here, and I'm freezing. I just don't know if I could ever adapt to your winters.

DIANE, congrats on doing so well with maintaining during the holidays and losing afterwards. Your my HERO.

SANDY, I hope your son is feeling better. Your family is also in my prayers.


Well, not much going on in my life. I finished the last semester with 1 A and 3 B's. I was really disappointed. School starts tomorrow and I'm totally ready for it. I will be spending most of my time at school. I'm taking 15 hours plus working 20 hours at the university. I was recommended by the Dean for a position with a program called University 200 Internship Program. University 200 is a program that will allow students who work to earn college credit for their jobs in lieu of taking other electives. It's my job to verify that the students qualify, verify their employment. After orientation I will have to make sure everyone hands in their assignments on time. I have my own office, so now I have a place to study when not working. I'll be scheduled for 10 hours in that position and the other 10 hours will be in the accounting lab. Oh, then there is the Accounting Club Treasurer position, so I'll be running non stop. Humm, wonder if that running will help with weight loss.

Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I going to attempt not to go AWOL again.

Ruth

Dianne,
Congrats on the loss. That is great. Did you see the movie? How was it?


Have a great time Jen. You deserve it.

Hi Ruth. Welcome back. Those grades sound good to me. Congrats also on the position. You will lose that weight in no time. Stick with us. ;)

Es,
Think next time I will have to bypass those 16's and go straight to 14. You can do it.

Sandy,
My kids liked that movie. It was ok, definitely not my favorite. I like sooo many movies. One of my favs is Steel Magnolias. Return TO Me was good. I can watch that over and over.

I only lost .8 this week. I have 1 more to go to get back to before the Holidays. I am starting back to the bowflex this morning. I loved the hunger pangs I got when I did it consistanly before. I felt something was working.
What time and what room is the chat Friday? I would love to try to make it.

TTYL,
Terri

Ruth,
I was very happy to see your post, and that we didn't lose you. Those are good grades; perhaps not as high as your previous, but you know they're good all the same. The new job sounds great. How cool that you'll have an office to study in. Sounds as thought you'll really be busy this semester. And you're right...never giving up is the key!

Terri,
:cp: .8 is not too shabby! I think it's great that you've had a loss right after the holidays. I forgot to mention Steel Magnolias also.

We're packed, ready to go :cool: We're leaving at 5 tomorrow morning. The resort does have an internet center, I doubt if I'll go in there unless we have to contact Joey to sell the house because we've decided to stay down there. ;)
So...be good all of you.....I hope you all get together and chat on Friday!

love,
~Jen

Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention....it's only 10 degrees here in Illinois, with wind chill near zero. 80 in Punta Cana :D

Jen, have a safe trip. I know you're going to have a great time. I'll be thinking of you in that nice warm weather sipping pina coladas. :)

Terri, thanks for the support. I really felt depressed when I left Macy's! I have not been abole to get out of this rut. Pete made a good point yesterday. He said my problem is I start too many things & then I get all confused. From WW to SBD to LA weightloss, Slimfast! I belong to 2 gyms. I'm driving my self crazy:dizzy:


Ruth, welcome back. Stop by more often.

Have to walk on my treadmill.
Love,
Es

Can you believe I'm back so soon!

TERRI, congrats on the .8. I'd be happy with .1 at the moment. But I know I'll soon be on the downward slope. Since you mentioned Steel Magnolias, I will post some Christmas photos of the town that it was filmed in. We stopped one night after Christmas to walk along the riverbanks of the Cane River and admire the lights. Of course I had my camera with me!

ES, just remember you are not alone. I'm in the same boat as you. At least you are trying to do something about it. In the last two months I've just tried to ignore it. Well as Dr. Phil would say: "How's that working for you?" well my reply would have to be "It isn't" So, I've vowed to get up early every morning, walk on the treadmill and eat a sensible breakfast at home. I'm only on day 1, so I'll keep you girls posted on my results.


JEN, where are you going on vacation. Maurice and I haven't been anywhere in almost 2 years. Have fun, you deserve it.

Thanks everyone for the comments on my grades. I think I'll be able to do better this semester. All my free time will be spent here at the school. I'm determined to study and stay caught up on my assignments.

Well I better run. Talk to you later, I will try to remember to come into the chat room Friday night.

Ruth

Jen,
Get a nice tan. You will look so good. Have FUN!!!!.

Es,
Pete sounds so cute. I know sometimes I get confused with to many things. Remember, bottom line :
Eat less and exercise more. That is basically it.
You can do it. Start right now. Pretend you never even started a lifestyle change before now.

Ruth,
I would love to see the pictures. Can't wait to hear of your progress.

Terri

Here are the photos. I don't know how clear they are. I hope you can get an idea of how the lights look.

Ruth

Hi Gals,:wave:

Welcome back Ruth! It looks like you are making up for lost time today. Congratulations on the internship this spring. We are always here when you can find the time to drop by. But it sure sounds as if you will be at least as busy as usual. I think your grades are very good, but we all know that you have maintained very high standards all along.

Bon Voyage Jen!
We will all miss you, but have a great trip and send us back some sunshine and a Pina colada or two.

Es,
I know what you are saying about trying too many ideas at once. I know that I grasp at whatever I think would help me to lose some of these @#%#* lbs. Mike tells me the plan doesn't matter any where near as much as persistance does. I think he's right. One word that dieticians are saying is too dull for people to pay any mind to is: moderation. As Terri said: eat a little less, exercise a little more.
Terri, :bravo: on your loss this week!

Hi Dianne, Here's to another good week! Let's all stick with it together.

I hope I can chat on Friday, but probably not. It looks like Greg will be spending the weekend at a youth conference. Which means Mike and I will have a chance for a romantic weekend by ourselves. I have an appt on Friday morning for Greg to get evaluated for the appropriate meds. So far he is coping most days, but he still is missing his usual spark.
I am waiting till Thursday to weigh in as that is when I have my annual physical. My home scale shows a relative loss, but it is a crummy scale and depending on which way I position it, I get all kinds of results. I am still thinking of going back to WW meetings, I want all the support I can get.

TTYL
:grouphug:
Sandy

Hi guys:

Jen - wanted to wish you a safe trip and a great vacation. Hope you and Joe and family have a ball! I will be thinking of you when I get to my ice-laden outdoor subway platform tomorrow morning :lol: Enjoy yourself girl!!!
Oh, and if you do decide to stay there, please have a guest house built for your buddies!

Es - Pete is a smart man - he probably sees you trying so hard and is trying to help you. Its great to have support. Just take it one day at a time, amiga, in reality that's all we can do. That's why I'm just not to into challenges because they kind of overwhelm me. I have to take it day by day or it becomes too hard for me. You never give up and that's the important thing!

Ruthie!!!!! Welcome back! Its good to hear from you. But I have to tell you I get tired thinking about all you do with school, jobs, grades, etc. I give you mucho credito girl! Those pictures are really cool. Steel Magnolias is one of my all time favorite movies. How are your beautiful grandchildren?

Terri - Congrats on the .8 loss - you'll lose that pre-holiday weight in no time.

Sandy - I hope you and Mike enjoy your weekend together - you deserve a break. I know you've been really worried about Greg and that puts stress on you. Enjoy yourself. Glad to hear that Greg is getting away too. Oh, and about that scale - put it in the bestest position for the bestest weight loss ever!!! :lol:

Well, guys, getting sleepy. Talk to you's tomorrow.

Hi, ZoeGirl and Janie! :wave:

Hugs,

Dianne

Morning ladies,

Well I guess Jen has left for her vacation. I know they will enjoy the time away together. Not to mention the time away from the frigid temperatures. It was 28 degrees here this morning. That is a deep chill for the south or at least this part of the country. But never fear, give us a few days and we will be back in the 40's for lows.

Sandy, enjoy your time with Mike. You deserve it. I hope Greg enjoys the youth conference.

Dianne, does my life really sound that busy? If it wasn't for school, it would be quite boring! I am so looking forward to the day when I no longer have to study for long periods of time. But as for the new job, would you believe that I have it to the point that I can get some studying done. And I will need to study now, because when these students who are working start dropping off their final reports and other items that they were required to do for this program, then I'll be consumed with looking it over and giving them a pass or fail grade.

Well, it's almost time for class. I'm taking Marketing, Stats, Auditing, Cost Accounting and a Management Information Systems course, plus I get credit for the job I'm doing with the University 200 program. That means 18 hours this semester.

Take care, I'll be back later.
Ruthie

Sandy,
With the help and love from your family Greg wil be ok.
Enjoy your romantic weekend. You deserve it.

Ruth,
Thanks so much for the photos. That is so cool that they filmed there. Good luck with school.

Hi Dianne and Zoe.

Jen,
Enjoy the sun and yes build us a hut.

Bruce is in San Diego this week and then he will start school full time next week. He is getting his Doctorate.
It will be interesting having him here everyday since his classes don't start until 3. He will go to his office to study once in awhile.

TTYL,
Terri

Well, I'm taking it "one day at a time" and "5" lbs at a time. I can't force myself to think about anything more than that or I'll sabotage myself. So far I've done fairly well. The last two mornings I got up at 5:30 to walk on the treadmill. I've been taking the stairs at work, so maybe I'll see that first 5 lbs gone by the end of next weekend. I'm also trying to eat less. I'll keep you guys informed if there is any progress.

TERRI, poor Bruce is gone so often, it might be an adjustment having him around all day. But I'm sure you'll do well at adjusting.

ES, hope your week is going okay. How cold is it there?

Well, I'm off to school.

Ruth

DIANNE, you asked about my grandbabies, they are wonderful. A few weekends ago I had to help Nicholas with his science project. It was mandatory, I still don't know what he made on it. Some days I go get him so I can make sure he is doing his reading assignments correctly. The youngest, Elijah is the happiest baby I've ever seen. He smiles constantly. He and Brittany are both crawling now. He is 8 months and Brittany will be a year on Feb. 7.

Well, now I'm really gone.

Hi Gals,:wave:

I am so disappointed! My doctor postponed my physical today as he called in sick. I was actually looking forward to my exam, except for the Pap smear. I know my weight is down since my last visit.

I have completed the 2 weeks of following the South Beach plan (Phase I) and I added back an apple yesterday and some noodles in my chicken soup. I also had oatmeal for breakfast today. It is amazing to have these foods seem like treats. So far so good, according to the book you will lose your carb cravings by following the plan. After the 2 weeks you reintroduce complex carbs, but not simple starches and sugars. It has you avoid white baked potatoes and white rice until you reach your goal. Supposedly this plan resets a hunger mechanism that drives us to overeat. I was not 100% perfect every day, but pretty close all in all. I do feel as if carbs are among my favorites, but it is true that I now feel a lot more in control of my choices. I need as much support as I can get, so I plan to rejoin WW tomorrow. That is where I will have my official weigh in. My home scale is a joke, it weighs about 13 lbs too low, but it always makes me feel good about myself!:s:

I really have to be patient about a lot of things right now: WW, Greg’s progress, and one of my clients for whom I do database design. The woman is brilliant, I admire her abilities, but her people skills leave something to be desired. She really lit into me yesterday for an error in judgment that I made. She has a deadline coming up for a board meeting and she was afraid some reports would not be ready, I tried to help by emailing updates to all of the parties involved, but she said all of the updates should go directly to her first. I felt like I was put through the ringer. By tomorrow all should be resolved, but I have lost my taste for working with her for the foreseeable future. Today she is not yelling at me, but treating me with coldness. Believe me it is mutual.

Ruth, Good going, I like your plan!:tread: I am hoping to buy a treadmill soon, do you have any recommendations? I think focusing on small goals is the best way to make progress and reinforce your efforts. I used to buy myself flowers for each minigoal. Make sure you reward yourself, you work so hard!

Es, How are you doing? I was thinking about that phenomenon of trying too many things at once. My downfall is usually trying all the possible recipes on program that might help. My fridge is sometimes so full of veggies, that I can hardly close the door. On top of that I have to admit that I don't even get to use them all in time and some go to waste. I am trying to change that by buying less at a time and meal planning for only a couple of days ahead.
Terri, Wow, you really have a family of scholars there. What will Bruce's doctorate be in? I have to admit that it would be an adjustment for me to have Mike at home most of the day. He is a late riser and will sit at the computer for a few hours in his robe. When he is home like that it really puts me off my rhythm. I am more of a morning person.

Have a good weekend everyone, and thanks for being there,
:grouphug:
Sandy

Sandy, thank you for your encouragement. I really liked the little guy on the treadmill.That is about how I felt this morning. That early I have to put the headphones on, faster the music the better.

Hope your day gets better at work. I really dislike people who lack people skills. I usually try to avoid them. I'm the type of person that can get along with anybody and very seldom meet someone that rubs me the wrong way. Sounds like your boss would have rubbed me the wrong way!

Well, back to work for me.

Ruth

Sandy,
I am so sorry about your checkup. Good luck at your weigh-in. If my scale was 13# low I would never weigh on a regular scale again and be in complete denial. :lol:
Mine is 2 lbs. under but my new WW one is .5 under. I will get rid of my old one as soon as I can let go.
It is amazing how unprofessional some people can be.
Hope the situation gets better for you.
My treadmill is a Proform RT2.0 It has the EKG grip pulse.
WE got it at Sears for $500 2.5 yrs. ago. I love it. It has built in interval programs. I just got off of it.
Bruce is an astronautical and aeronautical engineer. He got a masters in industrial engineering and I am not sure what the doctorate is in. He wants to retire from NASA in his 50's and go back to the Ohio State University and teach. He was home the 2 weeks before Christmas (He had leave that was use them or lose them) and then the week after Christmas and he gives me my space and luckily he has his own laptop so my PC is here for me. So far so good. Plus he goes and gets Brandon for me at school and takes him in the morning. BIG PLUS!!!!

Ruth,
Congrats for getting on that treadmill. :bravo:
Let us know how it goes. Your grandbabies sound so cute!
It is nice to see a handson grandma.

I just did the bowflex and treadmill. Feels so good to get it done. I had my egg white omelet with cheese and veggies. Fills me up until around 1:00. I love the hunger pangs.

TTYL,
Terri

Hi Everyone,:wave:

It is sooooo quiet here!

I need a drum roll, but I am afraid it will echo this afternoon. I rejoined WW this morning and weighed in. I am so pleased to report that since my last meeting in mid December I am down 6.6 lbs! I probably am really down more like 9 altogether, but that is starting from my post holiday high which was never recorded anywhere. It has vanished into the ether. :cloud9:
Thank goodness!
I hope those pounds never find me ever again! :eek:

We are sending Greg off to his youth conference this weekend, and Mike and I are planning some quality time together. I am planning on easing up on my points this weekend and having some wine (maybe even champagne) and chocolate and strawberries for dessert.

I hope everyone has a great weekend planned too. I'll check in on Sunday
Hugs,
Sandy

Hi Girls:wave:

Sandy, I can see why you're on cloudnine. Congratulations! To be down that much after the holidays is incredible. I have a treadmill. I bought 2 years ago. It's the Proform 770EKG. It came with a cd & website ifit.com It's the best investment I ever made. I guess it'll be good for Greg to go away with the youth group. How's he doing? I'm with Ruth on your boss rubbing me the wrong way. I work with a few attorney's like that & I try to stay away from them as much as possible.

Terri, you bought a WW scale? I saw them in Sears. I was tempted to buy one. I made the egg white omelet with frozen spinach & it's really good. Whta kind of cheese do you use?

Ruth, I couldn't see the pictures. :( They were too dark. You're so blessed with such adorable grandchildren.

I'll be back later. Are we chatting tonight?

Love,
Es

Es,
I use the 2% american. I buy the kroger brand but Kraft makes it too. It is 1 pt. per slice. I like the scale. It is with .5 of my meeting's scale.

Sandy,
OOOOOH Have fun with the strawberries and wine. Sounds so romantic. :devil: Congrats on the loss.
That is terrific.
Terri

Chatting tonight would be fun. What time?

Ruth

Hi Girls,

Ruth, nobody had said anything about the chat so I didn't bother. Sorry. :(
I think the last time we were scheduled for 8:00.

Terri, I love mozzarella cheese. Do you know if that comes in 2%?

Dianne, more snow tomorrow night. Maybe we won't have to work Monday. :devil:

I think we should all post our current weight & goals for the new year. I've lost track on how much we each want to lose. Since I've been so off program I need to lose 30 lbs. I have a wedding in August so that's my goal to be 30 lbs lighter by then.

Till later.

Love you's,
Es

Es,
It just might. I know they have pepper jack in 2% and sharp cheddar. I'll have to check cause I love mozz. too. I do get the mozzarella light string cheese and they are 1 point a piece. I have those in my salads.

I lost 2.2 today.

Have a great weekend.
Terri

Hi everyone,

ES, I went to the chat room, but no one showed up. I'll check again next Friday if I remember. Snow! Sounds like you are still having some COLD weather. We are just wet this weekend. It has rained several inches in the last 24 hours. I'm hoping it quits soon.

Posting our goals. Well this morning I weighed 178.4 on my scales. My goal is to lose 50 lbs in 16 months. I want to be a normal weight when I graduate in May 2005. So, that would be a monthly goal of 3.125 lbs. Hey that sounds obtainable.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Ruth

:( I gained a little more than 10 lbs. since July. I'm up to 190:yikes: This is the highest I've ever been in my life. I felt like I was trying but those BLT's & snacks have messed me up. This is really really really day one for me. I can't take this anymore. It's getting to me & it's effecting my moods. I have to do this or I'll go insane! :crazy:

I thought 8:00 Fridays would be a good time for me to go in the chat room but I can't seem to stay awake. I sit down to watch TV & end up falling asleep. :tired: If everybody is going to be there I won't watch TV or if I do I'll sit up not lay down.

Well, let me go to WW site to my tracker.
Day 1 on program 1/25/04 - 190 :mad:

Hugs,
Es

Terri, which light string cheese do you get? I buy the string cheese too by Sorrento or Kraft & it's 2 pts.

Hello all, It says I have not logged in since 2-18-02!! I did start a new job around that time. I lost about 20 pounds since then, just from the fast pace. I am still very overweight. A co-worker suggested walking 30 minutes out of our hour lunch and we started that last week. I came here for some support, inspiration, and hopefully to give some back. It was sprinkling last night and I still went on my walk. It was beautiful and I felt great afterward. I get so caught up in the daily chaos that I don't realize what I'm missing. I don't smoke, don't drink, but I sure like sweets!! We went shopping today and I didn't buy any cookies. That's a big start for me.
Bye for now.

Welcome redandround. I'm the queen of sweets. That's my biggest downfall. Day 1 wasn't bad. I feel good that I survived it. I have to take one day at a time. If I look too far ahead I get discouraged. Way to go on walking! We can do this. ;)

Hi to the rest of the gang. :wave:

Hugs,
Es :tread:

Evening,

Well, the weekend is over. It was so dreary here yesterday that I did not do anything. But today the sun was shining, I not only went to the library and got some studying and homework done, but I also walked on the treadmill this afternoon. 2 1/4 miles in 45 minutes, so, I"m really in a good mood.

ES, I know the feeling, I've done the same thing many times. I've been fighting the same 20 lbs for over 3 years now! Someday I'm going to WIN!
Congrats on DAY 1. You can do this, I know you can. We will do this together.

REDANDROUND, you've come to the right place for support. We are here for you, so come back as often as you need to. What part of California do you live in?

See you girls in the morning.

Ruth

OMG - its freezing inside!!! The boiler broke down and we are all in the office with coats and scarves on. This is ridiculous. They're working on it, but by the time it comes up, it will probably be time to go home. Oh, well.....enough *****in' and moanin' from me :lol:

Sandy - :bravo: on the 6.6 lbs. lost - what a fantastic start for you. The SBD really worked because you really worked it. Congrats!! How was your romantic weekend and how was Greg's weekend away?

Es, amiga - congrats to you on your first day. That's the way I have to do it - one day at a time or I become overwhelmed. We can do this!

Terri - congrats on your 2.2 loss as well - great job.

Ruthie - congrats on the walking - that's great. I've been doing the walk-away-the-pounds tape and willie watched me and said he'd like to try it next time.

Redandround - welcome, welcome, welcome! You have come to the right place - we not only support each other on the weight loss battle, but I believe we are friends as well. Congrats on the walking and passing up the cookies - good job :bravo:

I'm really envying Jen about now - she's probably on a beach chillin' out with Joe :cool: Can't wait to hear about her trip.

Well, as for me, I lost .2 this week :lol: - that's okay, I'll take it!

Got to get back to work, if I can get my frozen fingers to work. Can't wait to get out of here and go out into the not-as-cold-as-this-office outside :lol:

Talk to you's soon.

Hi to ZoeGirl and Janie :wave:

Hugs,
Dianne

Ruth,
That is very attainable. I know you can do it. Great weight girl.Great walking girl. With school and everytday life a lot of people use that as an excuse but not you. :bravo:

Dianne,.2 is headed in the right direction. "weigh" to go.
Hope you can keep warm. I can't believe it but it is like 60 here. Unseasonably warm.

Redandround,
Welcome. That is great that you still went out. You sound committed. Great weight loss and the fact that you didn't regain is wonderful. Keep it up and we can all help each other. :D

Es,
I eat the Friggio light string cheese. It's only 1 point for 1. They aren't as soft as the 2 pt. ones but I didn't expect them to be. I love them. My kids eat them for lunch.
Use that 10 pounds as your first goal. You can lose that in the first few weeks. I am serious about this, get Dr. Phil's book. It has helped me so much and I thought I licked all the reasons I always gained it back. I have been following the weight loss challenge and there are people all over this country losing weight. I don't necessarily want to follow his advice on what to eat cause WW is doing great for that but I love the 7 keys. If you use these keys to unlock the doors you got it licked. He delves into the reasons we eat and how to overcome this.
YOU CAN DO THIS ES!!!!!! You are so strong.

Terri

Terri, I sware you should be a WW leader. You always say the right thing. I might get the book. If you recommend it, it must be helpful. I'm going to check out his website. Thanks buddy. ;) I never heard of Friggio's but I'll keep my eye out for it.

Amiga, how come they didn't let everybody go home? Isn't it against the law to make people work under those conditions? We're getting ALOT of snow tomorrow night!!!!:cb: Wooohooo! Snow day. :D

Ruth, walking or any form of exercise clears the brain. Exercise is my therapy. Keep it up. ;)

Zoe, stop in & say hi. Let us know how you're doing.

Have a good evening my friends.:wave:

Love you all,
Es

Good Morning Gals,:wave:

We all had a great weekend. Mike and I had some time together, And Greg enjoyed the company of 120 or so of his closest friends.
After dropping Greg off, we went out for dinner at the Naked Fish again (seems to be our favorite lately). We ran into another couple who also had dropped their daughter off at the conference. After dinner, Mike and I went home for a candlelit dessert. I suppose I used most of my flexpoints over the weekend, but that is not unusual for me. On Saturday we went out to see the movie, Big Fish. It is starting to sound like a fishy weekend, eh. Back on track by Monday though.

Welcome, RedandRound, this is a great place for support and friendship through thick and thin. Good work on getting started with the walks and passing up those cookies. I think each positive choice we make can be used to build on another.

Terri, congrats on your loss this week!:cheer:
Dianne, and yours too, every quarter or even ounce adds up, in the right direction :cp: I hope you have warmed up by now, those are terrible working conditions.

Well, Es, this is hard to put out for the public eye, I am now down to 205.2, so my WW 10% is 20 lb. since they made me rejoin with a new card. My first goal though is to get back under the 200 mark, that alone will feel like a big accomplishment.


Have a great day everyone,
:grouphug:
Sandy

ES,
You are a sweetie. Remember, we have all the faith in you. You will feel so much better as soon as you get that extra 10# off. :cheer:

Sandy,
I am so glad you had a great weekend. It is so important to have that. How was Big Fish?
How was Greg when he came home?

Getting ready to do the Bowflex so I'll talk to y'all later.
Terri

Hello ladies,

Well we had a wonderful warm Sunday and so-so Monday, the lows the low this morning was 28. I'm so looking forward to SPRING!!!

Well, I haven't walked since Sunday, so I've got to make myself get on the treadmill tonight. It seems so easy to slip back into doing nothing. I'm not really working on my food choices yet, just trying to get the walking to become a habit.

SANDY, sounds like you had a nice weekend. You'll get to your goal in no time. I'm concentrating on 5 lbs at a time myself. Anything larger than that seems impossible.

DIANNE, hope you have warmed up by now. As for the .2 lbs, I'd take it any way I can get it.

Well, back to the books for me.

Have a good evening.

Ruth

ES, my brain needs a lot of clearing! LOL Guess I better get to walking.

Terri, thanks for having faith in me. :) All I keep thinking about is this wedding I have Aug. 1st. I hate that month because it's always very hot & humid. I would like to wear a nice sleeveless dress. I'm back on track. A little slip here & there but not bad.

The weather report for Long Island is saying we're supposed to get 12" to 18":yikes: We went to rent videos & the video store was packed. Pete's off tonight, thank God. David gets out of work at 11:30 PM. I hope the snow doesn't start till he's home safe & sound.

Ruth, the treadmill is great to have. It's very convenient. Every little bit helps. Keep it up & after a while if you don't do it you'll miss it.

Sandy, my WW 10% is 19 lbs. I'm hoping to be there by my 50th birthday in April. We'll do this. We're here for eachother.

Well, let me go watch one of the movies we rented.

Be back tomorrow.

Love,
Es

:strong: :tread:

:D Good Morning Ladies:wave:

I just called my job & IT'S CLOSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cp: SNOW DAY:dancer:

It's still snowing. It's 7:30 AM & we have 13 inches. I love this. It looks so pretty.

Amiga, how you're doing in Howard Beach? Are you off?

Just wanted to pop in & let you know I'm off today so I'll be back later.

Love,
Es

Hi All,

It looks like the snow passed to our south and Es and Dianne have to bear the brunt of this storm. We are only likely to get 1-3 inches. In the meantime the high today is supposed to get to 29 degrees, which is virtually a heat wave.

Terri, Thanks for asking about Greg. He enjoyed his time at the con and he has some activities lined up to see some of the kids again this coming weekend. We find he is still really engaged in his many interests, but when he is overstressed or lonely we can tell he is still troubled. We finally have an appt this Friday with a specialist to evaluate him for the appropriate antidepressant.


Hugs,
Sandy

:sunny: Hola!
We left 82 degree weather in Punta Cana yesterday, only to find it was 5 degrees here at home!
The week was awesome. Great resort, pool, beach, service. Sunny, warm, very humid weather. Spent most days in the pool, but did get in some cool day trips. The Dominican people are friendly and warm, they were one of the things I liked best about the trip. Our villa was on the beach, near the pool, but it was 1/4 mile from the bar, restaurants, etc. We walked ALOT all week.

I've just read everyone's posts and hope to try to catch up with you all. I missed you!

Sandy,
My heart goes out to you and Mike, and Greg. I'm praying for all of you.

The losses are beginning to pile up here! Good job to all of you :cp:

I'm embarrassed to say this, it's the most I've ever weighed in my life. I wasn't happy about going on vacation at this weight. I was 246 the morning we left. :yikes: Last night I was 243.5 so I lost 2.5 on vacation!!!! I know it's due to all the walking,swimming, and the food choices I made, sticking with salad and chicken for most meals. No snacking like I do here at home!

We've got Matt here for a few days, as Brandon is having the ear tubes put in today.

later,
~Jen

Jen, welcome back! We've missed you. Wow, it sounds like you had a great time. Willie and I have been looking at places in Punta Cana on-line. Was the place you stayed at an "all-inclusive"? Great job on losing while on vacation :bravo: :cheers: That's the best feeling! Enjoy Matthew and good thoughts go out to Brandon today.

Es, amiga - you seem absolutely overjoyed with the snow :lol: I'm sorry I can't share your enthusiasm - I'm really sick of it already, although I did enjoy the day off yesterday! I'm tired of coats and scarves and gloves, and ice and wind, etc. The winters seem to be getting longer, or I'm getting older or both :mad:

Sandy - I'm glad you had a good time last weekend, but I can understand how your worry for Greg would overshadow that. The one thing that I think is so important is that it seems he wants help - he's not pushing you guys away, like other young people sometimes do. So, that's in his and your favor. I hope he gets the help he needs. Try not to stress too much - you are doing everything you can, he is doing his part, so hopefully things will turn around for him. My thoughts are with you guys.

Hi Terri, Ruthie, Redandround (still with us?), ZoeGirl and Janie. Everyone have a good day and stay warm.

Hugs,
Dianne

See You On #153!!!!!!!