WW Clubs and Groups - Turtle Club # 27

Hi, Turtle Buddies,

Here it is - my "official" version of the fable:

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.

Happy turtlin', everyone!

Lin

Hi, Turtle Buddies,

Lauren, I can really understand why you are so super stressed out that you went for the bagel and cake. The thing we all must learn to do is to put a HALT to stress eating. I like your idea of adding an "S" to the end of that.

Perhaps the next time you are faced with so much stress piled on at once you could grab some paper and walk to someplace where there is no food and write a letter really telling off the people who are wrecking your life, like your company's CEO or corporate America in general. Then shred the letter. You wouldn't really want them to read it, after all. Or just take a walk and work off some of that anger using that old technique of letting the anger out by doing physical stuff.

I do think that updating your resume and hitting the job boards is a great idea. Who knows? Maybe there's a better job out there for you and this will end up being one of those clouds with a silver lining. I don't know about that, but I do know how hard it is to look for that silver lining when faced with layoffs and other major life stresses. I remember when Paul was laid off, three times in three years!

Good luck with getting your stress and your food under control.

I will let you know when I find a general writer's group. I think that writing is good for both of us wordy folks. I'm glad you're thinking about writing again, too. I find that it does help with my stress. I can turn the people I'm mad at into the villain and do nasty stuff to them! :devil:

Judy, thanks for your post. It may have been directed at Lauren, but I found it helpful, too.

I'm finally back OP and commited to staying there. I realized that part of my problem was also that I wasn't planning ahead as well as I had previously. I also realized that another aspect of this was that my pantry wasn't fully stocked since our move. I couldn't afford to just go out and buy all of the items I needed to restock my pantry. So, I've been gradually adding stuff each week. I've gotten the most important stuff and it's a lot easier to stay on track.

Tonight I'm going to the circuit training class in our apartment fitness room. It ought to be an interesting experience. I want to do some strength training and it seems like a good idea to use the machines, since they're available, but I need to learn what to do so I benefit my body, not hurt it.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin
272/228/lower

Lin, I'll look forward to hearing how the circuit training went. What kinds of things did you do?

Glad to hear you're back OP and back to planning and able to start re-stocking your pantry. That's got to be a big help.

I was finally able to do a different workout tape today and use my arm. It's a little sore but not bad. I still don't think I can lift weights with it, but I'll get there.

Had an OP day yesterday after going over on the bagel-cake day on Tuesday! Amazingly, my weight still seems to be going down in small increments rather than up. I find that curious, since I've been over my points fairly often. Possibly another reason to go back on the old 123 program.

We're having lovely warm weather here; supposed to get cooler tomorrow (down into the 70s, which is perfect). I hope it holds for our vacation in a week.

Have a great Thursday,

Lauren

Hi, Turtles,

Well, the circuit training didn't go. Paul got home late because David went to SJ and he had to pick him up. That made dinner late so I missed it. But I've found out that they do it every week, so I'm planning to have the infamous What and When for dinner next Wednesday. That means my family eats whatever they want, whenever they're hungry. They love it and it will get me out of the kitchen so I can attend the class.

We're having really great, nice warm weather. So, today I'm planning to take a swim. The only hitch will be if my one and only swimsuit doesn't fit. I haven't tried it on in years. I'll let you know.

My food is going fine. I got in the kitchen and cooked up some soup. Today I need to make a salad because we're out. I've learned that I do really, really well at staying OP if I keep soup and salad available for lunch and my afternoon mini-meal. If I eat it all and don't get more made for a few days, I tend to gradually creep off program. It's a recent pattern that I've noticed.

Congrats, Lauren, on being able to use your arm a bit more. Isn't it weird how time changes us. Three years ago I probably wouldn't have believed it if anyone had told me that you and I would start to crave exercise. You're ahead of me in that, but I keep moving more and more in that direction. I think I needed to really get my food routine under control before I could deal with adding more exercise, but I feel ready now, since I keep thinking about it.

Congrats, also, on the OP day. I think that the old 123 program, with it's higher point range, is better for my body. I lost better on it. What's interesting is that even though I've added back those 2 points, I haven't used them yet. So, I banked them and I'm going to try a new lowfat gingerbread recipe today. That won't use up all of the points I have available, especially after I add in the swimming I plan to do this afternoon!

Happy turtlin'! :cool:

Lin
272/228/lower

So how did the suit fit?

You know, I've been giving some thought to this whole "craving exercise" thing. You're right; I never would've guessed this would happen to me. I think a big motivator for me is somewhat negative -- I don't want to lose the ground I've gained. It took a lot of hard work to get to this point of being able to walk two miles in 25 minutes without breaking a sweat. I really enjoy having the extra energy and stamina, and I don't want to lose that. So I make myself get up early in the morning (NOT my favorite time of day) to do it.

I can't say yet that I love exercise itself. It's OK, when it's not grueling. Mostly I just love how it makes me feel. I'm much more sluggish without it.

Also, it makes me feel worse when I overeat crappy food -- like I did today. This time it was the free lunch and dinner they provided at work (had a late meeting that went until 7 p.m.), neither of which was remotely healthy. (Pizza and mini-quesadillas with cookies!) Made me feel like a slug -- I even got indigestion. After doing such a great workout this morning, eating food like that felt like stomping mud all over a freshly cleaned floor.

Ah, well. As Scarlett O'Hara and I like to say -- "Tomorrow is anuthuh day."

--Lauren

Hi,

Lauren, I love your post about exercise and about eating.

It's odd that you should mention indigestion from eating the pizza, etc. I was talking to Paul as we walked for an hour last night. I told him that even if I never lost another pound, I'd continue to eat and to cook the way I am right now. The reason--I feel better. I had been getting heartburn--a new thing for me. Within days of spreading my food out over the day in mini meals and working to be more consistent with reducing the points in my recipes, it went away. The only time I've had it since has been when we got KFC! I'd rather deep fry chicken myself, if I'm going to eat that particular dish. Or doughnuts. Or anything else that's cooked that way. I don't get heartburn on those rare occasions when I deep fry stuff because I know how to do it without the food absorbing very much oil. Maybe a tablespoon or two for the whole batch.

I've also been thinking about exercise and the posts I've been reading lately. I've noticed that people really don't believe that their weight will come off if they eat enough food. People who are exercising a lot and complaining they're hungry and not losing weight. But they also say they don't use the activity points. And then many of them say that they eat at the minimum of their point range. It seems as if people are really loathe to give up the idea that the key to weight loss is starvation. Even though our experience shows that our bodies hang onto fat like crazy if we starve them.

One thing I've learned over the years is that exercise is the single most important factor in maintaining weight loss. I also think that drinking that water is the second most important factor. I don't have a scientific study documenting this. Just personal experience. During the time I took a break from counting points I noticed that I tended to maintain or, if I gained, it was very slowly as long as I continued to get exercise and drink the water.

That's why I'm making more of an effort to get back to doing regular exercise. One other thing I miss about my life in SJ is that there was exercise built into it. I didn't have to make an extra effort or take extra time out of my day. I could walk to interesting places or to do some errands that needed to be done anyway. I also walked a ton while I was in school. Here, there's nowhere I really want to walk to. That's why I'm starting to swim and look into the circuit training.

Sometimes I wonder if we focus on food because it's easier. Or because so many of the weight loss methods out there focus on food and we're programmed by our culture to think food is the issue. And I think WW focuses on the points aspect of their program because they know that people don't want to exercise. They try to convince us to do it, but they don't stress it enough, I think. It's a marketing strategy. They know that if they say you have to exercise, people won't join. It takes time for most people to decide to exercise, then build it into their lives. Look at how long it's taken us! ;)

For me, I love to cook. So it's natural that I would focus on food, but I don't focus on it as my main method of weight loss. Just on the creative aspects I focus on whether or not I'm trying to lose pounds. I consider my kitchen a playground. And I enjoy playing with my food. :)

But, I'm learning that if I want to lose weight, be healthy, and maintain my weight, I also have to move. So, that's my WW dream for this year. By the end of the year I want to be participating regulary in an exercise program. I say the end of the year not becuse I want to wait that long to start, but because I want to give myself time to turn it into a routine, a habit.

I'm being philosophical today. But progress for me often follows philosophical breakthroughs with regard to the program. My last breakthrough was in changing to counting points starting with dinner and doing mini meals. Then I started with the calcium. I don't know if it's helping with weight loss, but it does seem to be helping with PMS.

Happy turtlin', everyone. (Including all of those lurkers who read regularly but don't post. We'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to join us at any time. ;)

BTW--the suit fits fine. I'm going for a swim a bit after lunch. We have perfect swimming weather today.

Lin
272/228/lower, whenever this turtle body decides to move downward again!

Lin, it is funny how much harder it is for many of us to start exercising compared to focusing on changing our eating habits. I don't know why that is. But as you say, it has taken me much longer to finally start exercising.

In part, I recognize that it's much harder to exercise when you're very overweight. Losing 50+ pounds no doubt contributed to my finally taking up exercise. But nearly all the pursuits I enjoy are sedentary. Not coincidentally, I started putting on weight as an adolescent as I moved less and less.

Yesterday I drove around my neighborhood and figured out how far I'd have to walk to do two miles. So today I'm going to walk outside for a change (it's beautiful -- 60s and sunny) and see how long it takes me to walk two miles. I want to aim for 25 minutes, just like with the video.

Weighed in today, and didn't lose any weight for the week. But I'm thankful I didn't gain; it wasn't a great week points-wise. I may wait to weigh myself after TOM, which isn't for a couple weeks yet. I always find it discouraging to weigh in during the two weeks before TOM, though.

Lin -- I wish I found working in the kitchen to be like playing!

Lauren
274/216/down

Wow, Turtles, You're Awesome with these replies. We're all on a trip to figure out who we are and how we can get there thinner.
I look at it as an analyze and act exercise. We contemplate where we've been and where we are now. We look at what has worked in the past , do that, and change the things we can do better. I really feel we're all in for the long haul. We'll be doing a form of WW and exercise for a long , healthy life.
Lin, I love the what and when dinner. Wish I had had that on my meal plan when the kids were home. They probably think we did. I am so glad you are back OP and that you are able to stock up your pantry. You're really doing what will be the best for you with the best you've got. That's great. Glad you got a swim in. I've got places to swim, but it's too cold here until July. I love to swim and think I'll work on laps this year instead of just cooling off in the pool.
Lauren, I am amazed at how fast you walk. I would call that a gallop. Right now I'm taking about 32 minutes to walk about 1 1/2 miles. I'm proud of that and when I tried to add a jog in the middle I affected some muscles, so that didn't work. I have to remember the turtle motto for myself: sure and steady wins the race. I hope to work my walking speed up faster and I am sure I will. I have to remember that I wasn't even exercising a month ago.
Kimmers, good luck with all you're doing.
I'm planning a nice weekend--going to a Mexican restaurant tonight with dh and friends. When they have an appetizer, I think I'll have a bowl of soup. I know that will keep me busy and fill me in.
Everybody have a great weekend.
Judy

234/207/thinner

Hi, Turtles,

Lauren, you may be right about exercise being easier once a significant portion of the weight is off. The catch-22 is that without exercise, many people can't get to that significant weight loss!

I know what you mean about preferring sedentary pursuits. My main hobbies are all sedentary. And until I get into better shape, it will be difficult to add into my life the pursuits I enjoy that are not sedentary. I love hiking, as long as I can take a camera and take my time, stopping to shoot photos whenever I want. The problem I've always had with hiking is that the people I've hiked with usually seem to be on a race to the end. They might as well just run around the block at home since they never see the scenery they supposedly are hiking to see!

I'm seriously considering not weighing myself at all. Just using the fit of my clothing and how fit I'm getting to gauge my success. I'm really tired of worrying about those pesky numbers that really don't seem to mean anything!

Lauren, I prefer to walk outside. I used to walk past the guys doing the treadmill and I was having a lot more fun, that's for sure!

I decided to take the evening off. My choices won't help my weight loss, but by making that choice, I saved myself a ton of stress. I've got my day planned to be back OP tomorrow, as far as points go. Plus, I have a ton of banked points that I can use to offset dinner. I'm just going to count starting again with no banked points.

I hope to do some more swimming tomorrow. I did 6 laps my first time. I didn't go continuously, but that's my current goal, to swim 6 laps without stopping. Swimming takes much more effort than walking, even walking at a good pace. But I love it. I want to be in that rhythm where I'm moving through the water and there's nothing else going on, just the water and me. I remember that from when I was a teenager and did a lot more swimming.

Judy, your weekend sounds great. I love Mexican. But my favorite restaurant is in SJ. They have great food and it's not really expensive. Perfect for my walking appetites.

Gotta go. My family found a funny movie on TV and I want to watch.

Happy turtlin'! :)

Lin

Yo, turtle buds!

Lin, Lauren and Judy, thanks for the good wishes. Every day I'm struggling to do better on this program and your support really means a lot to me. Glad to hear you're all doing well. Spring is here and I know I'm feeling better getting more sun and a little warmth.

Lauren, don't worry about not being able to lift weights right now. Once your arm heals you can get back to it. In one of my weightlifting books I read that if you stop lifting, you will lose muscle tone and strength at the same pace that you gained it - one month of not lifting negates one month of lifting, but once you start again, it will only take you 1/3 the time to get it back, so you can make up for a month with 10 days of work. Your muscles remember where they were and will get back to that state quickly. I'm so sorry to hear about all the layoffs. Corporate America totally sucks. Good luck with the job hunt. Good for you for being able to keep trying and succeeding with the program during this stressful time.

Judy, thanks for the veggie tips. My husband wanted to have a picnic up by the lake last weekend - he was thinking: french bread, yummy cheese and wine. I'm thinking: POINTS! So we got the baguette (a skinny one with lots of chewy crust) he got Stilton and I got a very tasty lowfat cheddar, we brought the wine and I supplemented with orange and red bell pepper strips, grape tomatoes, carrots and lowfat dill dip. It was really good, and he even had some! I didn't feel deprived and it was a nice time. Since then, I've brought the dip to work and have been bringing in other raw veggies - good afternoon snack.

Lin, the scale is definitely not the only or even the most important indicator of success. The meeting this week was all about that and we listed lots of other indicators, like clothing, energy, activity, better moods, feeling in control, better health, and self-esteem. I think the scale is a good tool, but I know from experience how my weight can fluctuate for all sorts of reasons.

Eating out is very tricky for me - I try my best to estimate points, but I know from working in restaurants how much hidden fat can slip into foods. Lin's advice is good - eat something similar to what you would have at home. I also try to eat foods that are simply prepared, without added sauces. (Even though I'm a sauce queen!) I use the Dining Out points book when I can and I tend not to eat out as much now as I used to.

I had a good week and lost another 3 pounds. I've been riding my bike more, and the hills are getting easier. I've also bought some new summer clothes - we're going to Florida in a couple of weeks and I wanted some decent things to wear. I'm still in a 22/24 or 26/28 (especially in bottoms), but a few months ago even these sizes were tight, so I'm pleased. It'll be nice when I get into an 18/20 again - my wardrobe will triple with all the clothes I have in that size.

Take care everyone,
Kimmers
332/303/299 (10% goal)

Hi, all. It's great to see you all here today. :)

I had an active weekend (ended up working out six times last week!), including yard work and other chores. I'm really looking forward to our vacation next week.

Yesterday I had a great OP day -- but it was because I was so anxious and upset. DH found some suspicious lumps he's going to have to get checked out, and I didn't take the news very well. I hope he can see someone this week.

Kimmers, your picnic sounds great! Way to go on those smart choices. I'm going to remember that for our vacation. You must be a lot taller than I am (I'm 5'4"), and a lot more athletic, too. When I was 274, I wore a size 30 and was thrilled if I could walk around the block! Congrats on losing those pounds.

Judy, I've been exercising for 4.5 months now. I think you're doing incredibly well for just exercising for one month! I don't know how fast I actually walk. I use a walk video, and *they* tell me I've walked two miles in 25 minutes. This past weekend I drove around my neighborhood and mapped out a 2-mile walk. I'm going to try it and see if I really do walk that fast.

Lin, swimming is such good exercise. I used to think it was just splashing around until DH challenged me to a race. Whoa! OK, so he does swim a few miles every week, but still. I realized just how hard your body works when you really swim.

I agree that there are many other motivators to lose weight than just the scale. Good heavens; if I had nothing but the scale to motivate me, I'd have given up years ago! That's one of the main reasons I no longer attend weekly WW meetings; I found I just focused too much on the almighty weigh-in. These days I find I'm slowly but surely making the transition to caring more how my clothes fit and how I feel.

The only problem is that I find myself so thrilled to be looking and feeling good in a size 20 or 18 that I forget I still have weight I need to lose. (While I definitely believe some people can be perfectly healthy at this size, I'm not one of them. It's too hard on my joints and feet, for one thing.)

Hey, did I mention my resting heart rate has gone from 84 to 60? :)

Well, onward and downward,

Lauren

Hi, Turtles,

It's always great to hear from you, Kimmers. I know what you mean about hidden fat in restaurant food. I never worked in restaurants, but I knew a lot of well-trained chefs when I worked in the cooking school/store.

Super congrats on the 3 pounds. Isn't it cool to be able to ride that bike more easily?

Wow, Lauren, six workouts over one weekend and with a bum arm to boot! Super. I bet you were kind of glad to go back to work and get a rest, as my dh says when he has one of those weekends.

OTOH, I'm really sorry to hear about your dh's problem. I'm praying that things will be fine. I'm here for you, if there's anything you need. If you've lost my email address and you need a shoulder, or you want my phone number, let me know.

About the scale, although I don't weigh myself all that often, I've been feeling really anxious about that number. I hate that feeling. So, I've decided to skip it for a while.

I want to really focus on what I'm doing, not on getting a particular result. Especially since I seem to be going a couple of steps backward in managing my points and water as I start to focus more on exercise. Then I remembered some things I learned while studying child development. Often when a child is working really hard on getting one skill, like reading, his math will slip back a little. Then, once he gets the reading to a comfortable level, the math comes back. I realized that I was doing the same thing. I've been focusing on making sure I get activity into every day and not being as careful about writing my journal. I'm sure that as I get the exercise down to more of a routine, the rest will come back.

I went for a long walk today. It was about an hour. I found out that my grocery shopping on Saturday was about 6 points worth because I was on my feet for over 2 hours. Even at light intensity, that much time counts for a lot. I think that since I've been averaging about 5 points of activity each day for the past few days, that may be why I've had a bit of trouble with points. Especially since it's PMS, too. Now that I know what's going on, I can deal with it.

Happy turtlin'! :)

Lin

Hi turtle friends!

Lauren - I'm a little taller - I'm 5'8" and my weight is pretty evenly distributed. Most of the clothes I wear have a little stretch room, but I do wear things that are fitted, not baggy. I'm not particularly athletic, actually one of the reasons why I decided to do this again was that I was slipping into a very sedentary lifestyle. I would work on the computer all day, come home, make dinner, and sit in the chair all night reading or watching TV, maybe getting up to do laundry or work on the computer some more. A few months ago, I also had trouble walking at a decent pace or for any reasonable length of time. I'm 31, and I've been fortunate enough to not yet experience any obesity-related health problems, but I know it's only a matter of time if I don't change. When I was weightlifting, I was pretty heavy for the size clothes I was wearing - 230 pounds and a size 16 or 18. I also think clothes have gotten a little bigger, though. Since I've been OP, I've found that I want to be more active and I have more energy, which is great!

I'm really impressed with your workouts, and I hope everything is okay with your husband. Your improvement in your heart rate is incredible! You are really doing something that you will thank yourself for later. I know what you mean about feeling good in an 18 or 20. When you've been severely overweight, that size can feel positively skinny. Unfortunately, last time I was down in that range, I became complacent and got right back up here. It is nice shopping in that size, though - there are lots of cute things now.

Lin, I liked your child development analogy. It is hard to focus on so many things at once weight-wise, and that's not even taking into consideration all of the many other things in your life! You're very insightful - what a great way to not beat yourself up when one part of the program slips a little while you're developing another equally important part. Right now, I know I could work harder with exercise, but I only have two weeks to go before my class is done and I need as much time as I can to complete my projects. So I'm getting it in when I can.

Grocery shopping as activity! That's great! You know what else I do to get a little in? I try to fidget as much as I can. It actually makes my legs and feet feel better during the long hours I spend on the computer. I have an office where I can play the radio and I put on the alternative college station - lots of dance, electronica, some hip-hop and no commercials to interrupt the beat. People make fun of me a little, but at least I'm moving!

Have a great week everyone,
Kimmers

Good Morning, Turtles,

It's good to hear from you, Kimmers.

I agree that I'd love to be back in an 18 again. One of my major dreams is to be able to buy clothes at regular, not large sized, stores. I know I will get there, but right now it seems too turtle paced. OTOH, I know that it's PMS and that's why my head aches, my back aches, I feel so fat around my middle that I feel like nothing is working, and I'm eating extra stuff.

However, my face is slimmer. My shirts are fitting looser. I have a feeling that once TOM gets here, my pants will also be looser. And I'm not overeating by as much as I have during past months. I suspect that the calcium, exercise, water, and generally following a healthier lifestyle is helping with all of that. And I know that the depressed feeling will go away three days into TOM, right on schedule. So, I'm hanging in there and doing the best I can to get through it.

I was wondering whether I ought to get into a little better shape, in general, before I start doing strength training. Does anyone know anything about that? I don't want to go overboard and injure myself, which would send me backwards in my efforts because I'd have to stop. But if it doesn't make a difference, I'd like to start once TOM has passed. I don't want to try new exercise during this time. I prefer to stick to walking. Especially during months when I feel as lousy as I do right now.

This post has seemed very down and kind of yucky! I apologize for that, but I did want to check in with you all today. I will get back to my usual self soon. In the meantime, I hope all of you are doing fine. I look forward to hearing from you all soon.

Happy turtlin'! :)

Lin

Lin, you never need to apologize for seeming down. I personally don't come here for "rah rah rah" stuff, though I think there's a place for that, too. I can't sustain that attitude day in and day out for years, and I don't even want to begin to try! So please, just come here and be yourself, wherever you are on any given day.

As for strength training, I certainly don't think you need to be in better shape to start. Strength training can be something as simple as lifting two pop cans filled with either liquid or shot. I started out with no weights at all, then after a couple of weeks I added 1-pound weights, then 5-pound weights. I had just gotten up to using 8-pound weights for some exercises when I torqued my arm. I've just gone back to doing bicep curls with no weights while I'm doing my walk video.

You can also do squats and lunges right away, just don't go very far down. I held a broom handle for balance and support. (The broom handle was verticle, with one end on the ground -- not horizontal and circus style!)

You can also do sit-ups any time. And leg lifts. Those are all strength-training exercises. Anything that builds muscle counts. Just don't do too many reps at first, and only do it a few times a week.

If you can afford it, I suggest getting hold of any of the Firm Basics series (there are three videos; my favorite is "Fat Burning" in spite of the ditzy instructor). They alternate light aerobics with light strength training, and they're excellent workouts. I started with those in January. You could probably find them on Ebay or at half.com. (Or maybe even at your local library.)

I'm convinced that it's doing this walk video that has kept my weight down. I've been eating points well into the 30s most days, and I've actually *lost* another half pound of weight. I'm now only a half pound above my lowest, before Easter. I can't get over it. I suspect some of what I've lost is muscle, though.

Kimmers, I love the fidgeting! I occasionally try to remember to flex my legs and butt during long hours of desk work. DH is a real fidgeter, and he also has the metabolism of a horse. (Or should I say a hummingbird?) I know what you mean about becoming complacent once you hit that 18-20 zone. I'm in real danger of that right now. And then I see a photo of myself and -- whoa. Time to lose weight!

Well, I'm hoping to get my eating under better control. Right now I'm still just focusing on four things -- writing everything down (ouch), working out 5-6 times a week, drinking the water -- and trying my level best not to freak out over the situation with DH. He went to the doctor yesterday; they took some blood and have scheduled an ultrasound in two weeks. So my next goal is to try not to let this wreck our vacation next week. He's doing OK with it; I'm the one that's a mess!

See you in a bit,

Lauren
274/214.5/down

Hi,
Lauren, you and your dh are in my prayers. I hope the news is good and that your vacation is refreshing, despite your worry.

Also, I so much appreciate how accepting you, and the rest of the turtles are, of moods. Especially since I've been so moody this year.

Thanks so much for the info re: strength training, videos, etc. I'm going to put it in my reference file. I'm not starting anything new, exercise-wise, until after TOM.

Congrats on the half pound. It's so super to see your body finally showing you the benefits of that persistence you've been practicing.

PMS always seems to bring out every issue that I've not been dealing with as well as I thought I was. I need to deal with the issues, then the food I've been eating. It's been good, healthy food, but the portions have been too large the last two days.

I've sunk back into the depression I was feeling about our move here. I know it will pass, but it seems like it's a few steps forward then a couple of steps backward. I guess tha't's normal when you're faced with any kind of life changing situation.

Regarding the food: I realized that I don't get as crazywith what I eat when I write it down. It seems as though not writing it down causes my brain to think of it as OK to do what I want. Perhaps that's because whenever I've been successful with any program, I always wrote everything down and when I stopped doing it, I stopped writing it down.

So, I'm going to make a point of writing everything down, no matter what else happens. And I want to exercise every other day for a while, then add days until I'm exercising 5-6 days a week. I know that I feel better, mentally as well as physically, when I do the exercise. So, I'm going to work on that. And on getting in an extra mug of water. I know that I need a little extra since it's warmer and I'm exercising more.

Happy turtlin'! :cool:

Lin

Lauren,
I'm praying the news for your dh is good.

I don't have a minute to write, but I did get to WW and lost another tiny bit. I'm chipping away at this fat and it feels good.
Love,
Judy
Lin and kimmers and all--be well, feel well, and keep on turtlin'

234/206/thinner

Hi,

Just a quick note this morning.

Congratulations, Judy, on your continuing success!

I wanted to write to let you all know that my computer is being totally flaky. If I suddenly disappear, it's because my computer has died. I try to check in every day, even if I don't post. I hope if my computer dies, that you will keep the thread going in my absence. Thanks!

My mom is coming down for Mother's Day on Sunday. Because of her health problems, it's the first time she's been here since we moved. We're going to go to the Olive Garden and I'm making Strawberry Shortcakes for dessert when we get back. It's a combination celebration. It's Mother's Day. Plus, David will be moved before his birthday, so we're having a good-bye and birthday celebration for him, too. It's the last time before he moves that he'll get a chance to see his grandma. It will be fun.

Have a great weekend. Happy Mother's Day to all moms.

Happy turtlin'!

Lin

Hi, Turtles,

Checking in today. Mother's Day was a lot of fun, as I predicted. I don't know why, but we always seem to have a better time with my mom and her boyfriend when they visit us. Weird!

I've not done well with WW the past week or so. It's TOM and it was a bad one, foodwise. But TOM isn't the whole reason I've been overeating and not writing stuff down. I got depressed again about this move. I feel as though I'm doing better because the time between these episodes of depression seems to be getting longer and they only last a day or so. Once I have a good cry and a long writing session in my journal, I seem to get back to my normal self.

However, my mom called with some bad news yesterday. My brother may have cancer. We're not close, by any stretch of the imagination, but he's still my brother and I'm a tad upset, to understate the situation a bit. I'm doing OK, but that may change, depending on how the tests turn out. It's shades of deja vu because like my dad, it may have spread beyond one location and they're just now finding out he has this problem.

The good news is that I'm back OP today. I would not have predicted that to be true, given my usual response to heavy stress. But I had that good long writing session and I realized a few things that have lessened the stress. Plus, I'm sure my husband (if he's over his cold and feels up to the drive) will take me to SJ this weekend to visit my brother if he's still in the hospital. Or just to get out of town for a while, if he's OK.

Anyway, I realized that God has really set me up. In the past, when I've tried to pursue writing seriously, I have not had much real support. My family has always pressured me to get a job because we need the money. When it became obvious that I'm not qualified to earn enough money to support myself, should that become necessary, I went back to school. But now, I have no reason not to seriously pursue writing. I can't work because I can't find a job. I can't go to school because I can't afford it. So, I'm here and I have pen and paper. I find myself thinking that this move may be a blessing in disguise, once I get past the grief about what I've left behind and all of the unwanted changes this move has brought to my family.

I have a lot to do today. But I wanted to take a short break and check in with you turtles. I hope you all manage to post a bit soon. I'm wondering how you're all doing.

Happy Turtlin'! :)

Lin

Hi Turtles!
This is just a short note to start participating in your discussions. I'm not sure what made me click on the Turtle Club, but I'm sure glad I did. I'm a Lifetime WW of many years...lost my weight and kept it off. Now I'm on a medication which has caused sudden rapid weight gain. I need to get back OP...and have support and sharing with others...so that I can minimize further gain, or stabilize where I am, or maybe even lose some. It would be nice not to have to go buy bigger clothes after so long at my goal weight. I was definitely a turtle in losing my weight, and in making gradual life-style changes. I like the way all of you talk about doing this, and will be checking in again!
Thanks,
Vee

Whoops! I had a post almost written and I lost it.
Here I go again.
Veep,
Welcome to our group. You'll love the girls here. They have been a tremendous help to me over the past couple of months. This is the first site I check every day.
With their help, I have figured out how to adjust WW so that I can lose weight better. For me it did involve getting in some exercise, but that's fine. As long as I can continue to lose weight, I'm happy. Good luck to you as you "turtle along."
Lin, Lauren, and Kimmers,
This past week has been crazy, but I have been trying to read this as often as possible. I hope your brother is better than youthink. Sometimes these conditions are tricky to diagnose at first. Anyway, I'm praying for you all.
In the meantime, please write your heart out in a short story or novel. I know it's hard to get started, but just give it a shot. You're a wonderful writer and I'd love to read anything you put together. I'm so glad you're back OP. That is one thing you can control in this crazy chaos you're going through right now. This time will pass, you will lose weight, the bad times will subside, and you'll be so much happier. Now you just need to get from here to there.
Gals--take it easy, let's all do our best to get in the exercise and stay OP and keep on encouraging the group. You're all great.
My Mother's Day was great--this weekend I got to a ballet and planted impatiens--Martha Stewart has nothing on me. Saw 2/3 of my kids and my son is coming down soon. All goes well.
Love,
Judy
234/205/thinner

Hi everybody,
I'm going to try to make checking this board part of my regular routine...just like Judy does. I think I woke up craving this morning. I managed to eat a banana instead of a cookie. Now I'm looking at the clock and wanting to be very much OFF P. Sigh. I'm going to get on with some things I need to do and hold all of you in mind to give me inspiration. I really appreciated the discussions about simply feeling better with the healthier eating OP. That has always been true for me. I think that might help me do this day one moment at a time.
Be well!
V

Hi, Turtles,

Welcome, Veep! It must be difficult to have to deal with weight gain due to requiring a new mediaction for your health. It must feel as if you're helping your health on one hand, but doing a different kind of damage (the weight gain) on the other. I hope going back to the weight loss phase of the program will help. I hope we can help you, too.

Judy, I envy you the opportunity to go to the ballet. I love the ballet and never get to see it anymore, not even on TV, since we do not get any of the stations that run dance programs. Spring always makes me want to plant stuff. My next project, once I save up the funds, is to start an indoor herb garden. I need to find a spot the cats can't jump up to. I probably also need a grow light because even though our place isn't uncomfortably dark, it doesn't have quite enough light to grow plants.

Thanks for the encouragement re: my writing. I have so much stuff in various stages of completion. I keep doing a bit here and there. The main thing I need to do is to be more consistent about writing every day, at least during the week.

I'm feeling a little torn between two interests right now, though. I started a free online course about California Cheese through the CIA website. (Culinary Instute of America) I wish I could afford their online course in healthy cooking techniques. But it's over $500! Their courses are designed for people working in the business and they expect you'll take it as a tax decuction or expense from your business. Sigh!

I also sent away for their scholarship information packet. They have an apple pie recipe contest and the prizes are scholarships in varying amounts. That would be cool! I tried to go to the culinary academy in SF a few years ago, but couldn't get the pieces together. Since Chris is planning to attend art school after high school, I cannot go to school at all unless I can get someone else to cover the expenses. My family would support me, even though I'd have to move away from them while I was in school.

But, what I really want to do, but I don't know if they have scholarship money to cover this type of education, would be to go to their campus in the Napa Valley and take their short (week-long) courses for people who want to learn to cook well, but don't want to run a restaurant. Then take their food writing seminar. Because combining my two loves--writing and cooking--is my real dream. I also would like to teach cooking to people who like to cook but don't want to cook in restaurants. But I cannot figure out how to get people to accept my expertise as a cook without getting some credentials, like a certificate or degree in culinary arts. So, we'll see what happens with the scholarship. They have other ones, too, but no details on the web site.

My other plan is to get in through the back door by writing fiction about chefs, recipes included, and then publishing cookbooks based on the fiction series. Mysteries or romance, most likely. I don't know if any of this will work out. But it's really lifted my depression to have a plan I can be enthusiastic about. If nothing else happens, doing this will help me to stay OP because I'm not depressed or bored!

What I'm going through regarding staying OP seems to be more about not taking the time to plan or to keep up with writing down my points. When I get down, I find that I take care of the stuff that I must and the rest tends to slip. But I am getting back in control. It's just a slow process. I'm doing baby steps. Today I'm working on writing it down, drinking the water (which is the one habit that I never seem to have trouble sticking with), and doing some exercise.

Have a great day, all. I've got to go check my bread dough and see if it's ready for the next step.

Happy turtlin'! :D

Lin

Veep, weigh to go . When each moment is OP, so is the day, the week, the month--you've got the idea. Baby steps, distractions, and getting to the heart of the urge to eat. You will do this!
Lin,
You're amazing. You've got so many pots in the fire! Your ideas are terrific. I know throughout my life I've had to look at what will work rather than feel down about what won't work. I'm really not a Pollyanna and I get in the dumps plenty, but for my mental health, I do much better when I "spin" things around me. When I could take something for the better or worse, the better is the way I try to go.
Let me explain about the ballet because it has a deep meaning. I live within commuting distance of NYC. 15 minutes away is the ocean, 15 minutes the other way is the LI Sound--more water. AND I have been so darn busy working and helping my kids and hubby that I haven't taken advantage of any of this. Now , that's pathetic and I know it. Every spring the NYCity Ballet company has its season at Lincoln Center. every spring I see discount tickets in the office where I work. I bring home the tickets, and they sit and the time goes by and I throw them out. That's pathetic too. So, it happens that my daughter who is smart and does nice things for herself got a subscription of tickets for this season. When I found out , I really wanted to go too, so I asked if she'd like company. So--lo and behold--I did something very nice for myself. It felt great. The ballet was scrumptious, and afterward her hubby and my other daughter joined us for dinner. It was great to be surrounded by people that I totally enjoy and to feel all t heir fun around me. So---the short answer is yes, I'm very lucky to be around the ballet and I'm sorry you feel so stranded right now. I know life gets better and you'll get to a better spot soon. You have said several times how your family supports you, so apply away for those scholarships and see what happens. Good for you!
WW is a journey for me. Somehow taking care of my health by losing weight is empowering and enabling me to see other opportunities.
Had a strange thing happen at work yesterday that I don't want to go into, but I had a chance to react, think, and then respond. I was very brave and I'm proud of myself. So in losing weight I am becoming a better person and it feels great.
Lauren, enjoy your vacation--hope your hubby is okay and this was just a bad scare.
Kimmers--I can see you on your bike with red hair flying in the wind. How neat. Keep up the good work.
Everybody--take care, be well and happy, and keep on turtlin'
love,
Judy

234/205/thinner

Lin,
Check out college financial aid forms. If two members of a family are in school (beyond h.s.) the financial aid pkg. is often better.
234/205/thinner

Hi turtle friends!

I've been having a killer week - my last two projects for my class have to be done by Friday and I've been up all night coding for five days straight. Surprisingly, I don't feel all that bad, but getting out of be at 6:30am to go to work when I went to bed at 3:00am is a real drag.

Needless to say, I've been eating a little more than I should, but I'm writing it down have only been a few points over each day.

I lost one pound last week and I probably won't lose any this week, but that's OK. We're leaving for a week in Florida on Saturday and I'm going to stay OP as much as I can. We'll doing lots of walking, so hopefully that will make up for any indulgences. I'm really happy to be going there 30lbs lighter. Maybe next year I'll be 100lbs lighter, if I'm lucky.

Lin - your book idea sounds great. So does cooking school. I wish I could join you - I love to cook and I've been getting into more complex cooking the past few years. Good luck.

Lauren, I hope everything is OK. Keep your chin up and know that we are here to help.

Judy, your Mother's Day sounds wonderful. I spent mine sitting at the computer working on my project. (Yuck!) Congratulations on the loss.

Veep - welcome aboard. Good job on choosing the banana. You can do this.

Have a great week everyone,
Kimmers
332/302/299 (10% goal)

Dear turtles,
I tried to post yesterday, but my web connection was bogged down and I was not successful!

I'm working on making good food choices and avoiding snacking...especially high point foods...Also on increasing activity. It's hard to increase activity with extra obstacles like chronic illness (in my case) or a lot of weight to lose...

A little of my story...
A few years ago I went from 170 to 130 on WW. I maintained right around 135 for a long time...and without a whole lot of effort which was great. If I saw I'd gotten higher I was careful and I'd bring it back down. I thought I had really done it!

Now on a new medication, notorious for weight gain...I gained 10 lbs in one month. I can see that scale go up and up until I've lost everything I worked so hard for. I know I'm a turtle...and I know support from others makes all the difference.

I'm afraid I can't fight it again...especially with the illness and the meds. But you tell me that I can! And you are all doing it...the best that you can...a little at a time. Why not me, too??

Thanks for being here,
V

Hi, Tortoises,

Judy, thanks for the support in my efforts to recreate my life. I realized that the issue for me is that my oldest son, as I've mentioned before, is moving to Southern California in a month. My youngest hopes to be off to art school after he graduates next June (2002). I went back to school so I could have a life after kids, rather than get depressed due to that empty nest syndrome. I was really feeling depressed after our move here because I couldn't find any resources here in town to finish training for a new life. That's precisely why David is moving out. He couldn't find any schools that teach what he's been studying, either. He hopes to go back to school next year, in Southern California, after he's been on his own long enough to get financial aid without depending on his parent's income.

When I told him I wished I were his age so that I could do what he's doing (go elsewhere), he asked me why I couldn't go somewhere else. I cited the usual family responsibilities, but I realized that once Chris is finished with high school, I could go to school anywhere. Paul would be OK with me going away during the school year. If I were able to go to Napa, rather than New York, he'd be thrilled to visit me at school on some of the weekends and during some of the shorter holidays. Anyway, I'm not sure whether this will work out, but if it doesn't, I'll either try again next year, when Chris and I would both be in college and we'd be eligible for more financial aid or try something else. In any case, I'm not giving up. I cannot face a life of housework and waiting for Paul to get home so I have someone to talk to. I would be such a boring person and he'd be smothered. I need my own life, along with our life together.

I love your story about the ballet. I'm glad that you used those tickets this year. And I am constantly amazed by stories like yours about your work situation. Isn't it amazing how often what we learn as we work to lose weight spills over into the rest of our lives?

Kimmers, congrats on the one pound loss. And on maintaining during this stressful time of final projects. I know what a pain getting code to work can be. Then there's the iffy Internet connections that always seemed to crash when I was uploading web projects. Plan to crash and catch up on that sleep after you've turned in that last project. Being tired is one of the most common reasons for eating over points. When you can't sleep, your body cries out for extra food to get that energy it usually gets from rest.

As for the cooking school, I wish you could go with me, too. That would be a kick! You mentioned that you're cooking more complex things these days. I'd love to talk cooking with you if you'd like to email me. One of the things I miss most about my old cooking school/store buddies is having people who are passionate about cooking to talk to.

Veep, I don't know how this plan works for you, but I've found that avoiding snacking is a sure way for me to overeat at meals. That's why I started doing mini meals. I split my foods up into 5 or 6 mini meals during the day. I choose nutritious foods at each meal. I eat every 2-3 hours. The thing for me is that I get hungry that often no matter how much I eat at a meal, so I needed to spread out my points to accommodate that hunger schedule. It's working really well for me. I find that it's easier for me to stay OP when I do that than when I eat three large meals, even with "snacks".

I understand how hard increasing activity would be with your obstacles. And figuring out what the best eating plan is. Have you considered asking your doctor for a recommendation to a nutritionist or registered dietician to help you work out the best plan? Or maybe food isn't the main issue and a physical therapist could help you with figuring out what kinds of activities you can do? Maybe your doctor hasn't addressed the weight gain from the medication because he/she doesn't know how important this issue is to you. Obviously, I don't know the circumstances, but I do see that you're in a lot of pain about this. I wish there were more I could do to help.

I think that you can fight this, one day at a time. I hope that you realize that we aren't perfectionists here in the turtle club. We're not going to beat you up if you go off program or gain a few pounds or anything. We will simply encourage you to get right back up and get going again. We consider maintaining whatever weight loss we've managed to achieve to be a success, since it breaks the yo-yo cycle. And we continue to do what we can to keep losing, even if it's only a pound a month, or less, or more, as long as it's a healthy rate of loss. We believe strongly in progress and we don't always measure progress by the scale.

Good luck, ladies.

Happy turtlin'! :)

Lin

Veep,
I am so glad to make your acquaintance through this site. You are an inspiration. At goal and maintaining for a long time--medical complications and medication weight gain--and you're STILL ready to give OP a shot!
Fantastic. You can do this . You are so ready to hold onto the weight loss you have taken care of in the past.
Staying OP each moment will help you. We'll encourage you through this hard time.
I eat for many reasons and know I'm not unique. Right now I am in a struggle with myself to get to 200#. I am closing in and it feels great. I have had to let go of the speed at which I lose the weight because that was just causing me to beat myself up. Then I joined Slow Turtles and I loved the attitude here. I'm making progress and feeling good about myself. I keep on trying to put WW routine first in my life and when I do that, I see a nice loss and get myself closer to my goal. It's very cool. :cool:
Lin,
I love to hear you have a plan. Good luck with all your thinking. Hey--get that book written about a chef because I'll buy it! I love to read and combining a mystery and food is compelling. Planning for an empty nest is a very good idea. Having a life for yourself that can complement your husband's is also a very good idea. So--go for it.
Kimmers,
Have a wonderful vacation. You deserve it after all the very hard work you've been doing. I am clueless as to what code and computers means, but I certainly can understand being up so late and getting almost no sleep and then having to go to work. So, enjoy--stay as close to program as you choose to--and congrats on your wonderful weight loss so far. You WILL be 100 pounds lighter next year when you go on vacation again.
Lauren,
I hope you're doing okay. My good vibes are coming your way.

Judy,
234/205/thinner

Dear Turtles,
You are all so wonderful. I thank you all for sharing yourselves and responding to me. I really take your thoughts, inspiration and encouragement to heart.

Lin, you remind me of the importance of some protein every 2 to 3 hours. I've done that in the past and it does help a lot. I think it might be especially important right now. I haven't talked to my doc about this situation...I guess because I think it's pretty clear that I need to move more and eat less. No secrets, huh? I think next time I see him I will talk to him, though. You never know if he might have a helpful thought...and I have a good relationship with him...can definitely talk to him about my concerns (a very precious commodity!).

Yesterday was a total bust. All good intentions gone to automatic behavior. Even a late night eating spree. Today I pulled out my WW materials and wrote down my breakfast. I think I'm going to have to really seriously count those points. I hate to have to return to the hard work - and I hate to confess that. Although I remember while I was OP and losing my weight (turtle paced) I was surprised by how easy it was most of the time! Why do I forget that? I think it's part because this med makes me feel like eating all the time, and also because suddenly having my clothes not fit and feeling this big belly all around me makes me feel bad about myself. Part of my weight loss success - and maintenance - was very much about accepting myself as I am. Body fat and all. And dressing the body that I have. It's just very hard to now move in the opposite direction. I got rid of all the bigger clothes and made a commitment to staying where I was. Not skinny...just at size I could comfortably maintain.

Take care all...
V

Hi Turtles...
Well I guess this is my turn for a monologue!

Yesterday, Saturday...I did much better...and it wasn't easy! But I did it. And I'm very glad. One day at a time - one moment at a time. As I'm writing I want to be eating...and I need to go back in the kitchen to put some food away.

Last night I went to the 3FC live chat when I felt an overwhelming urge to eat more when I'd used all my points. It was helpful. Kept my hands busy for awhile! And the folks there pushed me to drink water. Not what I was craving, of course, but I did it and it helped.

I think I'll make a nice glass of water and put those groceries away!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!
V

I see we've gone to two pages, so Lin will probably start a new thread soon, but I'll leap in here anyway.

First, welcome, Veep! It's wonderful to have you here. I can imagine how tough it must be to keep a good attitude right now, especially since your medication makes you want to eat more. Boy, that's rough. Does eating lots of fiber help keep you from wanting to eat more? Is there any other medication you could take for this?

I'm glad to see everyone else is plugging along. We had a MARVELOUS vacation, one of the best we've ever had. It was relaxing and fun and refreshing, which is all you can ask from a vacation. We went up north and saw lots of beautiful water (we're in Michigan, so "up north" often means seeing the Great Lakes) and cute shore towns.

We also ate fabulous food -- lots of it. While we did get some exercise through various walks and a short hike or two, I didn't think it was as much as I had been getting.

So I can't figure out why I only gained a pound. And that's with teetering on the brink of TOM (which is overdue). Maybe the gain will show up this week? Maybe all that fabulous food was OK because it wasn't junk food for the most part? (We ate at some great restaurants, and I had a lot of fish.)

I dunno, but I'm not knocking it.

So we're back -- and things are nuts. My car battery died while we were gone, the washing machine flooded the basement today, that kind of thing. Let's just say we definitely know the vacation is over!

DH goes in for tests and some test results on Tuesday; I'll be going with him just in case. I'll have more to report then.

Onward,

Lauren
274/215.5/down

Veep,
Way to go with putting your effort into the live chat group. Actually drinking water may not be exciting, but it does the trick often. I am so glad you are giving this your best shot. Terrific!
Lauren,
Now, isn't life funny? TOM, eating more, exercising a little less, and your weight outcome was good? I can't figure this out, but I'm so happy that your vacation was wonderful. I've got my fingers crossed for you dh and the test results.
Lin and Kimmers,
Always good to hear what you've got to say.
I had a great weekend, but needed to make a few better choices. Started out great with Blimpie's at my daughter's for dinner. Saturday I had a bout with Greek food and I think I lost bigtime! Sunday I had steak on the bbq, but I know the total was too much. This morning I got back on the treadmill and my food is fine so far. Tonight I'll have a Garden burger and keep my total points to the low and minimum side if I can. Even so, using banked points I am OP. It's just that I may not see a loss if I do that. I want to get under 200 so bad and I'm going to do it!
You all take care and keep on turtlin' along.
Judy

234/205 (I hope)/thinner

Hi, Turtles,

Lots of great stuff going on over the past few days, but, as Lauren noted, this thread is getting long. So, I'll see you all in Turtle Club # 28.

Happy turtlin'! :)

Lin