Thanks everyone... I don't quite believe how heavy I am in the before picture but don't quite believe that's me in the progress picture! It takes awhile for the brain to catch up!

Newbie, No I don't order online, there is no clinic in my home town and when I tried to join in a neighboring city, the lady wasn't very knowledgeable and had poor customer service skills so I called a friend who is an IP rep (lives far away) and she agreed to take me on. She ships my food via greyhound every month. I also weigh in and measure on Tuesdays, text her my data and then we have a telephone appointment every Wednesday. She's very supportive and an excellent coach so it works well for me.

That is a great set up and it looks like it has been working for you. Great progress.

WELCOME: Home Sweet Home....
 

This place offers an awesome collection of thoughts and strength....newbies...you should lurk here for a while...really.

Welcome:welcome3:

Bump..
 

Bellamack.....You offer a voice of truthfulness and experience here. Cherished honesty.

:hug: for 65 just for being you!

Thank-you Ruth Ann..we can only save ourselves when all is said and done...

But ...when we are finding ourselves getting a little lost in the weeds, the hug of a friend from the opposite side of the country...(no less!!!) is a beautiful thing!

BTW...did you folks get some of that NW ice these last few days?? UGH!! there were almost 50,000 homes outside of Philadelphia still without power this morning from the ice storm last Tuesday...(the one which knocked our power out.) It's freakin' cold here!! Unbelievable how many had to go to shelters...

Hope you are warm..and mother nature spared the electricity!

Is it spring anywhere yet? Someone told me they saw a robin last week...I think the poor bird must have been dressed in a mardi gras costume....

HIKER! wow! great pics! we started around the same time and you've gone ahead and passed me up! congrats!!!

Ha! The conversations I've seen today made me think "you can't save people from themselves" or "you can't help folks who really don't want help" and then you write this!
:hug:

I've said over & over that I help so much because I believe I must "give it away" to keep it. An recent experience reminded me I don't have to share my time and energy with everyone to "give it away".

You are absolutely right! (as usual!)

We got snow Saturday but only a couple of inches and then it turned to rain and is almost gone. We're staying in the 40s - too cold in my opinion but not near as bad as other places so I will not complain!

I agree Lisa..So grateful for the support...excellent advice and caring of strangers last year at this time. I SO remember trying to figure out how to do all the family birthdays, travel and our anniversary last Feb...
And your words of wisdom pulled me into line...:kickbutt:

1. Plan...failure to plan is planning to fail
2. Stay the course.

There will always be another dinner, holiday, picnic, birthday...etc...

.....and here it is. Anniversary time for us again on Friday. (44)

I've come so far in a year..... you are a pillar to many of us... advice and wisdom...giving the gift of time to strangers and my hero. :thanks:

We still have ice from last week and it has snowed 2 or 3 more times...I forget now. More is coming on Thursday.

My husband had to do the driveway at 4:30 this AM...he had a teleconf. call at work at 7 AM EST with someone in the Philippines..who was most late getting home for dinner I suppose! And he took my 4 wheel drive again....

I'm quite the housewife these days....

Well, 65 stole all the good words so I'll just say "yeah, what she said!"

And Lisa, you get a great big :hug: too!

I remember the big snows we used to get when I lived in D.C. - shoveling snow at 4:30 a.m. is NOT FUN!

Hope you stay warm and dry and your electric stays on!

I struggled this weekend with my inner craving demons and I had to step away a few times. My MIL brought over cookies for my DH and we have not had anything like that in the house for 5 weeks...... They sat on bar top on my counter and I stared at them while she was visiting the baby. About an hour after she got there I had to interrupt DH and his mom and tell him that I needed to leave the room and have him take the offending items to our car and take them to work today. I could not have them in my house. Even then I woke up early 2 am this morning knowing where they were at. I knew just knew that it was being thirsty and sweaty that was causing this. I drank a bit of water and got back into bed. That was tough...but I had to make it through. Today is a new day, and even though I know I will run into things like that again I just have to be stronger than my past self. When I know there will be foods I can't have I am all good, I am able to be mentally prepared, but being blind sided like that really tested my endurance.

It will never be "easy"...but I and others can tell you it gets easier...the longer stretch of compliance you have behind you...the easier the road in front gets. You are doing great...Hang in there. You will figure it out. Treat yourself to some non food thing......you definitely deserve it. Fresh carnations for the VERY counter where the cookies were...yep...that's what you deserve...flowers mark the spot!!!...The crime that did not happen!!!:congrat::dust: