Thanks Mel for the advice. I'm at work right now but I'll check out that web site tonite when I get home. DH mentioned to me this morning that he's checking out a new gym being built just down the street from our home. It would be $70 a month for the both of us to join if we join before they open and they're going to have racquetball courts. I haven't played racquetball in 25 years but DH used to love it to death so perhaps that's another good alternative too.
I have just lately had those "gosh, do I really want to watch everything I eat for the rest of my life" feelings which is, thus far, quickly followed by a resounding YES because I really want to be healthy and in good shape for the rest of my life and that's what it takes. Back to work now. Will check back in later.
Gosh, great price for a gym, esp if it's new! DH and I pay $76/month, and racquetball would be extra (we're both eye/hand-coordination-challenged so we skip that ) though you can pay per session. Same with aerobics classes - by the class or an extra monthly charge. But, they have a great selection of machines and tons of free weight stuff. Good thing, too, as it's the only gym in town (next closest is a 20-30 minute drive).
Robin – my motto for maintenance is – whatever works. Seriously, if it means taping up the cookies or throwing away food or being ‘selfish’, I’ll do it. Keeping the weight off is too important for me to screw up; I couldn’t care less what other people think of all the demented things that I need to do to maintain. This is MY life and I feel like I’ve been given a second chance, so … whatever it takes.
...– the more I read and hear about weight maintenance, the more it seems like something changes to cause weight gain: a death, illness, move, or big life change. Sounds like that’s just what happened with you – the injury and new job. I know how comfortable I am now in my routine and how it would throw me if anything major changed. I don’t know if there’s much more we can do than to simply be aware of life changes and the havoc they can bring to our weight loss/maintenance and try to adapt to them.
Your new kitty really sounds cute Meg. I love cats and have two of the little over-pampered creatures.
Whatever works. No truer words can be spoken. Some of the weird things I do would make others wince in the same way I wince when I read what some of you all do. This time around, in addition to having thrift store clothes hanging all over the house for inspiration (whatever works), I am being totally selfish - as in For me, by me, about me. Me, me, me, me...... I am using whatever time or props or books or food or money or whatever helps in this effort. And I am absolutely worth every iota of it. Those who say being selfish is wrong just want us to do more for them. Being the best we can be for ourselves translates into being the best we can be for others too.
Regarding to your second paragraph Meg about life throwing us curves and what we can do about it, there is something pertinent in the new Thin for Life, Ppg 236-7. The following are some selected excerpts from the sub section 'Maintainers vs regainers: How they cope'
"Masters at weight loss appear to handle stressful events in their lives very differently from people who regain weight."
"maintainers believed themselves capable of handling their problems and used problem -solving skills to cope with their difficulties. In contrast, relapsers did not deal with their problems directly (perhaps because they lacked effective problems -solving skills) and reported that they used food to make themselves feel better when upset."
"compared with maintainers, regainers were more likely to try to escape from or avoid their problems by eating, sleeping, drinking or wishing the problem would go away."
"A striking 95% of maintainers used 'planful problem-solving' skills or confronted issues; in contrast, just 10% of regainers used these skills."
"But the masters have shifted their behavior from that of the regainers to that of the maintainers. They have not only learned to identify emotional situations that make them want to eat, but to deal with their feelings and problems more constructively."
In the book, this is followed by several sections of how to do just this. So yes, there is something we can do when life throws us curves so we dont resort to eating to comfort ourselves.
Plan-ful problem solving ... I like that. I really need to remember that I have to go grocery shopping regularly. I'm doing OK but I find that I'm more and more often nibbling 'just a little something'. It's very easy to wander off track. I should make absolutely certain that that 'little something' is good something.
So today I'm off to Stratford where I get my protein powder (I'm out!) and to do a little Christmas shopping. I also need a top for a couple of get-togethers. I'm struggling between a practical sweater and something that shows off my newly slender torso
I haven't been ignoring you. Sometimes they want me to work. That's annoying enough anytime but it's especially annoying in December.
Geese are complicated. I think my reply to you is too long and boring for the forum. Is there any way we can exchange e-mail addresses? I promise I'm not a pest and that my reply isn't that long and boring...
Donna- I was being a little facetious, I think we've tried everything including "scrambling" the eggs! but if you have any new ideas that won't get me arrested, click on my username and a little drop-down menu appears. Click on "send private message". It works just like a post, but is sent only to me. The system will send me an email that I have a PM from you at 3FC.
Thanks
I've been rummaging through my closet for something to wear to dd's graduation on Sunday and have come up with either a sparkly gold tank top with a matching jacket that makes it look far less "in your face" (to be worn with black wool pants), or a nice, but dowdy sueded 2 piece long dress in dark brown from Talbots. That's all that fits! Everything else is huge, or gym clothes. Without the jacket, the gold tank top would make a great outfit with leather or vinyl pants and a few tatoos, spike leather boots and I'd be all set for a big-time body-builders' show With the jacket and wool pants, it's a little edgy...not sure how mom-ish I'm supposed to look. Last time I was in Columbus the gold would have been perfect. With lots of tatoos! (Somewhere there's an old thread in LWL: Meg and Mel do the Arnold- we dressed in look alike jeans and turtlenecks.) I know which I'm wearing to the neighborhood holiday party next weekend, but graduation really has me stymied! I may have to break down and buy a new top- well, the expensive blender is going back for a cheaper one, so there are a few bucks to play with! I'm just really running out of time and hate shopping at this time of year.
Mel - along the lines of 'forget practical' - said to Susan, above ...
SCREW DOWDY!!! (am I allowed to say that? )
You have worked WAY WAY too hard to settle for dowdy. DEFINITELY go for 'edgy' over dowdy (even that word makes me shudder!) I think it's safe to say that the typical mom at graduation is NOT going to have killer legs and biceps to die for - so who cares how 'mom-ish' your outfit is!
Have a wonderful time - can you believe your baby is graduating?
Well, it's black velour with sparkly buttons and a satin collar. Yes, it's fitted with a nice bit of open at the front. And it's a size TWO! I tried on more black slacks than I care to ever again and still haven't found any. Ya know the ones Greta Garbo used to wear? I wonder if I can find a pair of those. I have a pair that'll do ... I just was on a roll.
No don't go dowdy. A couple of times today, I looked like a little boy in his teacher's clothes.
I raced into the Cancer Society resale shop next to the gym and found a NEW black stretchy lace and velour t-shirt by Jones NY and a scarlet boiled wool jacket. Kinda edgy, but not too mom-ish I think I would have felt too self-conscious in the gold sparkles. This is perfect.
Sounds like you found a great outfit, too, Susan. Frame the size tag.
Ilene? My friend recommended 'Cleo'. I quite like it. Do you have one near you? I think there's even a Cleo.com. Nice things. Not too old, not too young.
) though you can pay per session. Same with aerobics classes - by the class or an extra monthly charge. But, they have a great selection of machines and tons of free weight stuff. Good thing, too, as it's the only gym in town (next closest is a 20-30 minute drive).
with a matching jacket that makes it look far less "in your face" (to be worn with black wool pants), or a nice, but dowdy sueded 2 piece long dress in dark brown from Talbots. That's all that fits! Everything else is huge, or gym clothes. Without the jacket, the gold tank top would make a great outfit with leather or vinyl pants and a few tatoos, spike leather boots and I'd be all set for a big-time body-builders' show 
Thanks, Meg 
congrats Susan...
