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

Well, tonight's my first meeting. In preparation, I've eaten THREE Asian meals in the last 24 hours. I'm wearing heavy jeans. I plan to drink a glass of water and eat a bagel right before I get on the scales, and I'll probably weigh in wearing my shoes. Hey, I want to see a loss next week!

Now if I could just get myself to exercise.

--Lauren

Well, I managed to pack on 9 pounds between when I weighed in in the morning yesterday to when I weighed in at my evening meeting. Wowsa. Anyway, I'll now be tracking my meeting weight, so I've bumped up my starting weight by five pounds (the real difference between my scales in the morning and WW's in the evening).

Turns out I weigh almost exactly what I weighed when I left WW almost 2 years ago. So I've figured out how to maintain my weight, anyway. But I'm VERY ready to actually lose some for a change. Worked out this morning and am eating within points. I appreciated going to the meeting; it's a nice change and a good boost to see real live human beings doing this. (As opposed to cyber beings, who are nontheless dear to me.)

How is everyone else?

--Lauren
279/229.4/207.4 (my first 10 percent goal)

Lauren,
Good for you for getting back to a WW meeting. I think it is terrific that you are at the same weight as when you last attended WW mtgs. So many go back having gained back all they lost plus more weight. I like your enthusiasm and determination. Yes, I agree, it is time to lose weight by doing all the things we know we can do to make that happen.
I took Lin's advice to heart about letting my sister eat the NY foods she can't ordinarilly get while I eat more measured choices.
I can't say I've been perfect, but I am doing okay. Plus we shopped for 6 hours yesterday. That's got to count for something on the activity ruler! I also am contending with the very real possibility that my hormones go completely out of whack if I overindulge in fat, sugar, and salt. I got so emotional on Sunday after really eating badly. It was an overreaction so frightening that I feel part of it had to be based on a physical reaction to the foods I ate. Trust me, it puts a new light on eating if I know I can avoid those horrendous mood swings if I avoid overindulging. I weighed in on Wed. morning and I was up again. I hope this week gets me on the right track to lose some weight.
Everybody--take care. Do well and keep on turtlin'.
Judy
234/thinner

Hi, Turtles,

Great job, Lauren. I think it's terrific that you've maintained your weight for 2 years. How was the meeting? Do you like your leader? Was it a good experience?

Judy, I'm glad my advice helped. Food does have an affect on us, that's for sure. For me, I get to feeling awful if I overindulge in anything. I seem to need small portions and I do OK. It doesn't seem to matter to the way I feel which foods I choose, as long as I don't eat huge portions of them. But it matters to my weight loss, of course.

I got through TOM OK this month. That calcium seems to do the trick, so I'm really working at making sure I take it when I'm supposed to.

OTOH, the rest of the time has not been going as well. I'm really in the dumps since Paul has had exactly one phone interview. It's getting to be terrifying because our small stash is going away much too fast. I'm afraid it will take a miracle to keep us in our apartment past the end of July. We have nowhere to go after that. My brother is scheduled for brain surgery next Wednesday. That's also got me pretty stressed. So, keep praying, please. And send positive thoughts our way. Thanks!

I've not been doing as well with WW the past few days as I have over the past few months. My goal right now is just to continue to cook healthy meals, choose the best foods I can and not get crazy. Mentally I'm finding it difficult to focus on counting points, etc. But I'm keeping a journal and keeping up my calcium and vitamins. Doing some walking occasionally. This thread is probably the main reason I've not gone totally bananas the past few days. Thanks, everyone, just for being here.

Sorry for the kind of down post today. I know we will survive, but right now I feel pretty bleak. Talk to you all later, hopefully with better tidings.

Happy turtlin'!

Lin

Lin, what a frightening time. Maybe you could work something out with your landlord? Phil's sister and her husband are always living on the edge, always about to go under. In one situation, they were able to do work in order to pay part of their rent. Also, are there any social services agencies that help people keep a roof over their heads? There must be.

Well, the main thing I want to say is that we have been praying daily for you and your family and will continue to do so. I wish there were something more we could do. We have two extra bedrooms, should it come to that. I know that's a long shot, but I thought I'd mention it.

--Lauren

Dear Lin
You know my prayers are with you. Be strong. You have what you need to get through this awful time. I'm sending you a huge hug.
Love,
Judy

Hi turtle buds!

Sorry it's been such a long time since I last posted - I hope everyone had a nice holiday.

I weighed in at a Thursday morning meeting last week just before leaving for Canada and was down a half-pound. Then I weighed in at a Tuesday noon meeting after coming back and was up a pound and a half. I did not go crazy in Canada, although I also did not track, but I did get lots of exercise (walking). Hopefully, this is just a temporary blip and when I finally get back to my Saturday morning meeting next week, it will be gone. I've been doing pretty good since coming back and every day gets a little better.

Tonight and tomorrow will be challenging - tonight we're staying at my brother and sister-in-law's and tomorrow we're going out for a big lunch after a memorial service. It's hard to plan when you have no idea and no control over what will be served, but I'll just do my best.

Lauren - I'm glad the meeting was positive and you should be very proud of having maintained your loss for such a long time. As you know, in Thin for Life, many of the masters lost their weight in stages, with periods of maintenance in between. You've certainly proven your ability to keep weight off. I also just got the six-month membership and I'm happy with it - it makes the meeting a painless process and is much cheaper, too!

Lin - hang in there - do you have any other family who can help you out financially or with a place to stay if you need it? Definitely negotiate with your landlord if you can and hopefully, something will get better on the job front soon. As for WW, just keep plugging along as best you can to keep yourself feeling well in this stressful time.

Harley - I like your attitiude about the gain, and with all your efforts, I'm sure it will be gone in no time.

Judy - enjoy your sister's visit and I'm confident you can make good choices while she's here. Especially, if you keep in mind how eating the wrong foods made you feel.

Everyone - enjoy the weekend and I'll check back soon.

Kimmers
332/288/269 (2nd 10% goal)

Hi...sorry it has been a few days..but I am back and I lost that 1 lb!!! I am so thrilled!!! I wish it was more but I am very happy bout the 1 lb. I will be camping next thur so I will not weigh in but hopefully in 2 weeks there will be a loss..Like the story goes...slower is better, and also down is better...any down (weight) is better!!!

Today will be a challange..Going to a mini quilt retreat for the day, and boy can these art quilters quilt....I don't know why I am in the group cause i am not an art quilter (just a wanta be) and I am not a great cook...These ladies are just spectacular in the kitchen..good thing they are very healthy cooks..My goal today is to eat very very small protions and stop when I am comfortable..I will try to figures out points in my head..My boss gave me her little WW compute thing which was a fun thing to get.. I was thinking I couldn't get any exercise done today or tomorrow but I just realized I could either go walking, or I could do my nordic track which is in the back yard, very dusty but after a good clean up and a wax job, I think will work great..If anyone likes a good home machine, this is the one you should get..It is a wondersul machine..unfortunetly it only works, if you work it...kinda sounds like my food plan, it only works when i work it..

I got an idea, just a small one mind you..Maybe for the ladies here who do go to the meeting, we could give a paragraph about what our leader said at our meetings, that way all of us could propser on these great people who are employed by WW and have been at goal andknow what they are doing but who never say they are perfect, and who are real people..It would also help the ladies who don't get to go...

My leader talked about how we are all winners, just by starting, by eating right, drinking our water, etc...We should be like atholets (sorry for any teachers out there,,,i have not idea how to spell it!! and no spelling thing on this site..bummer) we need aditude...Confindence, a plan, small goals, and doing it one day at a time..each day staying within our goal/points... ..something to think about hun???

Lin..I will also be praying for you...I am so thrilled to see you so focused on the food issue..doing what needs to be done and not going off the deep end..the good thing is, it is prob better money wise to do this food plan...junk food cost money and it only adds fat to our bodies and not nutrition. I hope someting pops up real fast and we are definelty thinking of you and giving you big hugs...

bye for now...

Kathy

Hi, Turtles,

Thank you all for your prayers and kind thoughts. You are all helping to keep me from going totally nuts.

Kimmers, you've done really well. I've read posts over the years in which people have gained 5-7 pounds in a week's vacation. A pound and a half is within the range of normal weight fluctuation. Restaurant food can be high in sodium, so you may be simply retaining a little water.

You have a great plan for a time when you have no control. Just do your best and move on.

Kathy, congratulations on the pound gone. Way to go! You have a good plan, too. Your quilting group sounds like fun. The ladies in the group weren't great quilters at one time, they practiced and got good. You can do it, too. And focusing on your quilting and learning from these ladies can help you to keep the food in perspecitive.

Thank you all for your suggestions. Unfortunately, Kimmers, both Paul and my families are facing some tough situations. No one really can help much. If Chris needs a place, my mother has one extra bedroom he can use. That will allow him to complete his senior year in one place.

We have been gathering the paperwork the social service agencies require, but it's a difficult step for us. We were raised to believe that responsible people don't need that kind of help. Intellectually, I know that's not true, especially since people don't get a job and keep it until they retire anymore. But it's very stressful, emotionally. And, of course, we will do our best to work with our landlord.

I've been doing better with WW today. I'm making good food choices. The main thing I need to do is to get in a little more exercise. When I get down I don't want to move.

I'd better get this posted before my browser dies again. I'm testing a recipe idea I had for the Pillsbury Bake-Off this afternoon. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Happy turtlin'!

Lin

Harley,
Don't mind the spelling. No one worries about stuff like that. I love your idea about a quick synopsis of encouragement from our weekly mtgs. My leader is the trainer for Suffolk County and she deserves that position. She always knows the right things to say for encouragement and to the whiners. She's tops and I'll pass along her ideas as we keep on this path. She's been on vacation for two weeks now and boy do I miss her! Good for you that you've knocked off another pound.

Kimmers,
I'm with Lin about your weight. You did great on vacation. I used to gain a pound a day. Not terrific, that's for sure. You did very well and getting back to your Sat. WI's will get everything back to an even keel.

Lin,
Whenever I see your name here, I send prayers to you and your whole family. Having a spot for Chris is so helpful. I feel something will break for you soon and your husband will find a job or your baking efforts will pay off. This is a tough time for you, especially with your brother needing surgery, so it's easy to get down in the dumps. Would you be interested in walking to the end of the block? Sometimes just starting makes us feel better and we extend the exercise a little and then the endorphins are released and we bring comfort and good feelings to ourselves. Please don't feel sad about maybe needing a little help from social services. My brother in law just lost an important job and he's looking high and low and having very discouraging results. What corporate America is doing to good people is miserable. It's happening all over. Here's some more prayers. You've been a mainstay here, so we're all pulling for you now.

Lauren,
Glad to see your smiling face. I love that photo of you. I can sure understand loading up to face the scale at WW and I hope you have a successful week with a nice weight loss. Is the program with the new materials about what you thought? How is your leader? Good luck. I think you are smart to change what you are doing.

All goes well here. I wish I had responded to food a little better than I have. On the other hand, with all the temptations and constant barrage of food, I did pretty well for myself. My sister and I got a swim in yesterday and we walked our legs off at the malls, plus we got some good talks in. It's been great having her here. She's my baby sister and I love her very much. She's a great gal. You all take care, take care of yourselves, and keep on turtlin'

Judy 234/(I'm staying off the scale)/thinner
K

Hi Turtles!!! I did a turtle thing on the quilt retreat...I went skinny dippen..Yes me...I can't believe I did that...after a great lunch which I prob ate too much, this lady strips and jumps in the pool, then another and another and another...I just had to do it too, so I did..It was really exerilating...the thing I noticed, is that when you get to be as old as I am..48 ..even size 8 women have rolls and tucks, and saggings...and that was a revelation to me...I had this idea that I might get my bod to a perfect "10" but I don't think tht will happen..If I can just make this roll on my tummy get smaller I will be so blessed...I know I will feel great and get strong, but that "10 " thing stuck in my head..so smaller is good...and my goal of size 10 or 8 is good, ...

Food wise yesterday very good. Watched what I ate, didn't get to the wedding andhad to leave before the cake was cut at the shower and wouldn't of ate any anyway. I ate 1 pt morning star vegie burges for dinner with lots of other vegies. And my dessert of a skinny cow. It was a good day...(I even drank lots of water)

Well got to get lunch tog and get going..

Kathy

Dear Harley,
Good for you for staying OP. You're doing great. I love it that you got to go skinny dipping just like a turtle.
Everybody,
Stay well and do the best you can!
Judy
234/thinner

Harley, I love your observation about the "realness" of the size 8 women's bodies you saw. I remember in the mid-80s when I lost quite a bit of weight and got down to 124 pounds, how disappointed I was that my body still hadn't turned into a "10." I thought I needed to lose still more weight, maybe down to 102 or something. Talk about brainwashing.

What a great realization you had, that it's not about having some airbrushed-perfect body after all. And I love skinny dipping, too! I've skinny-dipped in a pool before and in the ocean -- and in a lake, come to think of it. OK, that's probably more about me than anyone wants to know!

Judy, good for you making better choices and getting all that exercise in. How long are you going to stay off the scale? I admire your tenacity.

Kim, that's great about your vacation. I know for me, the hardest part was AFTER my vacation -- for some reason, that's when I really piled on the weight. Maybe it was just delayed weight gain, but I also ate more, too. Weird. Anyway, you're continuing to do great!

Lin, how did the recipe turn out? Will you enter it? I'm very impressed with how you're handling your health right now. Just keep focusing on doing what you can.

To answer your questions, the meeting I attended was fine. Nothing radically new or earth-shaking, and in my experience the turnover rate at these is too high to really build up much of a community. Nothing like the continuity we have here, for example. That's in part because I go to a major WW center, where they have multiple meetings every day. I'm attending the 50+ meeting where theoretically everyone has more than 50 pounds to lose, but we have some women there who just have a few to lose. The leader was good, but she's just a sub. She's not sure how long she'll be there. I go at 6:30 p.m., which is a tough time slot for WW to fill in terms of leaders apparently. This leader is dynamic, has good points, gets people to talk a reasonable amount, and has kept off a loss of 36 pounds for quite a few years. I do miss my previous leader, who lost 84 pounds and kept it off for 10 years (and counting). I felt she had a better understanding of what those of us with lots to lose go through.

Anyway, I'm staying within my points and exercising, although I need to exercise more. I'm also holding lots of water; TOM is due this weekend, so I'm not sure what the scales will show tomorrow night. But I feel good about getting back in control.

--Lauren

Hi, Turtles,

Kathy, I'm glad your quilt retreat went so well. Sounds like a blast! Glad you're doing fine.

Good to hear from you, Judy. Hope things are still going well!

Lauren, I like Kathy's observation, too. I think we forget that the "perfect" bodies we're thinking we'll have came from the ones we remember. After all, what else do we have to judge what we might look like other than what we used to look like? It makes this journey a little harder because I know I won't look like I did when I was last under 200 pounds. I can't imagine what I will look like, so I just try to take notice day by day of what I do look like as I move downward.

My recipe needs a little work. There are three different types of fillings and even with chilling overnight, they're not all setting up enough to cut. I know what the problem is, but I'm not sure how much to adjust the ingredients. So, a little experimentation is in order. My chocoholic family will love testing the "failures"! Anyway, I have enough time before the entry deadline to work this out, so I'm definitely planning to enter it in the contest.

Actually, I have a file on my computer of recipe contests. I'm planning to pick some and enter them. My dh says that buying the ingredients and testing the recipes isn't a problem because "we have to eat anyway."

I hope your new leader, when you get a permanent one, is great. I'm glad you're back within your points and exercising again. Great job!

I lost the three pounds I gained over TOM so I'm back to where I started. I'd love to just stay here until things settle down a bit! I'll keep you posted.

Happy turtlin'!

Lin