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 several 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 in order to lose and keep off the weight. Our main focus is to 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.
Well, I managed to lose my whole post, so I'll give it another try.
Thanks, everyone, for your good wishes for my husband's job. He loves it. He says it's the best job he's ever had. And hopes they decide to make it a permanent one.
Thanks, too, for your congrats on my weight loss. You know, I somehow feel almost guilty about it because I didn't really do anything for it. I mean, I wasn't following a program or working hard, the way you ladies are. But, I'm not taking it back. I am, however, walking almost every day with my husband after dinner.
You've all been working really hard. It's so good to read your posts, even though I've been mostly not here lately. It's partly because I've been busy and partly because it's been a difficult adjustment moving in with Mom. I didn't want to bring you guys down.
I wonder if any of you could email or snail mail a copy of the new program. I'll cover copying and postage, if necessary. I'd buy the At Home thing, but with my mom's health issues, food rules and kitchen rules, there's no way I can do any kind of formal program right now. I just want the information so I know what you all are talking about. Thanks!
I've been writing like mad. I picked up a workbook for writers. The exercises have been really helpful in teaching me how to get the complex stories and characters in my head onto the page. So the book's going well.
We've started back at our old church. It's so wonderful. I can't wait for choir and bell choir to start again in the fall. We also take Sunday as our time together and go to brunch. We're trying a new restaurant this weekend.
On Saturday, we're meeting some friends we haven't seen for a couple of years for dessert and coffee. I'm looking forward to it. I've known this woman since high school, although we went to different schools. We met at our church where we were both active in the youth group.
That's what's been going on with me. I hope to hear about all of you, soon. Do keep moving.
Lin, I am so happy for you that things are looking up after your period of trials. Kudos to you for hanging in there. You wouldn't have brought us down if you had chosen to share your difficulties of adjustment during this time. We don't mind listening and we always wish you well.
Lauren, I am relieved that learn about the results of your mammogram. Hallelujah! Let this be a catalyst for you to commit yourself to living your healthiest life. God has given you a great blessing!
Yesterday, was my mom's birthday. She's 72 (although I think of her as being younger). She asked for me to make an apple pie and have ice cream. So, I ate pie and vanilla ice cream and I don't feel the least guilty about it.
I have been fighting hives - still. I have tried not to take the medicine to see if they have gone away, but inevitably I must take the meds. The last time I tried to skip a dosage, my lip became swollen. I'll have to check with the doctor to see what comes next. He mentioned blood tests to check my thyroid if the hives continue. Needles are my phobia so I'm am hopeful that things will clear up before tests are needed.
And the plumbing problem is back. Oh well.
Life never slows up, does it?
I had a good time challenging myself with yoga this week. When I realize how flexible I am and how much more I could be, it makes me value my body in a different way, recognizing it for its strength instead of its aesthetics.
Hi, tortoises. I keep waiting for Choosewell to come and correct me when I say that ... I miss our tortoise queen.
Lin, I'm so glad things are looking up for you. And SO glad DH loves his job! How soon before you can move out? Maybe in the new year? I know it's got to be tough living with your mom. That's also great about getting back into church. I know I miss it when I don't go for a while. I love bell choirs, too; that's one of the things I miss in the Orthodox church!
Swania, it sounds like you're really being good to your body, listening to it and helping it improve. I loved your yoga comments. I've found when I start working out again after a period of inactivity that I get teary-eyed! I think about how good my body has been to me, and what a loving thing I'm finally doing for it, and it breaks me up a bit. I'm a leaky faucet anyway, but it does get to me -- how much I neglect my body, when it has been so good to me.
Today is the first day on Core for me. I'm really looking forward to it. I did well last week on points until the weekend, then I blew it. Sugar does it to me every time. So I'm back to where I started weightwise.
Lin, Core is basically this:
WW now has a list of "core" foods. They include things like lean meats, all fish, poultry with skin removed, all vegetables, all fruits, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, couscous, nonfat dairy products, eggs, some cereals, nonfat dressings, 94% FF popcorn, oatmeal. You must eat 2 teaspoons of healthy fats per day. I can email you the complete list if you like, or you can track it down at www.weightwatchers.com in the forums. Or you can buy the updated complete foods book (which also includes points), which I'm going to do. Basically, if it has added sugar, it's not on the list (except for some FF dressings, I think). Kashi is unfortunately not on the list because of added sugar. Ditto for All Bran and most other prepared cereals. Shredded wheat is OK, as is puffed rice or puffed wheat. Dried fruits and fruit or veggie juices are not. Oddly, FF flavored yogurt is not. WW tried to eliminate everything they found to be a "trigger" food, and apparently flavored yogurt was a trigger food.
You can eat cereal WITH milk at one meal, and you can eat EITHER brown rice, pasta, or potatoes at another meal. Other than that, there are no restrictions on core foods. (You can eat couscous anytime, which I think is odd since it's basically a pasta.)
You do not have to count these foods, nor do you have to measure them. The goal is to listen to your body and stop when you're no longer hungry. Hey, where have we heard that before?
You also have 35 points per week that you can allocate on any non-core foods you want. (Like bread, sugar, alcohol, white pasta and rice, peanut butter, etc.)
You can feel free to bounce between Core and FlexPoints as much as you want, though you should stick to each plan for at least a week at a time (Core for a week; points for a week). I plan to do points when we're on vacation or when I know we've got a very social week planned, since the points plans are more flexible regarding food choices.
You can learn a ton about the new program by reading the forums at the WW site and at Dotti's.
Hi Turtles,
Lin,
I am so glad for the turn around for your dh and that he loves his new job. Ditto on your writing up a storm. That's great. How was your weekend meeting with old friends? When things settle down for you a bit I hope you peruse the Core program on WW. You're such a great cook and I know you'll come up with innovative ways to
combine the foods to stay core and still eat well.
Swan,
So glad about your exercise, et al. Congrats on your mom's birthday. Good luck and continued success.
Lauren,
I miss Choosewell soon and think I might just send her an e-mail to see how she's doing. I think you are going to like Core very much with your sugar issues.
Bandit,
How are you doing? Is dd in school yet? You sounded very busy.
As far as me, I'm doing great. I started the Core program last Monday for dinner right after my WW's meeting. I found that I had cravings for the first three days. By the fourth day, my cravings subsided and I felt full more often. I went from being starving all the time on regular foods to feeling comfortable on Core. In a strange way it is freeing to me--even though it has limits. The part that is freeing is that I can have the quantity of food I need even if it is high in points. That does the trick for me. I have definitely had a weight loss this week. It was challenging because I prepared food for my daughter's baby shower, then had the shower the next day, and then had my married children stay over for the third day. We also had a birthday celebration which lasted the three days as well. We try and do a birthweek because a birthday seems too short.
I am flying high because I ate tiny amounts of what I wanted and mentally calculated the points. I stayed as Core as I could and am very pleased. Thanks for kind thoughts and prayers. It looks like I have lost fluffy weight and am on my way again to a real weight loss. Swan, I lost track of my challenge for the summer, but I'm right here with Core for a challenge for now through Oct. 31st. Sound good?
The shower was wonderful. My dd appreciated seeing her friends and my friends and our families. Really nice. The grandkids were great and the whole weekend was lovely. It's especially nice that I didn't backtrack with a weight loss. All summer I've been up 2#, down 2# and made no progress at all! Now I'm back on track.
Good luck to all and to our good choices.
Love,
Judy
234/221.5/thinner WI on Wednesday this week! :
Hi Judy/ Great minds think alike! I was going to mention a challenge from Labor Day to Halloween and you neat me to it. I will definitely sign on. Good luck on your weigh-in.
Lauren, thanks for explaining the Core program. I'll have to look it up.
Must go as I will try to attend the 6:00 a.m. treadmill class and it's already 10:00 p.m.
FYI - Today's Oprah is a rerun, but worth taking a look. She has a doctor who shows the audience what healthy organs look like compared with damaged organs. It is a realistic look at what happens when one abuses his/her body with food and drink. If you are squeamish, then you'd probably want to skip it. But seeing tangible proof of neglect and abuse of the body is worth every article and medical study that I've ever read. As someone approaching middle age (or at 38 perhaps I am already there), I definitely want to make the changes necessary so that I won't have a dozen pills to take sometime in the future (let alone medical procedures).
DEar Turtles,
Hi. Quick update on me. A week ago Monday I went to a WW mtg. to find out about Core. Starting with dinner that night, I ate core. Then I went to Wednesday's mtg. with my regular WW's group. In the meantime I cooked for 6 hours for my daughter's baby shower, had the shower, had all my kids and families in for the weekend which means lots of food around. The upshot of all this is that I lost 5.6#!!! I can't tell you how thrilled I am. I've got my fingers crossed to say that this can work for me. I'll break that 200# mark yet!
Good luck to you all. I love the Core program.
Love and good vibes,
Judy
234/216.6#/thinner on my way to onederland :
Judy - Hurray, hurray for you!!!!!!! That is a great loss and I'm really happy for you. You will break that 200 mark. It's only a matter of time. I know what a boost this is and I couldn't be more excited!
Your loss is especially fantastic given the amount of cooking you did and having so much food around. Keep up the good work!
OK. Hello!
I see that my name was mentioned above by Lauren. Thank you Lauren for thinking of me. And Judy, for writing to me after Lauren included me in 2 emails. I couldn't respond to Judy's email for some reason, so here I am. Very sneaky, Judy, did you do that on purpose?
Here is my update (which is actually my email to Judy that wouldn't go through):
It's so great to hear from you. Oddly enough, I rejoined WW on Monday at my lunch hour. I was teleworking and thought "that's enough!" I am not convinced the group environment at WW works for me, because I don't find the leaders that inspirational. That said, I am more tired of my fat than I am of going to a group, so I rejoined.
I weigh 9 pounds more than the last time I joined and 9 pounds more than the last time I weighed in at Turtles! That sums that up.
Other than that, I've been assigned to a new group at work, with a not so nice female boss who treats me (alternatingly) like I'm dumb, then like she'll be mad if I leave her group. Saying that, now I know where the 9 pounds came from. I am used to being underestimated...my flippant sense of humor and offensively flirtatious nature (this is on the current list of punishable offenses in my office) lead some unobservant dupes to believe their own shallow surmises, but I think I am getting too old and too tired (=too wise) for this nonsense anymore.
Doesn't the Core Plan sound suspiciously like South Beach phase I? hmmmm....without the nuts, of course.
I meant to respond to Lauren's emails...I still have them and look at them and say to myself "respond to those." Two of you, now I must respond. I haven't even read 3fc in over almost a year!!! I guess I really am a mess.
What's new with you?
Thanks for writing to me.
choosie.
PS. Did you notice that Subway stole my name for its advertising slogan? The noive of 'em!!!
Yay Choosie!!!!
I'd love to say that your not being able to reply to my e-mail was part of a master plan I have for getting you back here on this site. Unfortunately I probably just did something stupid because I am semi-inept on the computer. In any case, it was so much fun to see your e-mail on the 3fatchicks site. Hooray!! I love your sense of humor. I can't say anything about your offensively flirtatious manner--whatever that is--but it sounds like your boss is a real loser. Egads.
Sorry to hear you're up in weight and sorry to hear your boss is so miserable. Of course the two go hand in hand. It is interesting that you rejoined WW just as Lauren and then I really wanted to hear from you. I think the new program (and I get its comparison to South Beach) is pretty terrific and if your leader isn't too inspiring, at least the program is. My leader runs the mtg. like a psychobabble support group and my dd couldn't relate, but it is perfect for me because I really absolutely believe that the leader wants every single one of us to be thinner and healthier. She is the best!!!
Good luck with WW's whether you decide to do Core or stay with Flexpoints.
And how dare Subway steal your name for its advertising slogan! Are you going to sue?
All goes well here, but I think I got a little cocky with the Core program and ate beyond the full comfort level--probably closer to Roman orgy stage with grapes and dancing girls--but yesterday and today I am working on paying great attention to whether I am hungry or not and eating accordingly. Hopefully the two silly pounds I put on will come right back off in time to get back to my WW mtg. with another real pound loss this week. That would be lovely.
Everybody do well. Have a great Labor Day weekend. Watch the food and have a great time
Yay for all of us and so good to hear from Choosewell!
We haven't met, but I am already happy that you've returned. I simply loved the part of your post which referenced your 'flippant sense of humor' because I have one myself and I am often underestimated. Infuriating, isn't it? I look forward to your posting more often.
Nice to make your acquaintance,
Sonia (or, as Lauren calls me, 'Swania')
Last edited by n 2 a swan; 09-04-2004 at 01:05 PM.
hi turtles,
I'll be heading off to see my sisters for the next week, so I won't be chiming in. Everyone do well. I can't wait to hear the results of Swan's summer challenge. Choosewell, glad you're back. You've been missed.
Bandit, how's everything goin?
Lin, ditto.
Lauren, has your company headed for other quarters?
Good wishes to all. I'm back on the treadmill.
Love,
Judy
234/216.5/thinner
CHOOSIE!!!!!!!!! {{{HUGS}}} I am SOOO glad to see you back again! I hope you can feel free to post here even when you're not following WW or any other plan. I value this little online group for lots of reasons, not just weight-loss related. And that goes for everyone else, too. Just tell us what's going on in your life and keep us up to date!
Bummer about your threatened boss. And GOOD FOR YOU, turning the gain around before it becomes bigger. I realized I've packed back on 33 pounds from my lowest point two years ago! It didn't happen all at once, just slowly and insidiously. Last winter before we went to Italy, I was 189. Now I'm 209. That's 20 pounds in just 8 months! I'm still not clear how I let that happen, but I know eating junk at work had a lot to do with it. I think I got bored and had a lot of time on my hands, a bad combination.
Now I'm on a new project--just started this past week--and I'm SWAMPED. I'm too busy to overeat at work, which is a very good thing.
Swania, wow about the organs. That would be a powerful thing to see.
Judy, WAY TO GO on dropping that weight!!! Wow! You go!
I've done Core for one week now, and I've dropped 2.5. I think that's mostly just water weight from hormones, though; I know I'm eating too much on Core. Waaaaay to much fruit.
Choosie, Core really isn't like South Beach in that it allows far more carbs. The carbs aren't simple, but you can have a lot of them. Unlimited amounts, actually, though you're supposed to let hunger be your guide. (And you're not supposed to have them throughout the day; there are some restrictions.) I've never been good at letting hunger be my guide, so I'm not sure how this is going to go.
My monitor is making some very strange noises. I have a feeling it's about to blow! Well, it's about 8 years old; it doesn't owe me anything. I'd better wrap this up.
If you don't hear from me as often as before, it's because I'm much busier at work and don't have time in the mornings before I go anymore. But I'll be checking in! Uh-oh, monitor is flickering --
Turtle Club #133
I am, however, walking almost every day with my husband after dinner.
Good luck and continued success.
to our good choices.
:
and have a great time 
It didn't happen all at once, just slowly and insidiously. Last winter before we went to Italy, I was 189. Now I'm 209. That's 20 pounds in just 8 months! I'm still not clear how I let that happen, but I know eating junk at work had a lot to do with it. I think I got bored and had a lot of time on my hands, a bad combination.
