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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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, 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!
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
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.
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)
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?
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.
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!
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.
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!
