My weekend in Philly
 

Over the weekend, I flew to Philadelphia to meet 12 of the other 3FC moderators. I had the pleasure of meeting…LBH, Meg, Ilene, Mel, Karen K, Jennifer 3FC, Jiffypop, Jane, Ruthxxx, Mauvaisroux, Ellis and Beachgal. It was a wonderful get together. Some of you may not be familiar with some of these members, but they are a lovely group with A LOT of success. Some are at goal, some are almost there and some are just starting. I want to share what I took away from the weekend as far as the whole weight journey goes.

I learned that the people at goal still do their “weight loss” plan every day. Key word EVERY. I now realize how important it is for me to find a plan that really is a lifestyle and not a diet. I have said those words a million times, but I never really understood it. Whatever cravings you have now, you’ll have at goal. Whatever foods you love now, you’ll love at goal. I will be fighting my demons forever and it’s not about making them go away, it’s about making them controlled. They admit that some stuff does get easier and you lose your taste for some things the longer you stay away. And they even swear that if you are hungry enough vegetables taste great!! :rofl: I learned that every day will not be a great day. Sometimes even the gym rats have days that they don’t necessarily want to work out. The key is to change things up and make them interesting, maybe even find a partner.

This weekend I saw women who have strength like I have never seen. I think sometimes that the gym is just treadmills, ellipticals and weight machines. They introduced me to balls and combo-exercises that I didn’t know anything about. But what was the most amazing was watching them do things I wouldn’t even dream of. A pushup while balancing on a ball…Lunges where you “flip” from one lunged position to another and a rolly thing on a barbell I can’t even begin to described. Long, defined muscles. And to think these women were once overweight couch potatoes. It made me believe that you can do anything that you put your mind to. Their advice was that 20 minutes of any kind of movement is better than being on the couch and that I should start there. Now I have thoughts of being able to play soccer and baseball with my boys.

It’s funny, when I see someone who has lost a lot of weight, I immediately want to know what they did, how much and how often. I think somehow I believed that I was still missing out on the “secret” and if someone would just tell me I could get it done. I was waiting for someone to tell me the easy way to do it. Maybe I was waiting for the problem to resolve itself.

We talked about the idea that maybe there is something “eating’ at you and you stuff that emotion with food and we discussed the idea that for some food is just an addiction and you need to control it much like you would with any other substance abuse. I believe that I am simply addicted to food and allow myself to live without any boundaries.

We also talked about regret. About wishing that you had made life changes before your wedding…before your kids grew up…before your skin lost all it’s elasticity. I already have so many regrets, I don’t want more. The one that really concerns me is that I want another baby and for health reasons, I would like to be 250ish before I try again. I fear that I will lose all opportunity to have another baby because I didn’t lose the weight “in time” or not at all.

I wouldn’t say I came away “motivated” or “all pumped up”. It goes deeper than that. It’s almost as if I am convinced. Convinced that it can be done. Convinced that it MUST be done. Convinced that even little ole me can do it. Convinced that I will do it.

My plan is simple – 2000 calories and try and move more. I have removed all weight loss goals. My goal is to be consistent and eat 2000 calories a day. Plain and simple. The weight loss will come at it’s own rate. If I go over calories on one day, I am not “off” plan, but simply didn’t have an ideal day, I will continue eating 2000 calories the next day. There is no on or off. THERE IS NO ON OR OFF. It’s a change in lifestyle. It’s my food budget…it’s my life budget.

Sandi!!!!
That's amazing :)

I'm SO happy that you went to that get together and got SOOOO much out of it!
It sounds to me like you've hit the elusive "CLICK".....

I'm so happy for you, and proud of you..and...very, VERY excited for you!!!


xoxoxoxoxoxo
Linda

Sandi what an awesome post. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Oh Sandi, as Emmy would say, you made my heart smile! It sounds like you've had some pretty profound realizations this weekend, perhaps even that click we've discussed in such great depth. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, this was an awesome post!

Beverly

Sandi,
My eyes just teared up for you. Print out your own post and carry it around with you. You GOT IT :bravo:

Mel

Wow, that's really something. You really got a handle on a lot of stuff this weekend. That's great, Sandi!

Damn, I'm in tears too!! Beautiful post, I KNOW you can do this Sandi ... Another :grouphug: to you .... Very good idea to print it and read when you are feeling down about something or other in your new lifestyle.

Wow, what an eloquent and inspiring post, Sandi! You met some of my personal 3FC heroes, the people who also made things "click" for me, so I am absolutely thrilled for you.

Thank you for taking the time to share what you learned. This is such an amazing "place," isn't it?!

That is neat that you got to go Sandi. Thank you for sharing what you learned ~ I think it will help the rest of us too. This is an awesome place.

Sandi - sounds like a plan, uh lifestyle. :D

yep - tears in my eyes, too!!!!!

we're with you - and besides, we BOTH want shoulders like ilene's!!!!!! <don't we???>

What a wonderful post, Sandi! I'm glad you got to share some time with those special folks.

Sandi - you are truly my sister and I know you can do this. You are a bright, funny, and strong woman - inside and out. I know that once you make your mind up, you WILL do this! And you're going to have the loudest cheering section in the world rooting for you!!

Sandi, I'm behind you all the way, babe!! :cheer: This weekend was a turning point and this is SO EXCITING because like Linda said, it sounds like you found your click. Next time we meet, we'll both be steamrolling that barbell. :strong: :strong:

Thank you so much Sandi for speaking with your heart through your fingers. Your post moved me to tears because I am you, you are me and we are all similar to one another when it comes to struggling with this health concern. You are here, you are trying and you are on your way to success. We are all in this together and I am glad that the answers are coming to you in a way that makes it crystal clear. I so admire so many of the folks you mentioned you were together with, you are all our 3FC heroes in action. Thanks for sharing and big hugs to you. This struggle is exhausting at times but following the processing comes the action and really, as hard as I have tried to find one, there is no quick fix. Just one simple and easy answer - consistency, awareness and movement.

Good for you Sandi. We will be here cheering you on. Go for it. You can do it.

Congratulations Sandy! I love your post, I actually printed it for my journal to use as motivation. Or convincing, which is a term I like much better because it is a choice, not a feeling. Thanks so much for sharing.

Sandi - sounds like an amazing weekend, I'm so happy for you :) It's amazing how people you haven't really "met" can make such an impact, and then you get to meet them! I'm a tiny bit jealous there...

-Aimee

Lovely post! Thank You for sharing!
:cheers: Here's to reaching goal and maintaining, not only our weight loss, but our HEALTH GAIN!

Sandi, what a great post. I am always inspired by other people's successes, and I loved hearing about it. It is so true by what you said, on every point really. There is no secret, it is hard work and determination and changing your lifestyle to suit your personality. I agree with you, I am a food addict myself, and again you are absolutely right that it will be something I will have to fight every single day. You can really drive yourself nuts :dizzy: with all the what ifs in your life. Keep at it and you will get there! :D

Sandi,

How wonderful to hear of your experience. One of the best things about 3FC is that even the moderators are all at different places in their weight loss journeys, some having reached goals and working to maintain, some successes at maintenance and working to further their physical goals, some struggling with those last pounds, some struggling to begin. It can be so painful to walk into a gym, for example, and have every person working there in perfect shape, with no indication of personal weight struggles on their part (I would LOVE to have one of you moderators as a trainer because you understand). Here, even the moderators journey with us and that helps us feel like we are not alone.

Your words here are so raw and honest and we all benefit from them. My hope is that you will feel the same about our words, that they will provide strength for you on your journey as well. You can do this and you will do this. The click has come. I can hear it!!!!

Wow--copy, paste and PRINT!!!! Thank you so much for that!

What a powerful post! Thank you for writing this and sharing it with us.

I love your plan to take away any weight-loss goals. I can't quite bring myself to do that yet, although I do recognise that healthy eating (and exercise) is a must regardless of whether I'm aiming to drop pounds or not.

Go, Sandi!

Wow, I opened this thread thinking that it would be a little vacation report....

I could tremendously relate to everything your wrote. In fact, it felt like one of those 1950s science fiction movies: Get out of my mind! ;)

I predict, with all your insight, that you are going to do amazingly well. :)

Good for you Sandi - what an inspiring weekend!

I've said it in another post today already, but I'll say it again just for you - the reason I am finally having success is because I have found an eating and exercise plan that is now my lifestyle rather than a diet regime.

The ladies are right - we will all still get food cravings, which is why I have not banished any food from my diet (tried that, didn't work). Now I eat healthy most of the time, but I still have treats and I still have takeaway pizza (I've currently cut down from 4 days a week to every 7-10 days). I exercise 6 days a week and have finally got my metabolism up from years of yo yo dieting.

I have found that exercising really hard and eating healthy most of the time is a plan I can stick with and a lifestyle that I enjoy - hence my current success.

If you find a plan that can work for you and allows for your likes, dislikes and treats the you will succeed - obviously, the more you can exercise the better. I know you can and will do it!

Love Amanda x

Thanks so much Sandi for sharing such inspirational thoughts and ideas. Its true, you can do this - and there are many many 3FC people here to cheer you on!!!

Oh my! I'm glad I checked new posts!

Sandi, I hope you don't mind if I keep this post. It will help me tremendously and should be required reading for all whiners. I too came away with a click but you expressed it so eloquently. I am so glad you were there and that we got to meet!

We'll do it, Girl!

Wow, an utterly fantastic post, Sandi! I'm so happy you got to meet those lovely people and came away with such a wonderful new perspective. You've got it girl! This time you really do!! :D

That's great Sandi! I always wondered what it would be like to meet you all. I've said it before, you have to be ready and it sounds like you are. :)

I too struggle with wishing that I'd gotten my act together sooner (10 years ago, 20 years ago...), we were talking about it at WW and there's this older woman - that just reached her goal - she turned to me and said -

"It's easier to change the future than to change the past". And I thought that's right!

It hit me so hard, I wrote it down on the front of my tracker and I keep transferring it from week to week. I'm still struggling with it, but moving forward anyway.

Good luck, keep going!
Beth

Wow, thanks Sandi. What a great post. I like the idea of focus on lifestyle vs. the scale in terms of goals. Something to think about

Sandi, not only are you gorgeous and incredibly strong and funny, but you are a great writer too! What a fabulous post...you definitely made me tear up. I want to give you a hug right now! You definitely will do this, girl...and I can't wait to celebrate with you as you find more and more things to love about yourself and what your wonderful body can do. I totally relate to the kids/weight thing and the fear that it won't happen. We know that we can do anything we really want to do...and that we are stronger (emotionally AND physically) than we know! :strong: I second the person who said that you'll have a HUGE group of people rooting for you. You are amazing and I know you'll be playing sports with your boys before you know it. I love your phrase, "there is no on and off"...it's perfect and SO true. :yes:

:grouphug: Love you, hon!

Sandy, I absolutely loved your posted. I'm so happy that you got to meet up with so many great people. Thanks for sharing!

~Dee

Goooooooooo Sandi! I'm happy for you! You can do it. Love, Apryl

Oh Sandi! What a life changing weekend!! Your post really highlights so many of the things that I'm doing *this* time in losing weight. It's a lifestyle for me. I have off days, but I don't beat myself up, I just move on - there isn't any on/off for me anymore either. You've got it!

I love "CONVINCED" - awesome word!

I hear the *click* for you too!

(((HUGS))))

To Sandi, my Philly roomie,

I am just awed by what you've written, Sandi! With a determination as strong as what I find in your words, you will be meeting your first mini-goal in no time!

One small suggestion - be sure and take your "before" measurements, ok? At some point during this journey, you'll be so glad you did, for comparison when the old Iron Monster refuses to move.

If at any time I can help you in any way, even if you just need to vent, all you have to do is PM or call me, and I'm there for you, ok?

((((HUGS))))