Good morning! I've been MIA all weekend. Oops.
Friday was my birthday. Yesterday was Labor Day. Went drinking on Sunday. Didn't go grocery shopping for the week. I really need to kick myself in the arse. I know my weight loss journey is going to have ups and downs, I know it is going to take longer than some people that have my same amount of weight to lose. I know these things. But I need to stop using them as an excuse. I ate way too much this weekend. I don't even think I encountered a real vegetable (fries don't count...). But here I am. Chugging along, slowly, but surely, not giving up. On a productive note: I paid off a $10K loan. And watched season 3 of Dexter (in less than 30 hours...that's how NOT active I was this weekend).

bex - Firstly, I'm glad you are okay! We keep waiting here in California for our big one (you know, the one that is going to break us off of the states and throw us into the Pacific ocean). It'll be a scary day. On a less important note: I did have a rather large, unexpected weight loss two weeks ago, so I'm okay with the 1.2 pound gain. I just gotta get back into the swing of things! Darn school!

zan - way to show that candy bar who is boss! Even with all the crap I ate this weekend, it could have been much worse. Plus, chocolate is a must during TOM. I'm sure you are feeling better by now! I hope so!

Hi Lindsey!! - Welcome! I don't feel hungry on WW. The point of it all is to choose foods that are lower in points, so you can feel full longer (not the only point...but it's important). If you are blowing your daily points in one meal, of course you are going to feel hungry quicker. I posted this previously, but just for you: My leader had a five point brownie (2" by 2"...the sucker was tiny). She then pulled out a gallon size bag also full of five points: 2 apples, a peach, 1 c. carrots, 1 c. blueberries, and 1/2 bag of popcorn. Her point was that of course we are going to need a brownie here and there, but if quantity is your thing, you can get so much more if you choose to eat the right foods. Weight watchers is about not feeling deprived. If you know there is something you love, work it into your plan. Also, try and research filling foods. They are pretty low in points and keep you full for much longer! Care to share what you've been eating? Maybe we can give you some pointers!!

MsGeng - we seem to have gains and losses together! I maintained for three weeks, had a pretty big loss, then gained about half of that back. I'm terrified to see the scale this week. You can do this! (duh, look at your progress) ;)

Have a good one, ladies!

Happy birthday Ade :)

Thanks lucky!

Happy Birthday Ade! Sounds like you had a fun weekend and are ready to get back to work. Also, I LOVE Dexter, and am so excited for the new season to start. Let's both work hard this week (or at least what's left of it) and hope for good numbers on the scale?

Bex, I'm so glad to hear you're okay. That must have been terrifying.

I spent the weekend at the beach with friends and family and it was wonderful. I ate and drank way more than normal, but I also went running every day. On Friday night I actually did 4 miles and it felt really good!

On Saturday it was a little too cool for the beach so we went to the outlet mall, and in skirts and dresses I'm definitely wearing a size 6, which seems really strange to me. I mean, that's like a size that little people wear... I also helped my younger sister pick out clothes for her first real suit wearing job, and she looks like such a grown-up! It is insane.

Hope everyone's having a good day!

Hey gals. I hope you all had a great weekend! Sorry I was MIA. I did some anniversary activities as well as a lot of work for my craft show. Our anniversary went great. He gave me a belated birthday present (a cutter for my crafting supplies) and a very nice amethyst & peridot necklace for our anniversary. We did a nice breakfast and a bbq dinner. Coming back to work today was hard but it feels good to say it's Tuesday and not Monday! Yay!

Bex- I am so glad you are OK! That is so crazy. I have never felt an earthquake. I have never had anything larger than a 3 in my area so I never felt them but I am sure I can't even imagine how terrifying that must have been. :hug:

MsCoh- congrats on the size 6 and a great run!

Zan- hope you are feeling better!

lnieberding- Welcome!

Random OT question/topic/whatever...
Back story: I've been with my boyfriend for over 7 months. It's still very early to be thinking the thoughts I've been thinking (marriage? Kids?). Not now. Not for several years. But they are still in the back of my mind. I could see those things with him. I love him so much. He is perfect (cliche? yes). We haven't had a fight (we've had disagreements). And I haven't had a reason to fight with him or start something. From the onset, he said he doesn't want kids for about 14 more years. And really, when we started dating, I figured, hey, it'll work out and he'll want to be with me, or it won't and that won't even matter.
We often joke about breaking up. Like "Oh when we break up...blah blah blah." or "You are gonna break up with me." Whatever. So on Sunday (after 4 shots of Jager and a cocktail I said, You know, I probably am going to be the one to break up with you. He caught on and said that I must have a reason in mind. And I said that our time lines are different. I don't want to be in my mid-30s when I have children. I have very young parents (that started at 18), and I don't want to be 55 before my oldest even graduates high school. He basically said he would respect that if I break up with him and he'll understand why it happens when that day comes.
So here is the dilemma: do I break up with him now/in the near future? I mean, that is what it is going to come down to. He won't be changing his mind. And I'm not sure if I will be changing mine. Do I wait and see what happens?
I know the answer: I need to elaborate on our drunken conversation with him when we are sober. I need to say "do you see a future with me?" and go from there. Obviously if he said "No way do I see a future with you" then there would be a problem. I keep talking myself into just waiting it out. I mean, I could see myself being with him for a long, long time, but am I wasting that time? Ugh. Why do boys suck?

Sorry for the lame story/rant. I just don't know what to do (and know what I need to do). After three months I felt like this was too soon to bring it up. Now I'm feeling I need to have a talk with him. And really, I won't be blindsided in several years when I want a baby, he doesn't and we break up. But do I want to go through all of that? Sorry, didn't mean to go off on that again.
Part of me wants to just be selfish and move on. I do so much better with working out/eating right when I am on my own. And we already have our "unhealthy eating" habits, so it's hard to break him. What do I do???

Oh and I know I could have posted this as it's own thread, but I like you guys, and some people on here are so rude, but you guys are nice (though I am looking for brutal-ish honesty).

Ade- I am a believer in not wasting time. But you just never know. If it really is a deal breaker for both of you then yes, you are just wasting time. This one is a hard one though. I mean you two could have an amazing life together. What if you decide to be together and wait for kids but you get pregnant on accident? Your life together would probably still be great, just not the plan he had in mind. tough choice!

It is a tough choice. I just don't want it to be five years from now and I have that baby itch and we break up because of it...when I could have moved on by then. How annoying is this? I'm a complete "what if" kind of person. ugh. I think the first step is to just talk to him. Thanks, Kay, for your advice. You are right where the logical part of me is. Stupid emotions.

I hear ya though, it really is something you have to think about. My husband is one of those who says he doesn't want kids for "awhile". He wont say how many years because he is afraid that if he says 2 years and here in 2 years I say OK lets get to it and he wont be ready! lol I think he is of the mindset that it will happen eventually but the longer he can put it off the better. Unfortunately I don't think I will ever get to tell my husband we are having a baby and expect an excited response. I am 100% positive he will have a deer in headlights response. LOL

haha I think most men have that deer in headlights response. I guess I need to stop obsessing about the kids aspect of it and just lay it out there and see if there is a future or if we are just having fun. It's so tough because we get along so well, we have so much fun together, and really there is no reason to break up (okay so differences in what we want is a reason...but at this point it is not an issue). I just don't want to jump the gun and ruin something that can be so great. But I don't want to waste my time.

It's a dilemma. 7 months is still pretty early. I've been involved in a couple of discussions lately about how long is long enough to be with someone and know that they are the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, and the general consensus is 2-3 years. So, I would give it another year or so at least, and then, if he's still definitely the person you want to be with, only then would I reevaluate based on your differing childbearing timelines. Also, when is not nearly as big a question as whether or not. I could see not wanting to have kids at all as a dealbreaker, but the chronology is something that you can compromise on.

Just a quick message to let you know I'm ok.
We had another huge aftershock today, lots more damage in the city. Uni closed for another week. I'm so on edge.

Will do personals when I have more time xx

Take care of yourself Bex!

I know I haven't been around much - sorry guys. I'm not doing WW anymore, just sort of trucking along without counting and trying to focus more on being active wherever possible. I hope you don't mind if I jump back in.

Ade, I totally know where you're coming from. My boyfriend (we've been together more than 1.5 years now) would have an entire soccer team of kids but I'm still on the fence as to whether I want any or not. While this could be a dealbreaker, I'm willing to re-evaluate when I'm a bit older and more settled and financially stable and he accepts that. We joke about what our kids might be like sometimes so even though it's a serious topic, we don't make it one. I do think it is worth sitting down and having a sober chat with your boyfriend about what you discussed the other night but 7 months is still early and he might change his mind. A year ago I would never ever EVER have thought I'd come around to the idea of a kid or two so people can change as I am very slowly losing my anti-child mentality. If it's a case of wanting financial security and a home and time with his wife before kids come along, then if those boxes are checked earlier than he expects, he might change his mind too. But you won't know until you ask, and while I agree with Kay about not wasting time, if you are enjoying your relationship and you could see yourself with him in the future, then don't let something that isn't set in stone ruin that! :)

My mom had me when she was 32 and my brother at 34. She's 54 now and by no means old. If you're looking after your eating habits and exercise now, you'll be a very fit and happy mom. Almost all the parents I knew as a kid were around my mom's age, and my boyfriend's folks (he's only ten days older than I am) are nearly ten YEARS older than my mom and that doesn't seem to have affected their relationship at all. My stepmom had a baby at 41 years old. I think that while a lot of women do start early, holding off for a while isn't the worst thing! :)

Sorry for the novel, it's just something I've been thinking about a lot as well recently. Good luck! :hug:

Hope the rest of you are all doing well. I have been reading your threads but not replying since I don't really 'belong' here anymore. :(

I am so glad to hear that you are alright, bex! I was worried, :(

Bah, Freedom! You still belong, heck if you need a "belonging" reason, you can count yourself as "experienced" with WW - that's definitely a good reason to feel like you belong here ;), but even if you weren't, I know I still would like to read your posts here! :hug: (We even have a few older than 20s who post in the 20-somethings from time to time, and no one has a problem with that, so post away! :D)

Relationships are tough, these issues pop up from time to time and they just help you reevaluate your situation is all. Just something you both need to think and talk over to see if it really is a big hangup for one or both of you right now in your 7th month of a relationship, or if it is something you can revisit in the future at a point of time you both agree to talk over it again (maybe it will be put it off for a future discussion again, or you might break off at that point in time, or if minds have changed it'll lead to the discussion of "what now", or various other possibilities). It is totally up to you and your boy, Ade. But I figure it is always better to bring it up, and if either is discontent afterwards, don't let the subject fester but bring it up again. I hope you two work it out so that the end result is the best for both of you. :hug::goodluck:

Grats on the 4 miles and the size 6, even though it feels weird for you right now, I say, woohoo! Grats, Coh!

I've traded one issue for a sore throat, bah! It's nothin' though, but thanks, Kay. :hug:

Ade, I was kind of worried about the chocolate, but surprisingly enough, I don't crave another one. Though I have to admit that I've slipped on the "no soda" front. Got one left in the fridge at work, but once that's gone, I am cutting myself off. I really don't need the extra chemicals and that Sugary taste. It just sends off a red-alert in my mind, making me wonder if I'll slip back into more calorie-full sweets. Like the two cookies I had last night, I could have had a plate full no prob and no extra charge, but I stuck to two, yay me!

Today is "monday" for me because I took yesterday off trying to get my iron levels checked and another test that he had told me to get, but the doctor's office didn't cooperate with me, so I wasted a day. I think if I had my iron levels checked after a weekend like I just had that my doctor would be more concerned than the "whatever"-vibe I am constantly getting from him. I think I need to switch primary care docs. He, and his office, is really starting to piss me off.

Enough of my #itching and novel-writing-tendancies. :hug:s to all, and have a nice Wednesday!