[Heather]

This thread is a sub-set of the 300+ thread.

This group is for those dealing with the challenges of having a significant amount of weight to lose and being fit which becomes harder after age 40. If you're an old or new friend and not over 40 and feel this is the place to post, jump right in.

[Heather]

Hi ladies -- I had another rough day yesterday, but new day, new start.

[Lilion]

Good Morning Ladies!

I've been trying to be really good since Monday and the scale isn't looking as bad as expected. We'll see if I can minimize Thanksgiving (and pre-Thanksgiving and post-Thanksgiving) damage before Saturday's WI.

I have done something to my right shoulder - again. Not a lot of fun to have problems raising your arm over your head. It's the side I sleep on - again - and so I had quite the night trying to sleep in a different position to stay off it, because I know it'll just make it worse. They always just tell me it's muscular, so I'm not even planning on the doctor this time.

I hope everyone is over the last holiday and getting ready for the next. I haven't been able to put any Christmas decorations up yet...too much excess furniture in my living room. Looks like I'm going to have to clean the garage to hold the extra sofa we haven't been able to get rid of before I can put up a tree! It'll get done.

Time to get to work Ladies! Have a good one!

[elmay]

Hello all -- hope everyone is having a good OP week. I'm doing well so far with eating and exercise. I head off to Colorado on business Sunday -- biz trips have been a problem for me in the past -- this is only 4 days so I can't lose that much ground, but want to stay OP while I'm gone.

They're shutting down my company for 2 weeks at Christmas due to bad economy -- I'm hoping we will have snow in the mountains by then so that I can try out my new xc skis and snowshoes.

[KristasMom]

Good afternoon, ladies.

I actually made it through Thanksgiving down a pound, and took a couple of extra days this week, to get some good rest. And I swam 0.5 mile every day but Tuesday. Then yesterday, I went back to work and ate 2 (count them - 2!) Snickers bars. I haven't had one for months. I don't know why - I little self-sabotage, I'm thinking here.
Lilion - wanted to tell you how impressed I was by all your hard work for Toys for Tots. And to say, last year, I was so impressed by your weight loss that I kept on program, and that I know you can do this. I hope that you're pleased that at least you've stopped not paying attention. For me, that's like the first step.

Heather - Got my fingers crossed for you.

Elaine - 2 weeks at Christmas sounds good - oh, yeah, I'm taking 2 weeks at Christmas! Although after the way I fell apart after 5 days off, I can see that I need to have some plan in place.

Talk to y'all soon. I leave for after work water aerobics in a half an hour, so I better get some work done.

Sue

[Lilion]

Sue, thank you for your kind words. TFT is the one charity I do anything for and I really do enjoy it, all the hard work notwithstanding. I swear, it takes me days to recover from that. As for the loss, thank you for that too...it makes me feel guilty at the moment though. After a horrendous day at work yesterday a few of us went out and blew off steam. Meaning fattening food and many drinks.... So today, the not paying attention last night has me feeling very VERY fat!

Ah well, life goes on and I go on with it. I figure at this point I've had more than enough of the "holiday" fare and it's time to get back to it, before I outgrow my fat clothes. So back in the saddle again! (With much coffee for my hangover.)

[KristasMom]

Gotta talk about my water aerobics instructors.
As a recovering addict (I don't drink any more, I don't smoke any more, the only way I like to eat pasta is the Never-ending pasta bar, and, yes, thank you, I will eat the whole box of oreos), I don't like change.
At over 300 lbs (and more years ago than I care to remember), during a bout of unemployment, I managed to stuff myself into a 28W swimsuit and took an arthritis exercise class with the senior citizens during the day. The instructor was a sweetie, funny and compassionate, and she commented when my suit started getting a little loose. Then I got a job, and yo-yoed for a couple of years between 260 and 285. When I decided to get serious about losing last year, she was still there.
But this time the bathing suit was a 2X, and the other people in the aerobics class were mostly younger than me. She was there through the "I'm sorry, I don't know when I'll be back, is there any way I can postpone my prepaid lessons" conversation when I got breast cancer.

But this year, she is coaching swim teams, and we have new instructors. So I signed up for drop-in passes (I don't trust pre-paid anymore). And the new suit is a 1X (yippy skippy!). I went to a couple of classes.
One of my instructors used to be a student. She's a young school teacher who was trying to take off 25 lbs so she could qualify for breast reduction surgery. She's there now, and will be meeting with a surgeon over the holidays. She's now an 8-10, and all the men stare at her Pam Anderson-esque figure, but her back hurts. She's sweet and kind and funny, and I hope she gets surgery during a break, cause I would hate to miss her classes.

The other new instructor teaches regular land-based aerobics as well. Her mother died of breast cancer, so she noticed my scars right away in the locker room. Last night, before class we were warming up in the hot tub, and she told me about her mom, and about how she's going to volunteer at the local Gilda's Club to teach a stretching and upper body strength class in honor of her mom. She had some questions about how the muscles feel when I work out vigorously.

You know, I'm a really lucky lady to have these people in my life, and I wanted to share them with my cyber friends.

Today, I tried Chobani Greek Yogurt instead of Fage. It has 18 g of protein in 100 calories, and 0 g of fat. Yummy.
Just, why can't it be as cheap as Dannon? Don't bother answering, I think I know the answer to that question.

Lilion - as a non-coffee drinker, does it actually help hangovers? The only thing that ever worked for me was flat Coke - which is another good reason to never drink again.

Well, I'd better go earn my living. Cheers to all.

Sue

[Heather]

Oh ladies, the week has been tougher than I thought! No binges at least, but no exercise either! I've been sick all week and dealing with another round of sick dog.

I'm hanging in there. We have a quiet weekend planned, and I'm hoping to kick my cold to the curb!

[KristasMom]

Heather - I'm sorry you have been sick - Like you, I've had a hard time getting exercise, although mine has been because of a bunch of life commitments. I took my 18-year-old to a cookiemaking party yesterday. She made her chunky brownie cookies, and we came home with a lot of snickerdoodles (the name is actually better than the cookie, and these were good cookies) and other goodies. But she was so mature and polite, and I was so proud to be able to introduce her to my friends and their kids. I guess we have been better parents than I felt like as we went through the process.

Today is another Christmas party - this one for a breast cancer survivor support group I belong to, and next weekend is 2 more parties (office Christmas party, and out with girl friends).

I used to eat too much all alone, so I'm hoping I can continue to eat rationally around others.

Take care, all, I have to go do my hair.

Sue

[flatiron]

Boy I just left my friends house and it was another test of will for me! It's getting so I am afraid to visit any relatives or friends because everybody has cookies, fudge, rumballs, fruitcake etc out for Christmas and it is hard to resist taking just one!

The REAL test will be next week when I visit my Mom, I know she will have her old family recipe for Divinity (fluffy white old fashioned candy) sitting out on the table!

SO far I have resisted but there is still 3 weeks to go. I know there is not much wrong with eating just one piece of fudge or a small piece of fruitcake but I know me, once I eat soime I will not be able to stop until I am sick!

[NoLifeWithoutHorses]

Hello old friends!

I just posted a long one on the main thread, but the short version is: Got a GREAT new job but it takes a lot of time, then broke my ankle, but just a little bit. End result, I got fatter again and am especially upset because I've lost 2 friends this year, one this morning. Pancratic cancer and massive heart attack. I'm feeling discouraged, hopeful, lost, desparate, frustrated, determined... but determined is too low on the list.

I'm back. Thanks for being here! LILION, HEATHER, ELMAY & SUE - I'm so glad to see you all! FLATIRON, I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

We're missing a few old troopers - where are TERRI & the rest????

BTW, does breath have an 'e' on the end if it's a verb?

[KristasMom]

Valerie - I am so glad to hear about the better job, although not about the ankle. Terri is in and out, as are all of us. Yes, to the spelling question.

Flatiron - I'm so glad you're here. I am also finding this whole holiday thing to be a drag. I really like getting to see friends, especially since most of their homes are so beautifully decked out and tidy at this time of year, but I do nibble. Many of these women are the skinnies, that I have been trying to model my eating behavior on, and I notice that they taste, but not a lot. And then they are very conservative at all their non-party meals. So I'm hoping that that is the trick I need - taste, and cut back elsewhere. I have parties next week too, so let's see how well I implement.

My weight program is going decent, although I must admit that this weekend was not so hot. After the cookie baking party, I vowed to myself that I would get up early Sunday morning, and go work out, not only because of the cookies, but because I knew that I was likely to eat Sunday afternoon. Long story short, I rolled over, but I sure didn't get up and exercise.
We were going to go to a fancy tavern, but the power was out, so we ended up going to Macaroni Grill. I had a green salad and the sole, which is unfortunately parmesaned and fried, so I asked for a taker-outer, and put half aside right away. I split a dessert with one of the other women - most of them were younger than me, so they don't have quite the same food issues.

And I had a cup of soup and a handful of leftover cookies for dinner, which wasn't optimal.

But, today is another day, and my workout clothes are in the truck, so I'll go the gym on my way home.
You know, sometimes I feel bad that I don't feel bad - I'm like Oh, well. I am back on program today, so I'm not going to beat myself up. But, my mom always used to say "The least you can do is feel guilty," and I don't.

[NoLifeWithoutHorses]

Thanks Sue for the spelling help. Heather I sure hope you're feeling better. Lilion, glad to hear that your Monday morning weigh in wasn't too bad.

I had a moderately decent 1st day back. Started with a real breakfast and that helped. One step at a time. At least there were no donuts, and when I got out of work I didn't hit any fast food - which I've been living on for the last 2 months. Yes, definately not perfect, but definately an improvement!!

Have a grand tomorrow every one, healthier than today!