Jilly: Good for you. Jump right back on this wagon with us. Here is a hand if you need it!

Sharon: Great NSV's. Hang in there. Hugs to you.

Everyone: Hope you are all op and having a great Monday!

Blessings,
Annie

maybe we should proclaim today Ammie day!

Ammi!! Well done!!! :carrot: I posted in the Ammi lost 300lb thread!

- I'm in flemington which is close to homebush.. I love the blue mountains!! Especially mushie picking in Oberon.. yum yum. Are you in Wales UK now? wowzer!! How is it compared to sydney?

I totally know what you mean- I am trying to be positive as I can and take each pound off as a blessin. As for the MIL, Actually, that claming to be sick thing has worked before when it was something I really didn't want to eat!! But ppl always see right through me!!! I wish I was a good liar :p . BTW congratulations from the bottom of me heart, 100lb what an awesome milestone in your life. Celebrate!! :cheer:

Hey ladies -- I just wanted to mention that a new month is coming and that means a new month of exercise!! :woohoo:

If you're interested in getting into exercise, however much or little, now is a perfect time!

If you aren't aware of how it works, we all set individual exercise goals in terms of minutes for the month. You can set small goals, and that's encouraged if you're just starting out! Then, we track our own progress, but also keep a running total for the group! Last year we exercised almost 200,000 minutes as a group and I'm hoping to top that this year!

Check out the February exercise thread!

Chimichanga - Flemington, that has that huge market doesn't it? I have been there a few times :D Yes indeed I am in Wales UK now. I went from new South Wales to old South Wales :rofl: It doesn't compare to Sydney, but then I am biased. Swansea does have it's good points though, it's all very quaint, and the houses are like dolls houses. They'll never lose their novelty to me, nor going upstairs to bed :D

I'm a useless liar too, I always blush :lol: I guess as you are in the same boat as me with that then you will have to have that chat with her about your weight loss efforts and why you really NEED to be doing it :goodluck:

Thanks for the congrats, I saw your other post :hug:

Heather - thanks so much for the thread you started for me :hug: I really felt very moved reading all that people had written :yes:

Will post on the February exercise thread tomorrow when I have a bit more time.

Em - how are you doing with the Paul McKenna diet that's not a diet? Have you had another WI yet? :crossed: that it goes/went well :hug:

Patti - thanks for your PM :hug:

Time to go now, so take care all and THANK YOU again for all your wonderful kind congrats today :grouphug:

Hugs,

Ammi :crazy:

Just a quick note to say hi to all. I am op for the day.
:cb:
WAY TO GO AMMI! I am so proud of you.
til tomorrow chickies!

oh, last thing, does anyone know anything about the
fat loss 4 idiots program?

Originally Posted by dogpal:
Ais for Amazing! M is for Mind blowing! M is for Milestone of 100 pounds and 70 inches gone! I is for inspiration that you give to all of us! You rock Ammi. I am so proud of you! :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

I completely agree!!!!!!!!!!!! :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

Ammi -- You deserve the congrats. One thing I learned when I got to 100 pounds lost, it's not just for the person who lost the weight -- we ALL need to celebrate these achievements -- we learn it CAN be done!!!

you couldnt have said anything more true Heather... it is so important for us to realize that even though the road is long and bumpy, each of us can make it over the hill..... we just never can stop trying...

Brenda :wave:

Ammi - - YESS!!! finally someone can UNDERSTAND that I am constantly surrounded by food! :headache: Yes I do live in Flemington, right accross from the biggest food market in Australia. Not by choice mind you!! :lol: Ok maybe it was one of the perks, admittedly. HAHA new to old ... nyah hah!! :p My boss is from wales so I've seen photos and the like, its gorgeous. Lots of hilly hills and cliffy cliffs to hike on!! Ammi, tell us, what kept you motivated week after week to get so very far?? :woops:

THE OLD AMMI: :dancer:
THE NEW AMMI: :cb:
She's doin' so FINE! * :woohoo: * She's a ray of sunSHINE!

:carrot: MY STARS, ANNIE!! :carrot:
YOU'RE GETTIN' SEEEEEEERIOUS, MY FRIEND!!!
:bravo: ON THE 9.4!!!
THAT is an absolutely SSSSSSSssssssssMOKIN! number for just a week.

I hope the rest of you ladies are doing well too!!!

I just found a pic of me with Gabe back when I was still 340 pounds. Gee. What a surprise. I've decided to wait until spring when I can get a new pic with him, and I'll post them both so we can compare. It's just one more thing that I can use for motivation between now and then.

HORSE UPDATE: I had a rider up on Gabe this weekend. It had a few interesting moments when a nearby flock of Canada geese were startled and leapt into the air squawking, but after a few seconds things were back to normal. He's such a good boy. I'm really getting a fierce itch to be riding him myself.

ALSO, I had my little Stephanie, who will be 9 next month, up on a horse she's never ridden before. She's getting gutsier, cuz she just rode right off on him without asking to be led at first like she used to. I had the girl who owns the horse (who is also a former student of mine) work with Steph. It was a proud day for me, to see them both doing so well, having come so far. I tell you, my feathers were all fluffed up. Steph's first show is coming up. Apparently she didn't realize SHE was actually going to SHOW that day. She thought we were just going to take the horse with us and go watch it - HA! Now I'm not sure whether she's more excited or more scared. She wants to practice practice practice!

Disappearing again..... but I'll be back, and I'm thinking of you and wishing you each success - in all it's many forms!

I have to second what Heather said that it is a celebration for Ammi and for us too. I remember a year or more ago when you struggled, went away from the boards for a bit, and came back. But look at you now. Ammi, you truly do represent all of us who have gotten discouraged at some point during the journey. You are proof to me that it is possible to turn yourself around and achieve big things in weightloss.

Thank you so much for participating in this board. I can only imagine the number of people you are inspiring. Not just those of us who post, but the many who lurk. We love ya, girl! :)

Jill-I have heard more people get off the track because of being sick. Don’t beat yourself up, just hop back on the horse.

Sharon-that goes for you too. I’ve fallen off the horse so many times that there’s a permanent dent in the paddock. Of course if I was a horse and saw someone my size coming at me, I’d bolt.

Ammi-I knew you were going to do it. It took me 200 pounds to lose 20” off my hips. I will pass the Congrats onto the hubby. He just found out today that the University of Manchester (where he does some research collaboration) is putting his name forward for next year’s MBE. He gets that, and we’ll have to buy the unit next door just for his head.

Sandy-I have heard of similar diets, especially the half-week diet where you’re on for 3 ½ days and off the rest. It is supposed to be good for breaking plateaus. The one you’re talking about concerns me because they specifically say that 2-3 pounds a week that you might lose on Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers isn’t fast enough. I would love to be able to lose 20 pounds a month, but I know that’s not healthy, my doctor says it’s not healthy, and every time I’ve lost that fast, I’ve regained it in short order. This is the way it was explained to me by a nutritionist who had a life sized model of 5 pounds of fat on her desk. It had lots of blood vessels, and you don’t think of fat being like that. When you cut a dog’s nails, you have to cut just short of the vessel, and wait a week for the blood vessel to retreat back before you can cut it again. The reason that we loose weight almost like Swiss cheese is that the fat closest to the blood vessel is easiest to metabolize first. With time those blood vessels that are no longer needed will retreat. Until they do, they are like a superhighway to “re-feed” those shrunk fat cells. This is why it becomes easier to keep your weight off if you can keep it off for 3 years. After that, if you want to re-gain the weight, you have to re-grow the blood vessels. That being said, any diet you can stick to you can lose weight on, just find the one that is right for you.

Now, I promised to post something about Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity with Self-Talk Tips to Help you ‘Exercise’ Positive Thinking by Michelle Cederberg, MKin, BA Psyc.

1. Focusing only on the problems. This is the essence of complaining. We tend to dwell on the problem instead of solutions. “I can’t find time, I’m too tired, I can’t afford it, there are no good facilities near my home…” Instead Assume that most problems have solutions, and ask, “How do I want this situation to be different?”

2. Expecting the worst. “What if I exercise and I don’t lose weight?” only promotes anxiety and does not encourage effective behaviour (like focusing on each exercise session.) Instead Talk yourself toward positive outcomes. “How can I ensure I get to each workout?” or “What activities do I really enjoy?”

3. Thinking in absolutes. This type of thinking (using words such as must, always, or never) exaggerates reality. The statements “I always eat too much” and “I must exercise at least an hour to make a difference” will be untrue most of the time. Instead Replace exaggeration with more accurate words such as “I often eat more than I need to, but I can change that.” Or “A small amount of exercise is better than none at all.”

4. Shoulds. Words such as should have, ought to, must, have to imply a consequence that if you don’t follow through, you will feel guilty. “I should get to the gym more often” or “I have to eat fewer sweets” equates to every time you don’t comply, you’ve done poorly. Instead Replace these words with “could” and realize the power of choice. “I could get to the gym, if I leave work on time.”

5. All or Nothing. “If I don’t lose 20 pounds this time, I’m canceling my gym membership and eating anything I can get my hands on.” Thinking in extremes distorts our reality. If we’re not achieving the top of the class, we must be bottom of the barrel. Instead Recognize that there are always options that range from positive, to negative, to in-between. With weight loss, it’s good to be reminded that you can’t get to 20 pounds of weight loss without first losing one, then five, then seven, then 10 pounds.

6. Negativity. People will often say things like “I’m fat” or “I’m weak” or “I’m lazy” as a means of poking fun at themselves (usually out of discomfort). Saying these types of things makes them part of your identity. Instead Change your negative “I am” statement into a statement about behaviours. “I make healthy food choices.” Or “I am becoming fitter.” You can change a behaviour much easier than an identity.

Tomorrow I’m going to post tips on how to kick your metabolism into high gear so stay tuned.