Hey girls!
Well today was day 2 and it was a great one. I didnt feel hungry at all (which is amazing *L*) I just wanted to pop in and update before I go get ready for photography class. I took NO pictures this week. Its always on the weekend and this weekend was nutso so I'm kind of disappointed there. OK well :hug: to those that aren't doing so well and :cheer: to those that are. I'll have more time tomorrow....
Brenda :wave:

Simone: Good. I'm glad that you have things in control. Hugs.

Michelle: Feel better really soon. Hugs.

Emily: Yea Emily. Way to go girl.

Brenda: Have a fun time in class!

Patti: Hugs. Sorry you had a bad weekend.

Blessings all,
Annie

Ya know, I think it's just a yucky Monday. Everyone at work was grouchy, lots of us have been struggling.
I just want everyone to know I really appreciate everyone being so candid and supportive. Y'all are the best!
Ammi~Hang in there, Sweetie, you'll be ok. Tomorrow is a new day. :hug:

:headache:

I am sitting here under two blankets just shivering. It is so cold out, and the walk from the bus stop was just about above my threshold today. We went for Chinese food. It seems like the colder it gets the more food we both want to eat. That’s got to be primal, caveman stuff somehow. This week is also the 16th anniversary of my injuries/attack. It’s brought up so many feelings and fears. I have to remind myself that making changes in my life to become healthier isn’t just about physical, but also about mental. I wouldn’t be in the mess I am today if my mouth wasn’t connected to my brain. There is a support group here run by the Mennonite’s Newcomers center that is for torture and trauma survivors. My husband wants me to go, but I didn’t think I had the right to be in a group with people who were tortured in a Chinese prison or gang raped in Bosnia. I sedated myself with food for the first 12 years after my attack. I have to learn to live without that crutch, and not replace it with some other one. Sometimes I feel like if I don’t hang on really tight, that I will just lose touch with gravity and float off the Earth. And yes, I’ve had lots of therapy, but there aren’t any easy solutions for PTSD. So I’m just going to start again tomorrow, and white knuckle it the best I can.

Catherine: Hugs to you sweetie. We won't let you go floating off. We need you to be here. We love you. So sorry you are going through stuff right now. Hang on tight. You are absolutely right about the colder you are the more you want to eat according to "You on A Diet" I just read it last night. It said that our matabolism slows down when we are cold to save the fat etc. that we have for energy to keep warm. Before I read that in the book I knew that though because when it is winter time growing up we always fed the horses and cows more to help keep them warmer. So, you are right. Hope the Chinese food was yummy. I haven't been able to find any really good Chineese food since we moved here. Oh well, I guess it will be even more of a treat when we go down to visit my parents if we have it there. Any way, just wanted to say hi and hang in there tight.

Bless you,
Annie

Hi everyone
Well i managed to miss 2 days of threads due to work. this post will be brief, but wanted to say hi and that i totally understand the food issues we all go through!
Im actually doing well this week. i will find out how well when i weigh wednesday. ive missed posting but last week was crazy for me, so hopefully i will be back more regularly this week.
hang in there, everyone. we can do this:)
Have a good night:)

Chimichanga - That picture reminds me of someone who is constipated. I'm not sure if that is your problem, or whether you are just not happy with life at the present. Whichever it is, I truly hope things improve for you soon.

Catherine - I don't know the background of the cause of your stress, but it sounds as though you have had your fair share of things (and MORE) in your life and I am just REALLY glad that you have found a wonderful partner to share your life with now and who seems to understand what you are going through. It sounds as though something horrific happened to you, and I am not surprised that you used food as a crutch. People have used far worse things to survive a trauma. I am impressed that you have come so far since then, and I am sure that you will find the strength to continue living as healthy life as you can. There will be bumps along the way, but you seem like the sort of person who will ride through those times and come out the other side prepared to continue the journey.
I am truly hoping for warmer weather for you soon. I can only imagine the temperatures that you must be getting at the moment and I am not sure I could live with that at all. I am SO glad that my hubby chose to come and live in Western Australia with me, rather than asking me to go and live in Canada. It is a beautiful place to visit (in the summer), but I'm not sure I could cope with the winters.

Annie - I have seen "You on a Diet" in the stores over here and I think I may have to buy it. It sounds as though it has lots of hints and tips, as well as just basic information. I really like knowing WHY things happen, so that I can understand my body more.

Brenda - Well done on Day 2!! Before you know it, Day 3 will have flown by. I hope you find time this coming weekend to take some pics. That is one of the reasons we go to the zoo so often. Hubby takes LOTS of pics. I would take them too, but I just like the wandering and telling him what I want photos of.

Emilymay - I take my hat off to you, being able to exercise for an hour after work. I am definitely not at my best in the afternoons/evenings. I have certainly worked out then, and did so on a daily basis while I was losing weight, but now that I have a choice, I try to get most of my exercise in during the morning. Preferably as soon as I get up. I do manage to walk home from school most afternoons, but that is only a 10 minute brisk walk, and I have afternoon tea to look forward to, which always gives me that added incentive.

Michelle - I'm sorry to hear that you haven't been well. I hope you can find a good doctor there who can help you out.
I understand what your system must be going through with all that fast food that it isn't used to. I have almost given up on fast food because of that. It isn't as though I worry so much about my weight (although I know it doesn't help with losing weight) but it is more about the way it makes me feel afterwards. Good luck with buying lots of fresh food to make your own meals with. It must be quite the novelty to just be able to duck out to stores and buy whatever you need.

Ammi - I am sorry you have been struggling lately. I think you are right about just having a brief respite from it all and going a little easy on yourself. I never really did that when I was losing weight, but maybe I should, because then I would have an alternative plan for times like this when I have had a little weight creep back on and I'm not sure what to do (other than cut WAY back on my eating) to get rid of it. If you have this little break, and get your thoughts/emotions all sorted out, then you will probably be more willing to get back on track in a little while. I truly hope that you are not kicking yourself too much about how you have been going and that you realise it is just temporary. Good luck with getting back on track tomorrow. But remember... if you want to have another 'rest' day, then do so. A few days are not going to break all of the good work you have been doing.

Simone - The fact that you are acknowledging those behaviours and are willing to deal with them before they get too much out of control is a MAJOR step in the right direction. I hope that things settle down for you soon and you can continue working on your new lifestyle.

Jane - Welcome!!!! I hope you enjoy it here. You will certainly receive all of the support, friendship and encouragement that you could possibly want here. Please let me know what the Dream Girls CD is like. I have only seen snippets here and there, but it looks great! I may have to look at getting that one myself. I saw an adorable teddy holding a rose the other day and hubby bought it for me for Valentine's Day, so I can't wait to actually 'get' it tomorrow. I will have to take it to school to show the kids.

Jill - I am SO glad that you are feeling better. I hope you have a lovely time at the Cheesecake Factory. It is funny hearing people talk about going there for a meal, because our Cheesecake shops over here JUST sell cheesecake. It is amazingly delicious though!!!!!
It always amazes me that people have "snow days". I can't imagine not being able to go to school because it is snowing. Mind you... I've never actually seen snow fall, so that shouldn't surprise anyone. We have a ruling (well, maybe just an understanding) over here that if the weather is over 40C (104F) for 3 days in a row, then the parents can keep their child home on the third and consecutive 40+ days. We don't get many times that this actually happens, and we don't get many parents taking us up on the offer either.

Heather - It is good to hear that you have gained back control of your eating. I knew it wouldn't be long, but I understand how frustrating it must have been for you. When I have been 'hormonal' I have been amazed at the eating habits I've had for a couple of years now that I have just wanted to throw out of the window.
I will add my minutes to the exercise thread in the next day or so. I'm keeping track of them in my diary, but haven't been posting them.

Now... as for me... I am still flumoxed about why my weight is going UP instead of DOWN. I have spoken to Jodie (dietician friend) and she has recommended a natural therapy to try and sort out my hormones. She says that it works for her and she knows it has worked for other people, so I am certainly willing to give it a go. I truly feel as though a lot of this is due to hormones. If I knew I had been pigging out, or not exercising, then I would know what I had to do to lose it again. But at the moment, I think it would be harmful to exercise any more than the average 60/70 mins a day I am doing, with one rest day a week if I am lucky. I also don't want to cut down too much on my food, as Jodie has already told me that I may not be eating enough of some things, and I am not sure I want to cut back too much anyway, because I LOVE my food and I hate the thought of having to starve, when I have done so well just eating healthy portions of healthy food.

It could be that my body is adjusting to the new exercise it is getting on the CrossTrainer/Elliptical. I am able to do more on it now, so I actually did 50 minutes this morning. Oh... Lilion - I was reading where you said that you walked UPHILL for your workout on the elliptical. I couldn't work out how you did that, and I then realised that I had been walking uphill most of the time I have had this piece of equipment (since Saturday). After my first two short bursts on it, I asked hubby to move the front up a couple of notches. For some reason I thought that would even my stride out, but it actually had me going uphill. Well DUH!!!!!! Now you can all see why I only teach Elementary kids. Anyone higher would run rings around me!

Anyway... things are going pretty well other than the weight issue. I actually feel pretty good, and am eating and exercising well. Things are a little busy with work, but that is pretty normal for the beginning of the year. I had to go to Professional Development all day yesterday, and this evening is the Parent/Teacher night, and tomorrow we have a staff meeting, and next Monday and Tuesday are more days of PD. That could be it for the next couple of weeks, but I'm not really sure. I don't know whether it is old age, or just WAY too much to think about, but I am sure that more information is getting OUT of my head that is actually getting INTO it. So I often have to be reminded about what is going on around the place.

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to the new week.

Take care,

Zelma

I have to go shovel snow before it gets taller than my boots, but I just wanted to give everyone a big :hug:

Ammi, don't fret about a few "blip" days. I get what you mean about not wanting to be so strict all the time. I have problems when I hit those big milestones. I am only finally feeling like I am more in control, over 3 months after reaching "non-obesity". The good news is that over those 3 months I've maintained my weight, something I would have never thought possible in the past.

Catherine -- You are so right about this being a mental journey, and you have come so far on that journey already! :hug: to you.

Zelma -- Dreaded hormones might very well be the cause. I'm with you on not wanting to increase the exercise or decrease the food. Although you've gained, I don't think it's at all likely you will gain it ALL back as long as you keep with your new habits. That's something I tell myself frequently.

Okay ladies, off I go to shovel (and don't worry, Annie, I am careful! Thanks for caring!!)

Crock -- GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN! :hug:

How are you doing????

Zelma, I don't really walk "uphill" on my elliptical, because mine doesn't have an incline, which apparently yours does. Mine has a "hill program" where it gradually increases resistance until it's fairly high (the difference between walking on flat land and walking up hill) and then gradually takes it back down. I know some ellipticals come with both resistance and incline, which apparently yours does. I don't think I ever want to do incline! :lol:

Catherine: :hug: Hang in there dear! We all love you and are here for you anytime you need to talk things out! This will pass and life will go on, better than ever! :hug:

Chimichanga: I was lurking and read your post before you edited it. You confessed, you're forgiven. Now forgive yourself and get back on track! Stumbling isn't the end of the world and isn't a failure unless you give up! :hug:

Hey Crock~! Welcome back! :D

Heather - so it's snowing where you are too, huh? I'M SO READY FOR SPRING!

Got to run! Later ladies! :D

Lilion -- Ditto on the spring thing. So many people say they can't wait for March, when spring arrives. Around here March is just a big old tease -- it will probably be cold and snowy/rainy -- I don't think we'll see spring till April. :(

First round of shovelling done.

Hello!

I think I am the only person that can binge on ricecakes! I got home from rehearsal last night ( I am a stage manager at a local theater) and I ate eight ricecakes! I guess it isn't the food that bothers me as much as the behavior! Pigging out is pigging out whatever you eat!

The weather is supposed to get pretty bad here this afternoon, 8-12 inches of snow...guess I better go stock up on ricecakes!!! LOL.....

Have a great one and thanks for welcoming me into the fold!

Jane

hi crock! where oh where is Ammi is she playing on the DS again?!