Went back to WW last night....I am going the wrong way. All I have done this summer is gain..and that comes from zero effort on my part. I am not happy so it's time to re-evaluate and see what I can do to fix this. It was nice though becuase an old friend of ours from our meting came back last night and we had not seen her in months. The last time we saw her her father had passed away and then she broke her ankle and she just sort of stayed home and ate about it. In March she was 2 days away from Lap-Band surgery and chickened out...now she is back and we can all work together. I know I can do this...

Luan I will give you a call in a day or so. If this weekend is too chaotic we can reschedule. I'd come down on Saturday but I am slammed that day. No worries!

Do you guys ever get that feeling after having a good week, that it was a fluke, or that something is getting ready to mess it up? I'm finally feeling settled here, and have a schedule, and I feel like I'm just waiting for something to screw it up. In the past, it would be time for a party or trip, but since I have put a moratorium on those, I'm much calmer. When you've had a brain injury, you are constantly afraid that you've forgotten something or will misplace something, so having the house organized, and having my schedule fixed is every bit as important an accommodation as a wheelchair ramp is to someone in a chair. It's my version of a pantry purge. I needed it in place before I could focus on staying OP, and since I have it, sticking to the diet has gotten routine for me again. God, I hope it lasts.

Carol, just gotta say, the pic with you in the dress, you look so pretty!!! I think all the exercise is paying off cuz you look small!!

Debi, that's so wonderful that you've lost so well in those 6 months!! Keep it up!

Ratkity, have you tried the honey mustard? O my gosh! It is SO good!!!

toofatforu, congrats on the -10

Catherine, hope it lasts for you too!

There's a rant coming.......
Well, ok, I'm coming clean. I've got to get my act together. I've been fooling myself for a few months now. I haven't put in my all to lose weight. I've gained, and I'm ashamed to admit it. I'm back up to 291. UGH!! TOM is here AGAIN!!! I think the ups and downs and ups and downs have done my system in.
Sooooooooooo, with that said, I'm smacking myself up side of the head with a "What the heck are you doing to your body" question in my mind, and getting myself back on track as of today. I'm not waiting for Jim to go back to work,(he's been on vacation) I'm not going to buy that one last large Peanut M&M bag so I can dump it in the large Chex mix bag and pig out with a big glass of diet soda (like the diet soda does any good with a big bag of junk). I'm going to make sure I have fruits and veggies on hand at all times, and not allow all the crap back in. I'm going to start journaling again, and write down every last thing that passes these lips,I'm going to exercise daily, even if it kills me. I've worked way to hard to start gaining it back and feeling lousy while doing it. So, that's it. I would love to at least get to 250 by the end of the year. I don't want to go back on the meds that I fought so hard to get off of, cuz I can actually "feel" my blood pressure going up, and it's not a good thing.
With all that said, I feel better just owning up to what I've done to myself. I'm ready to kick some butt, mine.
Thanks for listening once again.
Hope everyone is moving and groovin'
Debbie

Heather: I am so happy that you posted. I have been wondering about you. Thank you for taking a minute to tell us you are fantastic and enjoying your trip!

Rat: Sorry that meeting was a bore. lol.

Debi, Johnnie, Julia: Thanks for helping this dummy know what to do. I will be sure to mention Joel if he does bring it up again. lol.

Leslie: Welcome back. Sorry you have gained a bit but at least you are back and back on track! Hugs to ya.

Rain Dancer: Welcome. I'm sure you will love it here. I adore these ladies and we are like a group of friends with something big in common. The support is amazing. Congrats on the weight you have lost so far.

Anne: Hugs sweetie.

Carol: I hope your party is wonderful as I'm sure it will be. You guys sure know how to throw a party don't you! I wish I could be with you and crash it. lol.

Angie: Woo hoo on the 100 miles goal being met! That is awesome. Don't fret about personals. Write when and to whom you choose. No one will feel slighted I'm sure. We all have things going on in our lives that we like to share and comment on. Some of us have more time than others. Some of us are more chatty than others (points to self). lol.

Bernice: Oh, I am so sorry about your keys getting a road trip. Hugs. Maybe you can find something around the house to keep you busy.

Patti: Woo hoo on loosing 10! Way to go hun.

Julee: It is so frustrating when we go the wrong way. Hugs. I'm proud of you though for not giving up. Good job.

Catherine: I honestly know how you feel. Hang in there and just try to enjoy the wonderful moment. You can do it! Great job being op.

DH forgot his phone this morning and needs it. lol. It is sitting on the counter so at 11:30 I am going to take it to him at work. Maybe spend some time with him for a bit on his lunch 1/2 hour. I weigh daily, crazy making. Lol. I am up 1/2 pound. Hopefully it is water weight. I went to Victoria's Secret yesterday and bought myself some lotion. It smells wonderful. It is called "Love Spell". I really like it and I feel so girly with it on. lol. I also purchased a cheap fake wedding ring from "Icing" It was only $7.50 but it is much more obvious than the tiny gold band I was wearing. My other rings are way too big for me now and I don't want to get them resized until I get to my goal weight. Hopefully this will help anyone who thinks I am lonely or alone. lol.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.
Blessings,
Annie

Debbie: Hugs hun. Glad to see you back and great job "confessing". I really believe that if we keep things in that we are doing, things we feel are a secret then they eat at us and build and snowball. Confessing things makes us free and then our minds can't hold it against us. You are doing the right thing to be accountable. I am proud of you. So you have gained back a bit. Now you can reverse that. You have the perfect attitude about your health. So, hugs and welcome back to the wagon! We are all rolling along in it together and when one of us slips the others will reach down and her up. You only have to yell, "Hey, I'm slipping here". Hugs.

Blessings to you,
Annie

Debbie - Here's my hand - grab it & I will help pull you back up. We all fall down from time to time, don't beat yourself up, just go forward from here.

Good morning!

Day 3 of being back in the saddle and I was soooo tempted not to go to the gym this morning. I laid in bed doing the typical rationalizing I have been doing these past several months but thankfully there was still a part of me that knew I'd feel better if I went to the gym rather than laying in bed for an extra half-hour, and that if I didn't go well then that was just one more day of giving up before I even got started. So, I made myself get up and go.

My new mission is to just get myself through one day and worry about tomorrow when it comes. It helps make the decisions and choices I make easier, I can try my hardest to do the right things today, and maybe tomorrow I won't.

I've decided to just do the old-fashioned calorie counting rather than tracking WW points. Seems a bit easier to me, we'll see how it goes.

Julia, Hello to a fellow Canadian! Although I've become Americanized from living here for several years. I look forward to getting to know you, too!

Rain Dancer - Hello and welcome! It's awesome that you are noticing changes in your body and feeling better. Those are great motivators for keeping on track.

Anne, somedays all you can do is go through the motions, but at least you are going through them! Sometimes that is the best you can ask of yourself.

Carol, wow, that's a lot of people! I get anxious when I have to cook for a dozen or so. Good luck! What are you planning to make?

Angie, congratulations on meeting your monthly exercise goal and keeping OP! You'll be reaching and surpassing that 10% goal in no time. As for personals, do whatever you feel or have time for. Sometimes I say something to everyone, sometimes I just come in and talk about my day, and sometimes I only call out a few people, it all depends! I don't think anyone really feels slighted - we all know how hard it is to keep up with such a fast-moving thread.

Debi, that's awesome that you have lost 60lbs in 6 months, and even better that you haven't even noticed the time go by. I hope to get to that point someday!

Rat, hey there! I'm so glad to see you still here and still losing - you are awesome! Friends and support definitely make doing this a whole lot easier - I'm glad to be back.

Bernice, don't you hate when you do things like that? At least you aren't locked out of your house AND your car - I have done that one before. I hope you have been able to find someone to help you out.

toofat, congrats on losing those 10lbs!

Julee, you are not the only one trying again. The important thing is not to give up and to surround yourself with support. You can do this!

Catherine, nope, you're not the only one who gets that feeling. I hope it goes away and you keep on with the healthy routine.

Debbie, there must be something going around because it looks like a lot of us have gotten fed up with ourselves and jumped back on the healthy bandwagon. You go girl! We can do this!

Annie, wow! You continue to be an inspiration to me. I'm so glad to see you looking so healthy and happy and taking care of yourself.

OK, I'm off to have my healthy, in-proportion lunch. Baby steps, baby steps ...

Lesley - Great job getting up & going to the gym.

Annie - The desire to have your wedding band on is toooo funny after being hit on! I am still wearing mine on a chain. It now fits past my knuckle I hope that it will fit by our 10 wedding anni in Oct. Would be nice to wear it again!

Totally distracted trying to make the list to pack for camping. Oooopps new Avon catalouge came in. Now even more distracted ordering new nail polish.

Ack! I meant to find time to post today and I have run out. I am out of town starting tonight until Monday afternoon, so I will be MIA. My BF and I (along with his step son and good friend) are heading to Connecticon - a local sci-fi convention. It should be a challenge to stay on plan, so wish me luck!

I was down a pound at my weigh in this week. It is ok, but I was really hoping to see more than that for a first week back. Oh well. The important thing is that I am heading in the right direction.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Debbie-We are only as sick as our secrets. Being able to admit publicly that you're having a problem will help it go away.

Annie-I have found duct tape the best way to handle wedding ring issues. Actually, I'm getting ready to buy this little device that helps with that. It kind of clips inside a ring giving it quite a bit of leeway. Here's a link to a picture of what I'm talking about. http://viewithere.com/ring_guard/ringguard.html

I went to the library, and got 12 new CDs to download. I'm taking a few things I ended up not liking off my mp3 player, and am getting ready to put a whole bunch of new stuff on. If they don't have a CD I would like to listen to, I just ask them to buy it, and the next quarter when they order stuff, they buy a copy. Hubby used to be on their board of directors, so they take my opinion when it comes to Contemporary Christian selections.

Catherine_ thanks you so much for that link. I had been thinking about trying to find one for my anv band. It was the only ring i could wear for a long time and now its big. I love being able to wear all my rings again.

debi

Debbie - You are in the process of turning the ship around. And you are beating me in the weight loss game!!

Off to pack up cookies for some folks at work (they have been busting a hump). I will try VERY hard to not listen as they call my name. And then...down to the basement for the last 11 miles of the month.

Type at ya later.
Angie

Just a few personals to get back in the swing of things…

Bernice – I’m sorry your day was ruined by the key incident. I’ve had my share of key mishaps myself. There was one episode that ended by using a metal yardstick slipped through the space between the window and the doorframe, poking the trunk release button on the dash and then crawling through the hatchback/backseat to release the door. I weighed a few pounds less that day.

Annie – You are so smart and always contribute good advice to everyone. I’ve been lurking about this week, trying to get and stay motivated. Then I read your post to Debbie about “confessing”. That said it all. Thanks for putting the right words together.

Lesley – Congrats on day 3! Your plan to worry about tomorrow when it comes is something I need to learn to do.

Toofat – 10 lbs is wonderful! Great job!

Nancy – 1 lb is a pound in the right direction! Have fun at the convention.

Congrats to everyone who is getting a chance to slip their rings back on newly slender fingers! It’s like getting to buy new jewelry when you can start to wear your favorites again.

If you're struggling to get back on or stay on the bandwagon, I’m there with you. Just look around this forum and we can see proof that perseverance will get results…one step, one day, one pound.

Annie, I do feel better about being honest with myself and all of you. It's the only way to get thru it and get back on track. Thanks for the hugs!!

Johnnie, thank you and I'm reaching!!!

Nancy, enjoy yourself and have a good OP weekend.

Catherine, your so right.

Angie, the stupid pirates keep gaining control of my ship and hijacking it!!!

I got out the DDR and did 30 mins and then went out and cut back blackberry limbs and raked up all the grass the man up the street had cut down for us. So I got some movement in. I'm not going to call in exercise. That seems to get to me, so for now, it's just going to be movement. Foodwise, not so great. Right now we have leftover stuff from when my family was here visiting, and it's not the best stuff. Tomorrow we go shopping, and I'll get my fruits and veggies so I'll have some stuff to munch on when I need munchies. It started raining too, so we had to come in.
Tomorrow is Jim's party for his friends on the night shift where he works. They'll probably be in the garage where the pool table and the card table will be. He's going to barbeque and people are suppose to bring things. I'm staying in the house. They can have their party down there where I don't have to clean up after them. LOL
Have a great night
Debbie