Good morning!
Betsy, so glad you are going to go to the party! Your tenderloins sound yummy. What did you marinade them in?
Silent, I like your positive attitude about exercise. I need to focus on doing it for health and fun because for weightloss the calories burned are so low.
Fi, interesting thoughts on exercise. I do need to improve in this area. I think a schedule will be important for me but like you I am also interested in others opinions.
Yesterday was a sunny and warm (36 degrees) day. My daughter and I scraped the layer of ice off our driveway. Two years ago it would have been hard instead this year it was fun. I am noticing more NSV when it comes to being active in our daughters life. She is my motivation!
I have a brunch buffet to go to today. Mixed feelings on that. Love the company, worried about food choices. I know what will be there but I also know me.
How is everyone doing?

Welcome back Donna!
We posted at the same time. I had to laugh at your bag lady comment! Same here... I am a plain Jane. I wonder if it is about spending $ on myself? Not wanting to take the time? Unsure of a style? I tell my girls they should care about how they look but that I am an old lady so no one cares. That is awful! Well, looks like I have another project to work on this year. Time to spruce up the old grey mare!

Good morning. Just looked out the window, and I was looking at the top of the clouds/fog/mist/whatever is going on outside. I live on the side of a steep ridge, but have never seen the top of the fogbank before. Very whispy and calming.

SilentArctic -- Oh yes, the cravings. And it's never a craving for a piece of raw cauliflower, is it! We're all works in progress, so you're in good company. I laughed at needing to get back to the house as you didn't have walking the dog as an excuse any more. Think of it as walking the dog was your exercise commitment for the day.

Fi -- Interesting thoughts on exercise and whether to schedule or not. The schedule free part of retirement is both a help and hindrance in my experience. The help being that I now have time to exercise (totally understand your discovery about giving to others even without kids to take care of). The hindrance part of it is just what you said -- I hate to "schedule" anything. I finally got myself into a "routine" so that there's no scheduled time other than I go to the gym in the morning. And in the afternoon I'm beginning to take walks with Toby. The thing that got me into my routine is that these activities are centered around meals. I "can't" have lunch until I've gone to the gym and I can't begin to fix supper until I've walked the dog. Don't know if that helps, but having a time frame instead of a set time has allowed me the mental freedom that retirement allows but also helps to make sure I actually get the exercise done. As much as I hate to admit it, I can tell a significant difference when I don't exercise.

Donna -- Yes, we missed you. So glad to see you back posting. Your family sounds like they cherish you and are being very supportive in your new you efforts. And, yes, having the holidays over with is a relief. I've already put all of the Christmas decorations away -- actually did it on the 26th. In terms of middle age. Well, once I got over the shock, it turned out to be the beginning of what has easily turned out to be the best years of my life. No more of the big shocks in life because we've been through just about everything once. We know who we are -- or at least have an idea of who we want to be. We have more confidence and the small hurts in life that would have devastated us in our teens and 20s hardly get noticed. I'm in my mid-60s now, and I can honestly say that I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. Hope the same holds true for you -- actually for everyone.

Ubee -- I marinate the pork tenderloins in whatever strikes my fancy -- teriyaki, Italian garlic, sometimes just some salad dressing. Good luck with the buffet -- know what you mean about having trouble with the food choices!

Toby is showing signs of becoming house broken -- big cheer here! Yesterday I tried to start getting back on plan. There were a couple of bumps, but mentally I'm beginning to turn that corner and get back in the game. Just one more holiday party, and then the holiday season and its focus on gorging will be over. Hope you all have a wonderful day!

betsy lol walking the dog was not sufficient exercise to be considered working out, he was old and the walks were short and he hates hills/stairs as much as I do. (if not more... poor guy has arthritis) but yeah not feeling the greatest to housework did not get tended to instead I took a nap. I have some errands to run still too and its already dark outside again.

ubee - that's how I feel about it, Unless you are a TOTAL gym junkie (i have gone through phases where I excercised in the morning and then still went to the gym 2 hours in the evening ... that's the only time excercise really helped me drop lbs but that kind of lifestyle isn't really sustainable for me, working out 3 hours a day... and working full time and having anything else going on...

Ta-Da! I survived the buffet! I did well if I must say so myself!
Betsy, glad Toby is almost there. I also am so ready to get back in the game!
Silent, yup! I am not a gym junkie. It is not part of my makeup. I find I do best when I make up jobs, like move the wood pile from one spot to another.
Does anyone ever read old threads and notice in the post that they never made it far and quit? It makes me so sad. I wish there were more maintainers to use as examples. I guess it will have to be us for the future!
Where is everyone and how are you doing?

Ubee, Well done for resisting death by vol-au-vent! I am going quite grey and came to the conclusion that I needed a better look so I took the plunge and had a brown tint with some highlights......it means the grey doesn't show quite as much. The wierd thing is I loked at photos from when I was in my early 30's and my skin has changed at all!! I am blessed with good genetics in the skin department!
Besty thank you so much for our words of encouragement.I guess I am a bit sensitive to aging because I have some health challenges and my Mum was old at 50 and I am really aware of not becoming like her.
Me and the youngest went swimming today as my knee is really on the mend!
I have made the decision to go back to helping in Junior school as I really enjoyed it last year and would like to work in a school when my health finally improves.
Does any body have plans for new year?
I have to say that I usually don't stay up to see the New Year in ....never have done really as I always volunteered to work New Year' Day.
Any New Year's reolutions you feel like sharing???
Mine are all related to making an effort with my appearance!
God Bless

mw - I'm working on some, not sure I'll formalize them as official resolutions basically it is all stuff I should do no matter what. Get my house cleaner, work on my weight loss, just get a handle on me and my life.

Ubee - I enjoy it but I have other things that I need to get done, so I can't live at the gym. Honestly I could do without the housework ;) I'd totally do extra workouts if it meant not having to do housework, unfortunately life doesn't work that way ;)

I was feeling super low energy yesterday and didn't end up leaving the house. The lack of activity caused a jump in the scale (okay and the crackers I gave into eating!) saw 320 again this am. A little frustrated with myself but today is a work day so I was 'forced' to at least walk to work.

I have a couple parties to go to tomorrow to ring in the new year . Hopefully I can survive those without eating too much off plan foods. The champagne/wine however will be enough calories on its own to be risky lol :)

Good morning, ladies. I can feel a long post coming.......we all know that I'm never at a lack for words!

SilentArctic -- If you were up and moving, you were exercising even with an old arthritic dog who avoids steps and hills (smart dog!). It finally dawned on me that the days when I cut the grass, weed, do the trimming, etc. counts as my exercise. Since I hate cleaning so much, I give myself lots of exercise points for getting through that -- I figure the emotional burden from doing something I abhor takes off at least an additional 50 calories. Next week, I'm going to work on how to eat cheesecake 3 times a day and not gain weight! ;) Oh, if only it were so! I loved that you took a nap instead of cleaning. What's that saying -- you will never see "I wish I had spent more time cleaning" on anyone's tombstone.

Ubee -- Ta-Da is right -- good for you!!!! Glad you survived the buffet. Buffets were developed as torture devices for people on diets. And I love your exercise development approach -- move the wood pile from one place to another! While I do exercise at the gym, it's my social interaction for the day as well......living alone is both a good and bad thing. Yes, I've noticed the same thing about some of the threads. I think one of the reasons that there are so few maintainers posting is that there are so few maintainers in number. That didn't make sense -- what I was trying to say is that not many people are actually successful at maintaining, and if they backslide, they stop posting. We will definitely have to set a new standard for offering comfort and support for those still on the journey.......in about three years!

Donna -- Nothing wrong with being sensitive about aging -- we all go through that phase. I'm finally beginning to get some wrinkles and have started taking much better care of my skin (might have helped to do this 20-30 years ago!). Glad you gave yourself a lift with a new hair color -- sounds pretty. And having good skin is definitely a blessing. Is anyone else finding that as we lose weight, we're beginning to care about our appearance more again? I'm even back to refusing to leave the house unless I at least have on eye liner and mascara. Glad your knee is on the mend and volunteering at school sounds great. In terms of resolutions -- my only one is to keep on track and keep losing weight.

Does anyone else get really excited when they discover a new food that is on plan and they like? I love flavored yogurts, but had pretty much given them up because of the high carb/sugar content. Every article said to eat a sugar free yogurt. Well, that's fine if I want to go into the yogurt making business, but I hadn't been successful in finding one. Yesterday at the market I happened to look on the top shelf of the dairy case, and there was a yogurt called CarbMaster that Kroger puts out with 60 calories and 4 g of carbs. And, they only cost 40 cents each (6 ounces). I'm in heaven. I bought 10, but wish I'd bought 20. I just had one for a light breakfast to see what they taste like, and they're good. So, that's one more thing to help me get back in the groove.

Hope all of you have a good day. Time for the gym and the never ending problems at the Co-op.

Good day!
Donna, it is a blessing to have good skin genetics. My mom and aunts always were beautiful. My skin I may have ruined. I am not giving up. The healthy fats I am adding to my diet should help me out. I think it is great that you will be helping out at school. I always weighed less when I was working or volunteering.
Silent, I so do not like housework. I think you may be my twin born a generation later. I am hoping with my new grain brain way of eating I will have more energy. When I lost my first 20 percent of my starting weight I never got the energy everyone talks about. Have fun at your parties. I will go out with my husband for an on plan meal and early to bed.
Betsy, thank God for your lack of words! Thanks for the yogurt tip. My fridge is full of my favorite yogurt that is not on my new plan and I was just thinking of how much I will miss it. Oh darn we don't have a Kroger in the midwest. Time to make my own... yea right. What is the latest at the co-op?
My New Years resolutions need to get firmed up. I agree with Silent and Fi, I may be too passive so I am going to set some goals!
1. Do flylady everyday to keep my house in order.
2. Be more financially mindful.
3. Take care of my families health with tough love!
4. Take pride in my appearance. (Thanks, Donna)
How is everyone doing?

Ubee I have also avoided the sun (factor 50 anyone?) and have never smoked.Added to the fact that I have never been able to afford exotic holidays!
Bizarrely I quite enjoy housework (though you may never notice if you were to come to my house!) I find it very satisfying ......something to do with not working at the moment!
I am hoping to get back into regular fairly energetic dog walking again soon......knee permitting. At least it is free!
Do you know what I wish??? I wish there could be a face-to face-over - cup of -coffee group of overweight ladies in their 40's and 50's I could meet up with...his cyber stuff is all very well but I do wish I could meet you all!!
Happy New Year my lovelies.

Donna, I was wishing today we could all go to the gym and encourage each other!
I am getting some energy today! It is like I am getting my weightloss mojo back!
Bonus day- I just found a local place that sells grass fed beef with no antibiotics or growth hormones. AT A REASONABLE PRICE!!!

I really long to be the girl in my profile photo... That's 20lbs down and a bunch of carefully blown out hair, and expertly applied makeup. And just the right angle. I felt pretty that day, that was almost 2 years ago. I still remember how the pretty felt. That sounds wierd but I do... maybe I need to join in the "put more effort into my appearance" resolutions. :-|

Silent, YOU ARE SO PRETTY!
I remember feeling pretty. It feels good. There have been times when I have walked past the mirror and been shocked. Some days I am a beauty queen in my soul.
I think to get to 300+ we needed to turn a blind eye to some things as a survival/coping mechanism. Does that make sense?

I'm reading a great book on...well, it's hard to describe what it's about. I would say that so far it's about how to co-exist peacefully with one's thought patterns—thought patterns about eating, about exercise, about losing weight, about housework, about everything. Instead of being a self-help book, it seems like a book on not needing self-help books anymore. It's Amy Johnson's Being Human. It's already helping me feel more at peace, and I've only read a few dozen pages. It's the kind of book you want to stop reading frequently, just to absorb what the author is saying. It induces a state of mindfulness, a state of relaxed meditation.

My diet is going well, and I'm still binge-free. I just realized today that while going on the Atkins diet and sticking to it carefully was the cause of my binge behavior—my "storm eating," to use Brooke Castillo's phrase—that's actually not a bad thing. It's like I got all my self-sabotaging eating under one roof—cookie binges—which made it easier to deal with. Once Kathryn Hansen's Brain Over Binge showed me how to get rid of my urges to binge, and I did so, now I feel at peace with the diet. I'm still eating a half-cup of muesli once a day, to keep me from getting depressed, but that seems OK for the time being. I may cut back on that and only eat a quarter of a cup: I'm playing it by ear.

Meanwhile, I have a goal to get my piles of books & papers in the living room tidied up before the new year comes in—kind of a reverse next-year-itis, to use Ubee's phrase. Wish me luck!

Ubee— I think you're onto something about how "we turn a blind eye to some things as a survival/coping mechanism" on the way to getting to 300+. I also know that I could never have lost 56 lbs. so far if I had not opened my eyes to self-acceptance. For me, at least, self-acceptance was the key step to beginning my weight loss. Because it's hard to observe your own behavior, in order to change it, if you have your eyes closed to the fact that you are a beautiful human being—just as you are, wherever you are. Weight loss and exercise are gifts that we give ourselves, out of a place of self-love. Corny, perhaps, but for me it's the truth.

silentarctic— Right now you are the person in your profile picture—a gorgeous woman! Just as I am the happy and cute little blonde girl on this page. Being fat, being middle-aged, whatever, doesn't mean that our inner beauty is not still shining out of our eyes.

Donna— I like your New Year's resolution about paying more attention to how you look—not because you need to look any differently from where you are, but because it will make you feel better about yourself every time you see yourself in the mirror. And your new hairdo sounds fabulous!

Betsy— Please don't ever hold back on your words, because I don't want to be the only one of us who's wordy. =grin= I love your idea that we will still be here, offering comfort and support, three years from now. We can be the Formerly 300+ Maintainers Society, holding out a light of hope for other people. Because the journey won't stop when we get to our goal weight: we'll still be in process, learning how to live happily in our new bodies...

Hey there. I'm new here and wanted to jump right in. *waves*