I know I'm doing good with the 9lb lost so far.. But I feel so fat right now. No one but you guys in this group know what it feels like to not be able to fit in a chair correctly. I struggle so bad.
Ubee.... you're right, no perfect adults... just perfect kids, lol.
Sandruca, aren't tickers fun?!
Betsy, sounds like a tough week, but especially those of us who are heavy are sensitive to water weight fluctuation. Everyone here understands, and I just hope you feel better, and know you're not alone. We've all had our "ups." HANG IN THERE!
Hanging in there... looking forward to climbing on the scale in the morning. No big deal if it hasn't moved, but no surprise if it does go down a bit. So far Christmas festivities haven't attacked and force fed me. But I'm still on the lookout! I'll be taking a class for my Federal Securities license the same time as my FAVORITE holiday party, which makes me a little sad, but it will also protect me from an inevitable binge! I missed TG because I was so sick, and my family is out of town. So I dodged the welcome-to-the-holiday-season opening binge. I could have gained 5 pounds by now, but I lost them instead. THAT is a kick-kiester good start to winning over a would-be disaster, so I better not waste it!
Location: from Houston, TX—now in Maryland (Washington DC area)
Posts: 1,167
S/C/G: 351/267/140
Height: 5'3"
Well I made through Day 15 of no emotional eating (halfway there!) without any cookie cravings at all, thanks to the Powers That Be. Still having some depression pain every afternoon, but I've been tracking the intensity levels, and they're steadily going down since the change in my meds. I'm crossing my fingers that some time in the next few days it will go away completely. Spent the whole evening cutting out lots of teensy little parts for a complicated collage, while listening to my favorite deejay's rock-n-roll show: thoroughly enjoyable!
Val— Macadamia nuts are indeed yummy, but I'm into them these days because Dr. Atkins's book points out that they have the lowest proportion of carbos of all the nuts. It sounds like you're on a good track toward losing a bit before the serious Christmas onslaught of temptations: good luck with your weigh-in tomorrow! What's a Federal Securities license? Is that something you need for work?
imnotperfect24— I sure know what you mean about chairs: I get especially frustrated when I go to a nice restaurant and they have those little bentwood cafe chairs that feel like they're gonna go flying out from under you with the slightest movement—not to mention being damn uncomfortable to perch your butt on! Hang in there and try to be patient: your 9 lbs. so far are just the beginning of a long steady change in your size & shape. What kind of internship are you doing? Tell us more about it....
Ubee— You stole your kid's chocolate Santa? Awwwww, I can't imagine how awful it must be to have all those alluring sugary treats in the house. You're only human, honey...and good for you that you threw half of it out. Jeez, I feel so blessed, this time of year especially, not to have kids. Thanks for pointing out that "going public" with your weight loss project, so that you're accountable to other people, makes you 4X more likely to succeed. Fight the good fight!
Sandra— That really sucks about your money situation, no doubt about it. But you can still go creative about decorating: make popcorn strings, cut pretty Christmas images out of catalogs & magazines and tape them to the walls, and so on. I bet you could get some red and green paper streamers at your local dollar store for not much $$. I like your ticker! 'Can't wait to see it start moving across the screen. =smile=
Betsy— I'm so sorry to hear about your 10 lb. gain: even if you know some of it is water weight, it's still mighty frustrating. It takes courage to come here and tell us about it, though, so you deserve a lot of credit for that. Hang in there, look for ways to maximize self-control later in the day, and do what you're so good at it: staying busy doin' things for other people. Know that my thoughts are with you...
Melissa— Have fun with your whirlwind of activities, and I know you're countin' the days 'til you hop on that airplane. =grin=
Andrea— Good for you that you're using the therapy to stay connected to your emotions, while seeking out alternatives to food for self-soothing! That's something I've put a lot of work into over the past few years: developing a nice long list of things that make me feel good—art, music, reading, writing, window shopping, and so on.
Jane— I'm so glad to hear you're keepin' up with the swimming! The exercise will help you be better at listening to your body, and your eating will improve as those new muscles start telling you what they need for fuel.
Dreamer— That's so cool you're learning German! I had a couple of German courses in college, but that was so long ago I hardly remember any of it. I've been teaching myself French, though, just in the past year. I think German should be next on my list to learn, because my best friend does German-to-English translation (mostly technical material), and it would be fun to be able to converse with her in German.
Location: from Canada currently living in Cairo, Egypt
Posts: 308
S/C/G: 380/ticker/180
Height: 5"9
Ubee- They are a bit about the food but mostly about the people... last night I had some egg salad sandwich triangles, and a small piece of carrot cake and cheesecake... avoided all the other munchies that were out.
Fi- I feel like I am more excited than I have been in a long long time to go home....
Betsy- I know what you mean about thinking you can do it alone.... but we are totally here for you! We all want you to succeed too!!! You can do it!
In other news.... setting up to colour my hair again.... different shade of red, see if I like this one better. I have a bit of marking to do today and some planning and then mostly just relaxing....
Good morning!
imnotperfect, yes we all get it. Chairs too small let alone booths, seatbelts,... Everyone says to set small goals and I agree but sometimes we still think of the big picture and it is hard. How/why did we get so big? Stay postive and stay on this thread. We get it. Just think you are one tiny pound away from a double digit loss. Did you ever google the image of 10 pounds of fat? They even sell a fake pound of fat. I should get one of those and carry it around all day. Don't forget to pick something up that weigh 9 pounds, it is heavy! We can do this!
Val, your five pound kickstart is such a positive attitude. Thank you for posting I like/need the good vibes!
Fi, my hero half way there! Also, you saved the day. Today is boring what is there to eat day. Well, not today. We have the scissors out and are going to make art cards/pictures to mail to all our shutin friends.
time4me, good job being selective on your food choices. I still have to figure out the I can not have it all mind set. I'm getting excited for you to go home. It will be exciting with your weightloss and pretty red hair!
Today started out as a struggle. I had the thought "If I eat all the candy it won't be bothering me all day long." Wow, that is smart thinking. I ate some and I started thinking about how I want to be able to retire and do things. Simple things like garden, window shop, visit friends, play with grandchildren. I am concerned about being immobile and in poor health. I am going to use this as my motivation to take off my next chunck of weight.
How is everyone doing?
Good morning all -- although it's 7:30 here and the sun still isn't up for Good Right Before Daybreak?
Fi -- thanks for the info on the stressors. I don't know if what I do is actually considered meditation, but I've always allowed myself 10-15 minutes to just sit quietly and let my mind wander. Maybe I just need to move it to the morning instead of the evening. Congrats on getting to Day 15 of no emotional eating and so glad to hear that you're seeing improvement with the depression pain.
Sandra -- Just let your imagination go wild in terms of decorating with what you have on hand. One year I ended up decorating a potted plant because we couldn't afford a tree. I've strung popcorn and made ornaments out of wrapping paper glued onto cut out card board. Hopefully this will turn out to be a Christmas that you look back on and smile.
Ubee -- Sounds like you're busy with giving to others -- feels good to do that. What's going on with me and the cause of the weight gain? I think it's a combination of having been really sick right before TG, then basically my body just refilling so to speak. Coupled with not being totally on plan, I've definitely got some water weight, some weight gain, and who knows what else. I'm down half a pound this morning, so maybe the slide has stopped. It's a lot more fun to see the scale go down quickly even if I know it's from being sick! Your association of certain foods with missing your dad really rang a bell with me. I'm definitely guilty of having done the same thing too many times as I've come to realize that whatever the event (successes, failures, celebrations, funerals, etc.) were all food focused.
I'mnotperfect -- Yes, not sitting comfortably in a chair is something we can all relate to. But, we also are amongst the few who can get incredible joy from being able to slide into a booth at a restaurant for the first time.
Val -- sounds like you've got your act together with being able to lose during the holiday season. Gives me hope and inspiration.
I'm getting ready to head up to the kids house -- about 100 miles away -- while they go to one of the national forests around to cut their tree. I'll probably stay home with the little one. My other nephew is going with me to help with the lugging the tree back to the car. Then we're going to assemble and decorate the gingerbread house and I'll probably take everyone out to dinner. Tomorrow I'm staying home and getting stuff done around here!
Location: from Houston, TX—now in Maryland (Washington DC area)
Posts: 1,167
S/C/G: 351/267/140
Height: 5'3"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ubee
Today started out as a struggle. I had the thought "If I eat all the candy it won't be bothering me all day long." Wow, that is smart thinking. I ate some and I started thinking about how I want to be able to retire and do things. Simple things like garden, window shop, visit friends, play with grandchildren. I am concerned about being immobile and in poor health. I am going to use this as my motivation to take off my next chunck of weight.
Ubee, someone on another thread gave me a great saying: "I've come too far to take orders from a cookie."
I wonder if you could adapt that to your current situation. You could think about all the things you want to be able to do when you retire, and then say something like "I have too many plans to take orders from candy." And then if you catch the candy creeping into your mind again, you could say, "Get out of here! I don't take orders from you!"
Have fun with your cut-&-paste creativity: it's my favorite kind. =grin=
Good morning!
Betsy, I hope your day was as fun as it sounded! 10-15 minutes a day to let your mind wander??? Mine is wandering all day! I hope your scale keeps moving down!
Fi, you are right. I have come so far, I have to be vigilant.
I keep having the mindset of I'll just have a few treats today and buckle down TOMORROW! Fatal words and thoughts! I did move the walker to where I will see it several times a day. Hopefully a visual reminder will help.
Where is everyone and how are you doing???
Location: from Houston, TX—now in Maryland (Washington DC area)
Posts: 1,167
S/C/G: 351/267/140
Height: 5'3"
I had a rough day yesterday, depression-wise. My predictable afternoon slump was more like an ordeal, and I only picked up a bit in the evening. Writing now in the morning, when I'm always at my best, I'm extremely apprehensive about what may descend upon me around 1 PM.
I really dislike having so marked a diurnal rhythm, because afternoons are always wasted as far as getting any creative work done, but I suppose I should view it as a glass 2/3 full rather than a glass 1/3 empty.
I do see my shrink in person on Wednesday, so he and I together will have another hobnob about what to do with my meds. Y'all should know that the way I've been lately is not my normal mode: usually I'm not depressed at all. =sigh= At least I'm sticking to the diet, and haven't indulged in emotional/compulsive eating for 16 days.
Ubee, I don't know if this would work for you, but there's a way to turn your "tomorrow!" problem on its head. Instead of thinking you'll get back on your diet tomorrow, you could tell yourself, "Today I will make the correct food choices. Tomorrow I can indulge in sweets." And then the next morning when you get up, you tell yourself the same thing. It's just another take on the "one day at a time" approach. I personally find "one day at a time" very helpful, because thinking that you're going to have to stick to your eating plan for X number of weeks, months, years, is just overwhelming and feels like deprivation. But 24 hours of being on plan....that I can do.
Good morning all. I made it back from the hinterlands of Snohomish County where evidently everyone else in the metropolitan Seattle area also ventured as it took me 4 hours to travel the 100 miles -- all on Interstate. But it was a fun day. And I love that they've developed these family traditions of cutting their own tree, having an outing, and only requiring two extra family members to make it all happen!
Fi -- I love, love, love your saying of "I've come too far to take orders from a cookie." We should start of list of all the foods that will no longer be giving us orders! Sorry you had such a bad afternoon yesterday and hope that today is better. And, hopefully, your visit to your shrink will be helpful. I honestly have nothing but admiration for you that you're sticking to plan while also going through so much with the meds changes, the time of year (losing daylight and the stress of the holidays), and finding out your European friend won't be able to visit. Truly, Fi, be kind to yourself in terms of realizing that you're dealing with a lot.
Ubee -- a wandering mind, huh. Several close friends have hinted that mine no longer wanders -- it's completely lost!
Good news on the water weight front. Evidently playing with a 3 year old works wonders on the water weight swoosh. Down the 3 pounds that just magically appeared. Now to get back on plan.
I had an interesting thought process this morning. The cash register at the Co-op died, so I have to spend today doing an emergency installation of the new one -- not a happy camper about again having my plans upset with the crisis du jour at the Co-op (definitely my last year volunteering there!). My first thought was that I'd lost some weight so I'd have a bag (notice it's not "some" but a bag) of the cheese puffs that we carry. I caught myself right away and that won't happen; but definitely realized that my thought process is still on what can I stuff my face with when I'm not a happy camper. I want to get my gratification going towards non-food activities such as watching a movie or taking a walk or visiting with a friend.
Fi, I tried it with having my quiet time this morning and used it to just sit on the couch with Toby up in my lap (it's getting a little crowded as he continues to grow) and petted him. He and I were both happy, and he's now taking his morning nap in preparation for this afternoon's search for more paper to shred.
Fi, I am sorry you are having such a difficult time and I hope that between the two of you a path will show itself. I must say I am very impressed with your 16 days. I have been having sweets everyday this week and the cravings are now starting.
Betsy, I spend way too much time thinking about food but I can say it no longer is the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning! I'm afraid to say this but I am getting a chuckle out of your co-op stories it is comical to listen to. Sorry.
I am happy because today I was reading "My first day...325 pounds" thread in the 300+ section and I read a post by Annik. She describes how she lost her weight so quickly doing low carb and moderate protein. That must have been what I was doing when I first started for it to come off so quickly. I could not remember all of what had worked so I am going to do more research and see if it rings a bell. I did not follow any set plan, I just read stuff and kept what I liked.
Have a focused day!
I promise I'll be caught up on this thread soon! Yesterday was my first crazy Christmas event at work. Wednesday should be the last. Pretty proud of being able to stay on my feet for six hours yesterday. Two years ago, at my first Santa day, I really felt like I'd die.
Too cold to venture out for a swim today, so I thought I'd do the Carmen Electra strip tease workout I bought. Lame. Way too easy. I'll trie the advanced one, but I think this ones a dud.
Good morning to all as well. Love the quote Fiona on "I have come to far to take orders from a cookie " I will carry that with me throughout the day.. Hope you all are doing well, tomorrow is my first weigh in since I started this. Keeping positive thoughts. You all are such an inspiration. thanks
Good morning!
Jane, it sure feels good to be able to do things we couldn't before we started this journey. So you have a strip tease video... Did you ever try the Lotte Berk dvd? I rented it from Amazon and it looks challenging. I may buy it in the future.
Notmymoma, hope your weigh in went well!
Yesterday I went on MFP and checked what I ate at this time last year when I was losing so fast. It was an eye opener! I was eating a ton of greek yogurt, pistachios, eggs, grapefruit, fish, poultry, veggies and salads. However, I also ate a lot of popcorn and most days my carbs were around 150! Plus I was not nearly as strict as I had remembered. There were quite a few "no no" foods. So today I am going back to logging my foods not so much as to stay in line but also because I find looking back useful and truthful.
How is everyone doing?
The first round of eating as much paper as possible is over for Toby and he's taking his morning nap, so maybe I can get some things done now. Love that dog, but I will be glad when he's both housebroken and done with the eating paper (and anything else that isn't put out of reach) stage of puppyhood.
Ubee -- Yes, the Co-op is an endless source of both amusement and irritation....although lately there's been more of the irritation than the amusement. Using MFP is eye opening in so many ways! Glad you were able to go back and see what you were eating and plan to start using it again to track food. I don't always follow it religiously through the day, but if I don't go in first thing in the morning and enter what I'm planning on eating during the day, it's like my mind thinks that it's a free day. I'm not sure who I think I'm fooling by acting like it doesn't count if it's not entered in MFP. The sugar/carb/salt/sweet cravings have pretty much passed, but the mental cravings -- what a battle!
Jane -- On your feet for 6 hours! Yikes! Talk about a significant NSV! Your tame strip tease video gave me a chuckle. Didn't even know they made strip tease videos.
Notmymama -- Good luck on your first weigh in.
The scale is finally going back in the right direction. Now that I'm back on plan, it's coming off about 1/2 pound a day. I imagine that will come to a screeching halt once things stabilize completely. Mentally, I want to finish out this year at a 70 pound loss (that's going to be pushing it), but I realized that with the New Year, I kind of feel as though I'm starting fresh. More mind games.
