Hi everyone!

Just popping in to say hi. TOM again so weight starting to flucuate again :dizzy:

SamIAm86 - You doing great! This weight loss thing can be tough. But even a small effort will pay off by summer! :hug:

betsy2013 - Water weight changes so much. I'm doing every 2 days now bc of that

Fiona - We haven't seen snow since that big storm a few weeks ago. Got some rain but summer is about to kick in down here(I'm in the South). Sometimes it makes you wonder what's worse? Freezing or burning up? LOLOL

Ubee - St Patrick's Day was fun yesterday. Had a small office party heh

Terra1984 - It's not hard to reset. You just gotta pick yourself back up. You could do an extra workout this week and try to kickstart back to progress...

I'm pleased to report that the flu or whatever it was is gone as today, but just to keep me on my toes, my silly ol' brain delivered some serious depression pain for a few hours this morning. Oh well. Tonight I finally finished that pesky collage I've been working on for so long I was sick of it. I'm hoping tomorrow I'll be back up to full speed on my art and my letter-writing, because I've signed up for so much stuff I can't afford to fall behind.

I'm still having trouble getting enough food into myself—just don't have any appetite. It's very weird, definitely not my usual style. I hope these low-calorie days mean I'm losing weight. Saturday is my monthly weigh-in, and already I'm wondering what the scale will have to say.

Now I need to sign off and try to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. I hope tomorrow will be a nice day, so I can take a stab at taking a walk. Or at least get back with the program with my leg exercises...I've really slacked off lately. =sigh=

I can't resist showing the funny collage I worked so hard on: one of my fellow collage artists did the animation for me! Here it is. Click on it for a larger version.

Good morning all. It's a rainy day here so I can avoid starting the spring yard work one more day. Unfortunately, that means I will have time to clean out the closet and under my bathroom sink, but at least there won't be any weed pulling involved!

Fi -- Love your collage -- what a hoot! And so glad that you're over the flu issues, but hope the depression pain isn't returning. I know you said that you had gotten rid of the muesli and remember that it had helped so much before. The lack of appetite sounds like you're still struggling to get in enough calories.

Gurlnextgen -- Ah, yes, the joys of water weight. I don't have TOM any more, but still manage to retain water like there's an anticipated drought coming up.

Terra -- The ups and downs do occur. If it helps any, I'm on my 3rd time of losing these same 20 pounds. I have left my ticker at the lowest point because I use it to remind me of where I SHOULD be and COULD be if I didn't let myself get out of control. But it happens. And you seem to be doing a great job of dealing with it. Getting back to your walking will help both physically and just from an emotional perspective. Do you find that when you do the walking every day that it helps cement your commitment in your head? It's why I haul myself to the gym each day.

Sam -- Love the pictures and you can definitely tell the difference!!! Thanks for working on allowing us to see them. And keep sending your positive attitude to us.

Ubee and Jane -- I have visions of the two of you as birds but with your heads on a bird's body. I swear, I'm not on anything! Glad to hear from you both. Hope those ear mites go away and that your BF has appreciated all of the birthday efforts, Jane. Ubee, what kind of striped day has it been?

Time4Me -- Vacation anticipation -- what a fun time! Glad the show went well.

Well, Fi, you'll be glad to know that I've gone paper on the calendar. Trying to update it and then update my wallpaper was just a hassle, plus coming into my office every time I needed some visual stimulation to stay on course was not working. But I also loved Ubee's striping idea. So, to all of you who are joining us in the string together days of staying on track effort, I've decided that I need to divide each day into 3rds and will mark the morning, afternoon, and evening when I've made it successfully through that period and stayed on track. It's really kind of pathetic that I need to divide it up like that, but every section of the day seems to hold some food challenge for me. I have taped them to one of my cabinets, Fi, so they're in plain sight. I will conquer these 20 pounds and move on!!!!

I'd make a good bird. My bf is a little bad at showing gratitude, but I'm sure he appreciates it!

Good Afternoon!
Terra did the doc give you many guidelines or just tell you to count calories?
Sam woohoo on the 28 pounds down! It really shows in your pictures!
gurl what have you been up to besides hanging out with TOM, a girls worst friend?
Fi hope by the time you read this all is well in your world. Loved the collage! How do you even think of that?
Betsy I've had two striped days and working hard on my first solid day. I'm going to keep the day divided into thirds in mind. Might help show a pattern.
Jane my husband always takes his gifts and puts them away right away and brings them out later to savor when he is all alone. It took me a while to figure it out but he comes from a large, poor family and his toys got stolen/broken more then a few times.

Gurlnextgen ~ I will take your advice and do an extra work out this week to kickstart my progress again

Betsy ~ Yeah it does help me commit to it when I walk every day

Ubee ~ Nope my doctor just said to read labels and cut back my portions and the only way I know how to do that is to count calories so thats what Im gonna do.

guri— A few days back you said you were surprised that I do 600 leg lifts a night. You wanna know how? First of all, I alternate legs between days, so each leg gets a whole day of rest before it has to work again. I do 5 sets of 120 lifts, 60 on my back and 60 on my side so I'm working different muscles. In between sets, while I'm catching my breath, I work the lower leg on that side by doing flexion-extension at the ankle. (I don't count how many on the lower legs.) I do it on my couch while listening to rock-n-roll, so it feels like dancing and it's fun. That's it! (But unless you're already in good shape, don't start with sets of 120: I had to work my way up to that.)

Betsy— You got me worried, girl, that you didn't highlight a day when you were on plan and gained 2 pounds. You know darn well that your weight at any one time fluctuates up to 4 pounds depending on how much water you happen to have on board! This calendar thing is not about weight: it's about giving yourself positive feedback for the days (or parts of days) you stay on plan. I only weigh myself once a month, that's how little attention I pay to my weight. All the same, it's steadily going down. Permanent lifestyle changes, that's the ticket to success.

Ubee— How do I think up collages? You want a short answer or a long one? =laugh= The short answer is that I lie on the couch with my eyes closed (or with all the lights out, if it's night time) and just let images form and combine and move around and re-combine, until something clicks. It usually takes more than one session of doing that, to think up any one collage. I'm a very visual person, so there are always images rolling around in there, but it helps to listen to music while I'm doing it.

I'm feelin' good tonight, and happy that I did my leg exercises, but I'm dragging my feet about making (& eating) a salad out of the fixings I bought. I'll get there...

Evenin all!!

I'm posting a little later tonight because I've been a busy bee!! I had another on plan day today...So far so good this week! And I have worked out EVERY SINGLE DAY this week. I'm changing up what I'm doing so other parts of my body have a little rest between days. Tonight I did yoga and weight training on my arms. I skipped the cardio because my legs are so sore from leg day on Monday and the added leg exercises from the cardio on Tuesday.

DH and I went shopping around town this afternoon. I got a better mirror that is slimmer and can be hung over my door for me to take pictures of my progress. The mirror I had been using used to connect to a dresser my DH has had since he was a teen. We used to hang it over our couch in our old place, but it hasn't made it to the wall in the place I'm in now...I've been here 4 years LOL...I also got some bio-oil from Walgreens. I've been watching different weight loss videos, success videos, etc. on YouTube and I started hearing more and more about bio-oil. It is supposed to help fade and completely get rid of stretch marks. I am a bit skeptical, but after seeing several people who used them after their pregnancies, and even after losing weight showing their before and after pictures I figured why the **** not? A lot of them said that you should start using it early on in your weight loss journey because as you lose the weight, your stretch marks apparently look more visible because it doesn't have the fat to puff them back up and out, which makes perfect sense. I also saw where I girl who lost 100 lbs would make her own skin exfoliate using water and baking soda to help with getting rid of the stretch marks too. Lotion also seems to be key. Some people would use cocoa butter or shea butter and always made sure to moisturize their bodies. I think I'm going to try the cocoa or shea butter too, but I have still a little more than half of this mineral lotion from St. Ives to finish up....and making sure I moisturize my skin will also be helpful with my eczema which I just recently found out that is what my problem has been with my skin for almost 2 years lol....

Ok a lot of rambling there, lol sorry, just thought it may be some good info to pass along :)

Terra Great job on getting the walk in! You are already one step in the right direction!

Fi Glad you are feeling better!! I hope eating gets easier for you soon! <3

Gurl Thank you so much! I am trying so hard and I am feeling great day by day!

Betsy Thank you so much!! These small changes are really starting to pay off!

Ubee Thank you so much! It really means a lot!

Well I am off to get my shower and get ready for bed. I hope everyone has a good night!! Our boys seem to be missing today!?!? Hope they're doing well too!

I can't believe it! Right after I said that bit about needing to make myself a salad, I forced myself to go in the damn kitchen, which is the only room (excepting the guest room and bathrooms) that doesn't have stereo speakers in it. (That must be why I find cooking so boring...) And I made my salad: baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, and feta cheese. Then, just as I was walking back with my bowl of salad into the living room, where the satellite radio is turned up loud of course, the deejay played our song, Bob's and my special have-to-dance-together song: Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild." What a great reward!

Back from my business trip, and I "behaved" myself. I'm one of those who is going to have a decent meal in the evenings if I have to travel, but I didn't go crazy.

Coffee's brewing, and looking forward to a really pretty weekend here. Family is wandering through, so I think we'll get out and wander the local parks and antique shops.

Have a great day!

Dean

Good Morning!
I am happy to report I had a solid yellow day yesterday!!! My first of many!
I woke up ready to throw in the towel but life kept tossing it back at me.
Dean glad you are back and had a good trip. I've been thinking of you and that Johnny Cash song about Folsom Prison cuz I ain't seen the sun shine since I don't know when...
Fi I love it when the universe sends us positive reinforcement. Gotta be healthy if you were Born To Be Wild!
Sam I use coconut oil for my lotion and really like it. I used to do dry skin brushing and my skin looked really good then. Seriously thinking of taking the time to do that again.
Terra have you looked up Larry's volumetrics way of eating that he uses? It will give you a lot of bang for your buck. You can eat a lot of veggies and not use up too many calories. Either way good luck!
Betsy I'm so glad Fi informed you about giving yourself credit for a good day. Go back and color it in PLEASE!
Jane how is your calender coming along?
:balloons: WELCOME SPRING! :beach: In a few hours I will have survived our ugliest winter on record.
:snowball: Adios Winter! :devil:
Have a good day everyone!

Good morning all. And Happy Spring. I know for some parts of the country/world that this spring is long overdue in making its appearance. I chuckled this morning when I took Toby out because we had our first heavy frost in several weeks last night. Guess Mother Nature was telling winter goodbye.

Ubee -- You are an understanding wife to realize that your husband's gift receiving process goes back to childhood events. Let's go for a solid day together.

Dean -- Welcome home and enjoy the weekend. Business travel is the pits so glad you're home and enjoying that morning coffee.

Fi -- OK, I'll be kinder to myself. Loved the story about the salad and hearing Born to Be Wild. Brought back some very nice memories!

Sam -- We may have to set you up as our poster child for staying on plan AND getting in your workouts. I need to try to emulate you more.

Terra -- You have just hit upon one of the big complaints I have when doctors (or in my case every doctor for the last 40 years) tell us to lose weight. I asked one once if I had cancer, would they just tell me to get over it. He seemed totally befuddled that it wasn't intuitively obvious that I should just know and could do whatever it took to get the weight off. I've learned more and gotten more support here at 3FC than I ever got from a doctor that I've gone to -- and I don't go to a doctor unless I really like and respect him/her. OK, enough of my rant. Sorry about that.

Jane -- Glad you know your BF appreciates all you've done for him. Hope you were able to enjoy the festivities as well.

I was going to do some yard work today, but it's not going to get warm enough. So, I'm going to look up soup recipes that I can make because the lettuce just isn't agreeing with my tummy lately. And I'm going to shampoo the area rugs now that I have a new shampooer where the brushes are working and if there's time, I'm going to figure out why one of the circuits in the back part of the house is causing the lights to flicker -- probably a loose wire in one of the switches. Have started knitting hats in the evening or rather I've started knitting one hat that I worked on for about 3 hours last night and ended up pulling it all out. It starts on double pointed needles and I've never used them before. I'll get the hang of it, but what a pain right now. Just thought of 3 other things that need to get done. I'd better make a list......it feels so good to cross things off. Have a great day everyone.

Sam ~ Thanks for the encouragement

Ubee ~ Nope I havent checked it out yet but I will be sure to do so. Can you do that type of eating when your on a 1200 calorie diet plan? Just curious.

Betsy ~ Im sorry to hear you get more support here then from any doctor you've ever had. I get support from alot of people thankfully

Ubee My calendar is still good. And it will stay that way.

I was hit with the horrid realization that I'm exactly 18 months from 30 today. I need to get my act together!

Good Afternoon!
Betsy I agree with just being told to lose weight. It is like telling a poor person to go out and get a high paying job! :?: I found good soups on yummly. Just type in low carb or whatever your thing is.
Terra when you count calories you can do any plan you want but some will make you miserable. If you like to eat a lot of food it may be a good choice. Lots of veggies, some fruit and healthy proteins always sound good to me. Read up on it and see what you think. It may just give you some good ideas. Good luck Terra! I really am rooting for you!
Jane you are going to be 30! :fr:
Still trying to focus on another solid day. I am wearing really tight jeans with a muffin top so that helps.

I know, right. Crypt keeper here I come :p

I'm actually wearing a pair of 26's that are still just a little too tight, but the purpose is two fold - to remind me to keep in gear, and to point out that I've actually lost enough to get into them. My scale losses have felt so non existent lately I need to remember that I'm getting smaller somewhere.

Hey everybody!

Had another on plan day and did workout #4 for the week! Perdy good! :) It was just cardio tonight so I could let my muscles get a little bit of rest from the weight training.

I tried the bio oil last night and almost immediately after I started putting it on for some reason the smell or something from it was causing my DH's eyes to burn and water, he said it was even scratchy when he swallowed. He thinks it may have been the scent in it, but we aren't sure. I ended up taking a second shower last night and took it back today. I'll find other ways to help my skin, I'm sure there's tons more things to do.

Fi Born to be Wild reminds me so much of my dad. He was an old school biker and in my eyes lived life on the edge...he was so cool! He died when I was 4 in a motorcycle accident, luckily my mother survived. I don't remember much of him but it was only fitting for that song to be played at his funeral...I miss him but I know at least he died doing what he loved...riding!

Dean Welcome back my friend! Hope you enjoy the weekend with family! Give those doggies kisses for all of us!

Ubee I've heard of the skin brushing!! This girl I follow on YouTube would do it and she said it helped her a lot! I may try and get a big ole thing of baking soda from Sam's this weekend and try her baking soda and water trick.

Betsy Poster child huh?? Hmm...Well I guess that could work lol....Let's do this together and kick major butt!

Today was a pretty nice day outside for the first day of spring. Not too hot or too cold and the sun came out! Yipee! I was stuck inside but I got to see it from my office window lol....I'm pooped and have a kitchen full of dishes to do...that might have to be something I do tomorrow lol...I HATE doing dishes :-P I'm off to have some dinner and chill...Glad to see so many of you had good days too!!! Have a great night!!

Jeez, I don't suppose any of y'all are Bipolar. I've been having trouble lately with surges of dysphoric (very unpleasant) mania. It kind of goes with the no-appetite, working-all-the-time, hardly-getting-any-sleep brain set I've been in lately. When I was young, before I became Bipolar, I used to have over-the-top happiness: long stretches, or at least long evenings, of euphoric hypomania. But now that I'm Bipolar, the only kind of mania I have is the yucky kind, where I feel like I'm buzzing on the inside, or as if I'm about to explode. The closest thing I can compare it to is a big-time caffeine overdose, if you've ever experienced that. (I only drink two cups of coffee in the morning—no other caffeine at all.) I take Clonapin for it, but it takes a high dose to chill me out when I'm in that state. =sigh= I hope I level out into a tolerable medium phase soon, because all this agitation and distraction and being so wired I can't eat or sleep is for the birds!

Ubee ~ Thanks for answering my question about volumetrics, I will definitely look into it though. Thanks for rooting for me. That makes me feel good about myself.

Good Morning! :coffee2:
:celebrate: Day 2 of staying on plan was a success! That solid yellow square was hard earned yesterday! I want to report I felt emotions instead of stuffing them down!
Terra you remind me so much of myself. Wanting to lose weight and not knowing where to start. I used to think if I just exercised enough that it would come off. I had to learn to only put healthy stuff in my mouth. Now I am learning to not put so much of it in my mouth. My idea of healthy was pre packaged diet foods. Now I know it is fresh or frozen veggies and fruit, fish, chicken, eggs, nuts, and meat. It was all the sauces, and empty carbs like pasta, breads, cereal, sugars, candies and baked goods (Yes even "diet" ones.) that were doing me in. Everyone is different and has to find what works for them. My best advice is to keep learning and trying until you find what works and you can live with.
Fi :hug: I don't know if you've ever tried anything sensory to help you through these times. When our daughter is having troubles with feeling out of control she wears a weighted vest or lies down and covers up with a heavy (25 pound) blanket. We do other things like having her roll up tight in a regular blanket like you would swaddle a baby. It really helps her. Maybe give it a try, you never know. Wishing you well.
Sam you go girl! I'd like to google the baking soda thing. What do you recommend I type in?
Jane thanks for reminding me to focus on my clothing sizes. My body shape has stayed the same so it does trick me into thinking I have not made much progess.
Yesterday I was sitting in the chair and I grabbed my large pannus and told it I did not like it, I don't want it to hang around anymore and that I would be getting rid of it! It was a step from wishing it was gone to telling it I am Spring cleaning my body and it will take a while but it is outta here!
How is everyone doing?

Good morning all. Spring really has tried to begin to arrive out here -- I need to cut the grass! Actually looking forward to it although that will pass. :dizzy:

Ubee -- Thanks for pointing me to the yummly site -- wasn't familiar with it, but looks like a great one for recipes. I bought a chuck roast and will make vegetable soup some time today or tomorrow. Good for you (and Jane) on have another solid day. My calendar looks like a hysterical zebra both because of my striping system, my inability to conquer the cheating, and the use of different colored markers. Had to look up pannus, but sounds like a good conversation......I talk to mine, too!

Terra -- I've been trying to add in the volumetrics theory when I'm fixing meals. While I don't do the whole approach, I think the idea of beefing up recipes by adding in extra vegetables is a great one. Made up a recipe last night that was a bunch of sauteed veggies (peppers, onions, mushroom, and a zuchhini) mixed with a jar of spaghetti sauce and the left over spaghetti squash. It made enough for at least 6 servings and when I put it in the recipe calculator this morning, it was only 120 calories and 20 grams of carbs. It's very filling to bulk things up with the veggies and fruits. Good luck. Like Ubee said, it's a matter of finding what works for you.

Fi -- It was exhausting just reading your post. :hug: Just one bad night will throw me off for a couple of days, so cannot even imagine what you're struggling with. Hope Ubee's suggestions might help.

Sam -- Yep, definitely our poster child. Go back and read your posts -- you've been on plan for days and days. I'm still trying to get through one day. Good for you -- gives me inspiration.

Jane -- Oh no. 30! :smug: I remember 30. It's a distant, fading memory. But you're right on target with getting your act together now instead of waiting another 30 years and realizing that perhaps it's time to try healthy living for a change. And congrats on the 26s -- sometimes I think that the best way to judge success is what we can do and how our clothes fit!

With the arrival of spring, the lengthening of the days, who knows what, I'm in the mood to get things done. Shampooed the rugs yesterday with the new shampooer after I realized the brushes weren't spinning on my old one. Also spent 3 hours trying to figure out where a short is on one circuit and got the laundry done. Today I'm going to cut the grass and start getting the seeds germinated for the garden and continue working on the flickering light problem. Lots of FUPU (fix up, paint up) projects on the list. Off to the gym and to get a few things done this morning. Have a great day everyone.

Ubee I think I will have a conversation with my pannus. It needs to go.

Betsey I'm jealous of your weather. It's warmer, but we're nowhere near grass mowing!

I'm extra motivated, and I'm actually working my way through actually reading Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint. (I've been following the basic tenants on his blog. It really espouses that it's not about chronic exercise and deprivation, but that in addition to healthy eating, you need to sleep well, move a lot (But not at a stressful pace), and you need to be happy - spend time with your family etc. I like the idea of striving for balance.

It's also making me think of my brothers - who are stressing themselves to death. Maybe one day they'll change that.

Ubee ~ I will definitely take your advice and try different things until I find out what works for me.

Betsy ~ Thanks for wishing me luck.


I walked outside today, I'll walk again after dinner before it gets dark outside.

Fi I too am bipolar. I currently am on the generic of Geodon. Working out has really helped boost my mood and I haven't had a manic episode in awhile. I really hate being on medication and hope to one day be off of it, but in the meantime, I know I still need it. I know exactly how you feel. There have been several times where I've found myself having a really bad panic attack, usually in Wal-Mart to the point where I'll have to leave the store or else I'd flip out on someone. You are not alone. If you ever need someone, I am here.

Ubee I would maybe type in fading stretch marks using baking soda. Not sure if you go on YouTube often, but here is the video that I watched and learned about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZw74...2qHgbb&index=2 I hope it helps you!! I'm actually going to go get some stuff to start this weekend.

Betsy Thank you so much! It means so much to me that you are here to cheer me on and I'm here to inspire you! We are all in this together and we WILL succeed!

I had another on plan day today!! I got up this morning and put on a shirt that I hadn't worn in a couple of weeks. When I originally bought it, it was a little snug on me and I had to always pull on it to feel comfortable. It's one of my favorite shirts though and I got it for like $8 at JC Penny. When I put it on today it was not tight at all! In fact it's pretty loose on me now!! I can't believe that a 2X is loose on me!!! The legs of my size 24 jeans are getting loose too!! When I was at work today I went to the bathroom and was reflecting on things and how happy I have been lately. I honestly don't think I've been this happy and full of energy in a really long time, maybe not even since childhood. I actually started to cry because of how happy I've been. I've battled depression and bipolar disorder for a long time now, and I just feel so good....I wish I could show you guys how truly happy I am. I also finished my 5th workout of the week!! WHOOP WHOOP!!!! That was a tough feat but I did it!!! I pushed it to the max and accomplished what I wanted to this week. I'm actually really excited to step on the scale on Sunday to see if I've lost any weight. I'm really hoping for a 3 lb loss.

Well I'm going to relax the rest of the night, make me some left over spaghetti squash with spaghetti turkey sauce, and spend some time with DH. Big love to all of you and GREAT JOB on the awesome POP days today!!!!

Hi everyone, :wave: I have not been posting much lately, my schedule of activities has gone wild lately. I have been following my Volumetrics plan with the exception of a minor binge one day.

Between, Shriners volunteer work, my DW's vertigo (she is better now) and my yard and garden preparations I barely have time to sleep.

I suspected my anemia has returned due to extreme fatigue returning. My doctor had blood tests done. Yes my anemia is back but the doctor says it is mild. He said my good and bad cholesterol ratio is excellent but my total cholesterol is very low. I have never heard a doctor tell anyone that their cholesterol was too low :D:carrot::D

I had a better day today—neither depressed nor manic. =whew= I'm pressed for time, though, because I've got two collages to make this weekend. Tonight I figured out what elements I'm going to put in each of them, but I still have a lot of prep work to do in the way of making good photocopies, in the right sizes, of the images from books that are too precious to cut up. And then comes scissor work, and arranging, and glueing, and so on...

And tomorrow morning is my monthly trip down to the basement to weigh myself. I'm hoping for a good number. I'm especially hoping that I've lost at least 4 pounds, so I'll achieve my current mini-goal of reaching 280.

I'm switching the color for my personals to green in honor of it's being spring—yay!

Sam— Betsy's right: you're an inspiration to all of us. Your weight loss so far really shows in those photos. You're lookin' good, girl! You're into a 2X top and size 24 jeans—whoa! And I really appreciate your supportive comments as a fellow bipolar person. I, too, am taking generic Geodon, along with a boatload of other stuff, unfortunately, but I need my meds to make it through each day. Geodon is especially helpful to me when I go into serious depression pain: it's the only thing I've found that reduces the intensity of that suffering. But I haven't had much trouble with depression lately, just those wired-up episodes that are my version of mania. Today was a good one, though, and I'm crossing my fingers for a good weekend...

Ubee— You talk to your pannus? =laugh= In another posting, when I have more time, I'll have to tell y'all this great thing Bob came up with that helps me live with my pannus through this long phase of the journey. As for the mania, I do wrap up in heavy blankets to calm myself, and I meditate too, which helps a lot. Yesterday I combined those techniques and managed to get through that burst of mania without having to take Clonapin. Congratulations on having two highlighted days in a row! I think I may take up the calendar habit again to help me eat my salad every day.

That's all I have time for...gotta hit the sack, because tomorrow I have lots of work to do.

Hi ladies.. It's me again
 

I hope I can still come here ladies. I have been off the wagon for some time. I still read the posts from time to time, but too ashamed to post myself. I am starting over for what seems like the millionth time. I don't even feel like this time is different accept I have enlisted my husband's help. We had a long talk today and I begged for help. He is really skinny, never had a weight problem in his life and doesn't really know how to help me. I got home tonight and noticed he through away all the Mexican left overs, the mac n cheese is gone, my dip for my chips. He's so awesome. I feel like I'm at the end of my rope and need help. I've never asked him for it before though so maybe this time will be different.

I hope you guys will have me back! I will try to commit to posting here daily!!

My plan will be the same. Smaller portions, 1500-1800 calories. I am going to try and cut out night time eating also. And of course lots of water!!

Thanks for listening.

Good Morning!
Happy to report most of my day was solid until a little at the end. So good over all. I am going to try working harder on dealing with my emotions. The worst are when someone I love is hurting.
Welcome Back Angelia! :grouphug: I welcome you with a big smile and open arms! Your husband was very kind and supportive. Hope you don't mind me asking...? Why are you sticking with the same thing if it didn't work before? I hope that doesn't come off sounding bad. I do have trouble being too blunt and I mean it as someone who cares and wants to see us all healthy. I know for me commtitting to post daily has been huge even if it is one sentence. Some of us are highlighting each day we are on plan on our wall calendars. It gets stripes if we tried hard but weren't totally on plan and gets left blank on off plan days. Feel free to join in if you like a visual reminder throughout the day. Good luck you can do this!
Fi so glad yesterday was better. Saturday is always my biggest struggle. Today my daughter and I are going to work on a collage. I hope it saves the day. Can not wait to hear the pannus story!
Larry so happy to see you and know that your wife is better. Good job on getting those numbers down!
Sam that is so exciting about your clothes! I will not miss the stretching out the t-shirt before you put it on routine! I envy your ability/will to push through with all that exercise. Before you know it we will have a new set of progress pictures to compare! Good for you!
Terra how is the weather by you? Does it feel good to be back outside? I want to thank you for keeping the "Whats for dinner?" thread alive! It reminds me I really need to stay on top of planning my meals. That was part of my slip up last night. I forgot to make enough for my whole family. My husband ended up at McD's and I had some of his fries and my daughters school popcorn. Live and learn. Did you know Larry has a Volumetrics thread? http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/gene...followers.html
Jane please let me know how the book goes. You know I am always looking for more answers. Thanks to you I've read Wheat Belly and am now going over the 30 Minute Cookbook.
Betsy I think I am going to use a brighter marker because I need to be more aware of my calendar. Be careful with your flickering light! I want to see you on here everyday! How is Toby liking the weather? What is going on with the cheating? Mood? Wrong things in the house? Being too restrictive? You know looking at too many stripes can cause seizures.;)
Have a good day! You know I'll be back latter! :blah:

Good morning all. Mt. Rainier is out, it's a gorgeous day, it was light before 7:00 AM, and I'm actually energized and have a long list of things to do today. Some of this is FINALLY having an on plan day yesterday and getting to color in the whole day. It felt ridiculously wonderful, but after literally months of not making it all the way through a day this seems wonderful. Now to turn it into a whole calendar page of colored days.

Ubee -- Doesn't sound like you went too far off course last night. I have started with cutting myself a little slack and accepting that it's ok to have some things as long as my daily calorie count remains below the goal. Do you think this will help with eliminating the "cheating" mentality (which is usually accompanied by I've-already-cheated-so-I-might-as-well-it-the-entire-thing) and help with keeping the cravings under control. Once we get a couple of pages of calendar months filled in, I'm moving on to portion control. Long winded way of saying cheating has gotten to be a habit, and I need to develop different habits. Toby is fine -- he loves being able to be outside all day and Becky is over every day it's not raining and they play. I've done all of the diagnosing I can on the flickering light and will be calling the handyman -- I think it's one of the recessed light cans in the hallway on that circuit. UGH.

Sassyangies -- Of course you can come back and talking to your husband and posting here are enormous steps back towards finding a path that works for you. I've been trying to lose and keep weight off most of my adult life (which is getting to be a really long time now), and even though I slip up, just coming here and posting every day is what I credit with keeping me from just giving up and gaining it all back. I find that visual stimulations at home really help -- posting pictures of yourself as you lose, putting a container of beans or marbles on the table to track your weight loss, using the calendar on the fridge (thank you Fi!) -- anything to give you some much needed positive reinforcement when it's needed. We're here for you, and it sounds as though your hubby is, too.

Fi -- Wonderful to hear you sounding better -- hope it continues for you. You sound super busy, but excited to be so. Good luck with your weigh in and getting the collages finished up. Can't wait to hear your story.

Larry -- Good to see you post again and glad to hear that your wife is doing better. Sorry about the anemia, but great news on the cholesterol! Sounds like you're super busy right now -- it is a super busy time of the year.

Sam -- Here's hoping that weigh in tomorrow brings another loss. You're doing so well and are developing that discipline that's needed to succeed at this.

Terra -- Hope the walk was a good one, and I imagine there will be more walks today. How's it going with finding a plan that seems to work with you? Larry's Volumetrics is helping to fill me up without adding on a lot of extra calories.

Jane -- Spring is definitely sprung here -- trees are beginning to bloom, daffodils are in full bloom, and I'm getting the gardening urge. Hope it comes your way soon. Loved your sharing your reading learnings -- the older I get, the more I understand how important having a balanced life is to getting and remaining healthy.

Time to get the soup started, start the seed germination process for the garden, and hopefully get some yard work started. Sunny again through Tuesday and then it starts raining again. Have a great day and weekend.

Ubee ~ The weather here has been wonderful, It does feel great to get back outside, Your welcome, Im glad I can keep the what's for dinner thread alive, Do you know which area Larry's thread is? Just curious.

Betsy2013 ~ Yeah my walk yesterday was a good one and Im sure today will be another good one. I havent found a plan that will work for me but Im still searching for one. Im glad you like Volumetrics.

Angelia ~ Welcome back to the thread


Im about to walk for the first time today, I would of walked earlier today but my boyfriend and I were watching a movie so I chose to walk after the movie and the movie just got over so Im gonna go for my walk now.

Oh darn, darn, darn... The first darn is for the fact that I got so involved in working on art today, I forgot to weigh myself in the morning. I'm glad I mentioned it in my last posting, because I sat down to take a break with my iPad, came onto this thread, and oops! there was the reminder. I didn't weigh myself until 2:30 in the afternoon.

The second darn is for my weight. The scale said 286. That's two pounds up from where I was a month ago. Even with all this running around and not eating and all! Actually I've been concerned that my chronic undereating and poor sleep habits and on-again off-again attitude toward exercise might be slowing my metabolism down. Sure enough, here's the proof! I have had exactly one sugary thing all month long: a large cookie over a week ago. I overindulged just a bit with the sugar-free muesli earlier in the month, but I cleared it out of my pantry about 10 days ago, and have been absolutely strict on Atkins induction since then. So it's all about being in the right range of calories—not too high, not too low—plus doing all I can to rev my metabolism with exercise and better sleep. I have no excuse not to be walking now: I got cleared by the cardiologist to do anything, and spring, as it so often does in the DC area, arrived on schedule, right 'round the 21st of March. And I know that getting more exercise helps with the insomnia.

The third darn is for the fact that today's weight is now massively bumming me out. 286 may sound great to some of you, but I'm only 5' 3", although I do have a wide heavy frame. I'm still in a 4X, so only my 5X-6X collection is loose on me. It's not yet time to pull all my 3X T-shirts out of the various corners I have them rolled up into, and that is really discouraging. I want to wear those T-shirts!

In fact, I'm so bummed out, I'm dipping into depression, so I'd better stop typing now, eat some lunch already (although I'm not in the least bit hungry!), and work on getting a handle on my mood. This is why I only weigh myself once a month, gals 'n' guys. I can't handle the stress of doing it any more often. Whether it's up or down, it always seems to freak me out. I'm so sensitive to stress, the least little puff of it blows me right over. I didn't used to be this way: I used to positvely thrive on the stress of being a doctor in life-or-death situations. But that was before I became bipolar. =big angry sigh= 'Talk at y'all later...

terra you are so good about your walking! Wish I had your discipline!

Larry love that you work with shrines! My grandfather was a shriner. Such a fantastic organization!

Bee and Betsey so far I'm loving the science in the book. It makes a really good case for shredding the "it's in my genes" reasoning because doing things like eating whole foods, not subjecting oneself to constant stress (what he calls chronic cardio workouts) and favoring a full night sleep, lots of low level exercise like walking, lifting, but not too much and getting enough sun, play etc. Can reprogram genetic responses to this like food and insulin. It's really well backed up with solid science too.

Since I now have 585 days before my big milestone, I'm cutting my carbs down really low and using the weekend to get into a nice deep ketosis for a few weeks. Hopefully I can break through this 373 plateau! I need to do some housework, but right now I'm watching Boston legal and relaxing. No swim today, but if it warms up I may take Toby for a good walk.

Good Afternoon!
Fi :hug: maybe this one time you could weigh yourself tomorrow. I put on so much weight during the day that I would not go by any number other then my first thing in the morning number. I'll be thinking of you... Also thanks to you my daughter and I had a wonderful day making a huge collage!
Terra if you go to my post above this one just click on the blue words Volumetrics Followers it will take you right to that thread. If it does not work you can find it under General Diet Plans and Questions. Good luck!
Betsy if you find a loud family living in your RV it will be mine. We want your weather! I'm still working on the treat/cheat thing. What I am now trying is everyday I get to chose what I want most. I get to have that and only that. I find if I just say I am going to cheat I start eating this that and the next thing and before you know it... For example I am in a bacon mood. (Catholic no meat on Friday.) So for that day I can have bacon whenever I want BUT I must have it with 2 eggs. Hard to pig out with the lean egg protein. Also if I am going to have chocolate it has to be my 85% cacao with no nuts or craisins. Gets old fast. I found out I am a combo eater. So far it is working. Portion control is still a dream but I like to fill up with Larry's foods to get that full feeling I sometimes crave. I always wanted to hike the trail around the bottom of Mt. Rainier.
Jane you have convinced me. I'm going to see if our library has the book. Our daughter with autism is so natural. Her sleeping changes with the seasons. If you offer her processed versus whole foods she takes whole foods everytime. We always say she is the smartest of us all. She just may hold the key to our health. Plus we always strive for low stress to the point of being thought of as strange for not wanting to be like the Jonses. (They have a lot of debt!)
I seem to be having a good day today. Hopefully tomorrow I will have another solid square!

Well, I may be bummed out, but at least I'm getting some productive thinking done. Since I posted before, I've thought of 4 other factors that might be causing my weight loss to stall. But before I go into that, let me say this...

Jane— In a well-researched book called The Art and Science of Low-Carbohydrate Living, I read that a very low carbohydrate diet, enough to put you in ketosis, has a diuretic effect on your kidneys: that is, it causes you to lose both water and salt. They say that's what causes the headaches and crummy-all-over feeling you can get when you're in ketosis. Their recommendation, in addition to making sure you get enough water, is to drink broth every day. Any kind of broth/bouillon cubes will do: chicken, beef, vegetarian. The point is that the broth has salt in it. What I do is put 2 cubes in a large (12 oz.) mug and pour boiling water into it, and drink one of those every night. It really makes a difference for me, especially for the headaches.

OK, here's the 4 things I thought of:
(1) aspartame— I gave up aspartame in the form of diet soda last fall, so I've converted completely to seltzer for my bubbly drink. But in the last month, I've been buying small bottles of this diet green tea I really love. At first I was only getting 2 bottles each time I went grocery shopping, but I've slowly been creeping up to buying 4, 5, even 6 bottles. The diet tea has aspartame in it, of course. Aspartame causes insulin release—not as much as sugar does, of course, but a significant amount. And insulin, as we all know, is the main hormone involved in fat storage: it pushes the fat in your blood into your fat cells. When I gave up aspartame, it made a noticeable difference on my weight loss graph. So no more diet green tea.
(2) water — I have chronic dry mouth from my psych meds, so I always have a one-liter bottle of seltzer next to me, no matter what I'm doing. And I try to keep up with this thing where every time I go to the bathroom, I drink a full cup of water after I wash my hands. But I'm not consistent about it, and I haven't really been keeping track of my fluid intake. So I've already taken 3 empty seltzer bottles and marked 1, 2, & 3 on them with a black magic marker. Starting tomorrow morning, I'm going to fill them all with water and put them in the fridge, and make sure I drink all 3, every day. That will be in addition to the seltzer I'm drinking.
(3) antacids — Thanks to all this stress since Robine pulled the plug on me, I've had high stomach acid and have been chewing the one kind of antacid tablets that work for me, pretty regularly. They don't have to have a calorie count on the bottle, but the ingredients list includes sucrose, and they are sweet enough to be tasty. I don't need them, because I could be taking raniditine (one of those over-the-counter meds that reduce the kind of histamine that causes stomach acid) instead. It works for me, so that's that.
(4) pocket in my gum — Something that tends to discourage me from eating: for about 6 months now, I've had this one deep pocket where my gum is not adherent to one of my molars, and nearly every time I eat meat or fish, and sometimes even salad, it gets food down in it and is painful. Once it was so bad I had to go to the dentist: he said I don't have a cavity there, it's just that the food irritates the root of my tooth. What I do to deal with it is to chew sugar-free gum, which eventually rocks that tooth enough that the food comes out. But it's a pain, as you can imagine, so it makes me avoid eating. So on Monday I'm going to make an app't w/ my dentist and ask him if there's anything that can be done about it.

Anyway, that's what I've thought of so far. I also may try that thing where you zig-zag your caloric intake, eating a very low amount (500 or less) a couple of days a week, and a good healthy amount (1200? 1500?) on the other days. That's supposed to be good for getting past a plateau, because it keeps your metabolism from getting used to how much you're eating, and slowing down. This approach is sometimes called "intermittent fasting."

Thanks Fi. I don't generally get the symptoms anymore because my general eating is low carb, but the broth sure helped when I first started.

Jane ~ Thanks for your comments on my walking

Ubee ~ Thanks for answering my question, Im sure I'll be able to find it

I got two walks in today, Im so proud of myself

Hi guys..
Its hard for me to get on here on the weekend since I am working and doing stuff with my son, but I thought I would come on here and see how everyone is doing.
I can safely say that I've been OP since Friday. I am happy to report that. It's been so hard to start over and I need to keep this up. I feel so much better when I do.

Ubee counting my calories has been the only thing I have been comfortable with doing and I lose consistently with it. I think what I need to change is to just allow myself what I want, but in moderation instead of eliminating everything I think I can't have. I seem to get side tracked or whatever you want to call it and I just stop, but it always works for me. I don't mind you asking at all. That's why were here right? hehe..

Well, work is the easiest place to be right now. Normally it's not because I work at a grocery store, but I'm so busy lately I just don't have time to think about buying food and eating it. So I'm happy at work right now so I can get the distraction. My husband is still on board and that's cool too. and I have a goal: I need new work shirts and I bought some right before I gained my weight back. So if I can lose 20 pounds I should be able to fit in them again. So I have something to work towards.

Jane it sounds like you got a plan. Good for you!

Fiona, good luck on your plateau. That's hard to overcome. I think that might work with the calories. I have heard talk of it.

Betsy, thanks for the tips. Yeah that is my downfall. When I slip up I tend to just quit instead of taking a breather and coming back. I have to remember that this is something I have to work hard at. yay for you for having and OP day. It's the best feeling!!

Down 2.6 this morning, that's a nice water weight whoosh. Just a quick check in to say I'm still on plan. Need to get some stuff done today!

The guy who does the heavy maintenance work on my house is due in a few minutes, so this will be a short note for me (probably a relief for most of you!!).

Sounds like all of us are facing our eating challenges and meeting them head on. If we stumble, we're figuring out why and trying to remedy it. If we're on plan, we have enough sense to congratulate ourselves. I'm striving for 2 solid days in a row......that shouldn't be such a big accomplishment, but I'll take it! Ubee, whatever works for us is great. I just realized that I could learn to eat better and healthy, but there were some things in life I wasn't going to give up. Sounds like you're onto something.

Just heard Mark's truck drive up so guess I'd better get it in gear. Hope everyone has a great day.