Well, I am behind again. Took some time off from house cleaning to try geocaching. Took a day to figure out the GPS and then we went to look for a cache this morning and never could find ti, though we were in the right area. At least it got me out of the house for a little while. Have leftover bits and pieces in the crock pot for dinner. Pork roast, salsa, a few carrots, broth, mushrooms, little bit of frozen spinach. Will make a nice soup for this evening and Robert can have any leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I got some 96% lean ground beef at the store this morning, expiration date is tomorrow, so it was $3.00 off of $4.69 and I couldn't resist. Also scored a deal on some marked down sliced cheese, like 69 cents it ended up being for the package. Tomorrow we'll get hamburgers with cheese. Yummy! I don't get that very often, so it will be a treat for the next couple of days.

As someone suggested, I am making this update in notepad and then I'll cut and paste so it doesn't get lost. That's what I usually do, but sometimes I forget!

PMom-So very nice for those older guys to let your little guy join them. He'll remember stuff like that, and I bet he'll do similar kind things when he's one of the bigger kids.

Petra-I bet you can cut back by that extra 100 cals just by triming a tiny bit of fat and carbs and an ounce of meat. I've been eating around 1500-ish most days lately and not starving all the time, though never feeling very full either. One of my favorite filler uppers is 1/2 cup of fiber one original cereal, 1/2 cup of plain lowfat yogurt, and 1/2 cup of blueberries. It seems pretty satisfying, is sweet, tangy and crunchy in the mouth. And only 165 cals. Lotsa bang for the buck.

Annie-is your son going away to college in the fall, then? I occasionally miss the days when my kids were still at home...not often and I probably remember it all better than it actually was ;-)

Chickie-hang in there. I guess it's only one more day now since I'm so slow getting this written! And it seems as though you're doing well on plan. Yaay!

Kim-I'm sorry you aren't getting more energy. For me, the vit. D helped a little bit before I started my plan. Now that I'm eating less, I just take a multi, but the gooder food seems to be a help. Maybe you just need mroe spinach...LOL! Somtimes I think that's all I ever eat anymore. Actually, the iron is probably a help too. 3 lbs lost is AWESOME especially traveling!

OMW-Nice you fit into your dress! I think I like the NSV almost as much as losing a couple of pounds in a week! It's kind of "applied" weight loss and something you can actually see and feel.

Heidi-Glad your surgery went well. I'm sure your weight will adjust back down once your body has a chance to recuperate a little. I bet you'll get lower actually unless you binged on all the yummy hospital food...ICK!

slroth-You're gonna be okay. Just don't quit trying. Make small adjustments and see how they work. You'll get to your happy place and figure out what works and what doesn't and no need to beat yoruself up if you are a little off plan occasionally.

WLW-crossing my fingers he just forgot, and maybe you can go and have a good time Friday when you're up for it. Your chicken sounds good! Post your recipe?

Annie-you can resist the brownies and the blondies. They probably aren't that good anyhow!

Marathon post here, and I guess it's time to go fetch some coffee and then decide if I want to paint the doorway around the bifold doors in front of the mechanical room...I HATE painting the house parts!

Barb

Hi everyone, i'm new so thought i'd just pop in and say hello!

Sounds like everyone is doing really well - what great discipline you all have to set some long term goals and stick at them. Big congratulations to you all.

My story is that i was always a bit of a yo-yoer, then did a great diet with a friend over a period of about two years (well, losing the weight over about 6 months then maintaining for 18 monts at below 119lb). That was about 10 years ago and since then i've never been back to my highest weight but have fluctuated between 136 and 119 about 3 more times - so here i am AGAIN with the same old target!

My current story is that i'm pretty active (running, gym classes most days) but i broke my foot 3 weeks ago and so all of a sudden i can't exercise. I was already a bit worried about my weight gradually creeping up even before The Foot, so now i really really need to be really really good with food since i'll have to seriously drop the calories with my capacity to burn them off gone, and so i started my current diet as a result.

Oh, and the other thing is that right now i'm overseas at meetings and a conference for this week and all next week which equals eating out at every meal, drinking alcohol every night (except i'm determined only to drink on 3 nights out of the trip....) etc etc. Sigh. So my willpower is going to have to be switched on big-time. Hopefully this site can give me a bit of help there.

Howdy Ange! Welcome to the group. I wish I was overseas eating European chocolates right now ;-)

Barb

Welcome Ange. This is a great group.

Heidi-great to hear from you. Glad you are doing well. don't worry about the extra pounds. I'm sure its water. I ordered an ipad. It should be here soon. I'm looking forward to playing with that too.

I think the interview went well. Time will tell. I'm still struggling with the lower calories or more exercise issue.

Angelskeep-My son will be living at home (between me and his Dad) at least for a while. I know he wants to get an apartment eventually, but I think he needs to get settled into college work and then worry about that.

I resisted all the goodies today.

Went to buy a pair of scrub pants today after work. Tried on a pair of MEDIUMS petite and they FIT!! Too bad they weren't the right color. So the pair I chose turned out to be a large....I should have tried the medium in that style but didn't. Good to know (but tough on the wallet) that I will need new sizes in a while. Things are a bit baggy now, but not unsightly. Going to make them last as long as possible.

Welcome Ange!

Wow, I am way behind. I am not even going to try to reply to all the posts except to say hang in there for those who are struggling and way to go for all the weight loss. Welcome to the new people, I have said this before and will say it many more times, you have found a great group of people to help support you in your weight loss journey.

I have been so busy and I got my official lay-off notice today at work. Budget cuts stink. Funny though, I am not turning to food through this. I have a very big motivating factor in my life right now and this has kept me focused. The scale is still on the downward slide. I did go through a plateau recently but after days of only losing a few ounces at a time, I read a good article about the need to make sure you actually eat the amount of calories your body needs to lose weight. I found myself cutting way back on my calories to try to get the scale to budge but all I did was put my body in starvation mode and my metabolism slowed way down. When I started upping my calories (healthy foods, no sugar, diet drinks, etc) my weight loss kicked into high gear again. I am down to 210 as of last Saturday. That is a loss of 27 pounds since Feb. I have not felt deprived or left out of any of the family functions we have, which are a lot of bar-b-ques and get togethers.

I am not perfect, if I really feel the need for a special food, I allow it but in moderation. There is a word I never paid attention to and had a hard time putting into practice. Whenever I get discouraged I think of all the wonderful ladies on this website and know I am not alone.

CruiseCat: it was nice to meet you in person and I know things will go well with your step-son. Maybe we can get together for a hike when this weather gets better. I don't know about you but I am soooo tired of this wind. You know how to contact me. :-)

Ladies, have a great week. I cannot believe May is here in a few short days. My Doheny Blues Festival is coming up and I cannot wait. I will fit into those Levi's I bought three years ago and wasn't able to fit into!!!

Hello everyone! Down to 168 this morning on the scales, big surprise and a very welcome loss. Going to take the afternoon off to have my car's A/C charged up....I hope that it is all it is. It stopped cooling on the way home from our hike on Saturday. Will get the oil changed/tires rotated, too. Hope to go home while it is being serviced and get some things done in the yard. It has been SO windy here the last few days, I just hate to get out in it. But I really need to do a couple of things, we'll see.

I bought new weights to use during WATP. They are 2 pound weights (4 pounds total). I was using 1 pound weights and it is a big difference just upping it that much. Hope it helps to get my upper body in shape. I really need to start doing some ab work, may try to get some in tonight.

TuningIn, good to see you and congrats on your continued weight loss. I am so sorry about your job....I know that has to be stressful.

Have a good day everyone!

Onmyway—I think I will have a talk with DH about my goals. I was waiting to be sure that I was going to stick to my goals before talking, but I think I'm there now. I hate telling anyone I'm going to exercise and watch what I eat only to fail. I'd rather fail privately, if that makes sense. But I think your advice is good...time to ask him to be aware with me. And if he loses a few pounds in the process, it won't hurt him any either!

Kathi—I'm sure it was a disappointment to not hear from the potential date, but I totally understand not really wanting to leave the house after you're home! I'm glad you turned around your disappointment and made yourself a yummy dinner.

AnnieDrews—I hear you on those college costs. That'll be nice to have him nearby and living at home for awhile. My youngest will probably do the same thing. Enjoy having him around...that will make graduation easier since he's not leaving you (yet!). And good job resisting the goodies...it paid off! Size medium is amazing, especially after your revelation about your actual highest weight...that is many sizes you've come down. Great job!!

Ange—welcome! Sorry to hear about your foot. I hope it heals quickly and well.

Petra—maybe you can share the cutback between calories and exercise...drop the calories by just a tiny bit, and exercise just a bit more. Maybe that way neither would seem like such a drastic change.

Tuning in—excellent weight loss! Sorry about the job situation. It's all to common these days. I hope something opens up for you.

Good food/exercise/vitamin/water day yesterday, and on the road to a good one today (though this reminds me to go take my vits). Today should be a great workout day...an hour in so far, and I have a walk scheduled with a friend for later this afternoon. My son has a home lacrosse game today, so that will keep me busy during the late afternoon time block, which is often when I get into snacking. So it's looking like a good day all around.

Thanks for the welcomes, barb and petra and annie and slroth and tuning in!

It's great to be able to moan on about diet stuff without worrying about boring people unduly, and it's great to read about everyone elses ups and downs with weight issues as it all sounds exactly like my internal thoughts about myself!

Petra - i'd go for the extra exercise. You can't possibly lose. It's healthier and you'll enjoy it and feel more virtuous! Horses for courses though really as i guess i'm talking about my own preferences reallly.

Annie - i've never heard of scrub pants and haven't a clue what WATP might be, but congratulations on your downsizing. (i'm clearly going to learn a new language hanging around here, in addition to the other benefits!)

And barb - thanks for the welcome but i won't thank you for bringing up the subject of European choccies.......

Well so far so good at my meetings today. I avoided all the cakes/cookies at morning and afternoon tea, and was very moderate with lunch. Next hurdle is dinner tonight.

LOL Ange! I would be the size of a house if I lived anywhere they sold those choccies! Instead of just the size of a small flat ;-)

Barb

LOL Ange! Scrub pants are worn by medical personnel here in the U.S. They probably are called something else in Aus. Here is a link to a pic of basic scrubs...


http://greysanatomy.nwscrubs.com/images/GA_GROUP.jpg



WATP is the abbreviated version of the name of an exercise DVD series called "Walk Away The Pounds". It is an in-home low-impact walking program.

Hope that clears things up!!

Welcome Ange!

Mary: I can't help but wonder if maybe you aren't getting enough calories? I'm 5'2" and 164 lbs....when I went to the nutritional counselor she recommended I aim for 1400-1600 calories based on my weight and activity level. I'm curious how you decided how many calories you need and if maybe you should try increasing them, maybe for for a week to see if your metabolism picks up? Just a thought, I know everyone is different : )

Slroth: the date thing wasn't all that disappointing, I'm thinking that says something...I was kind of ambivalent to start with but I'm trying to put myself out there and move out of my comfort zone. I always said that if God throws a man under my feet and I trip over him a few times I would stop and take a look : )

I made it most of the way through a work week without ordering in or going out, but at least I only ordered half a sandwhich and a small order of fries. I got a nice big chocolate chip cookie in place of my daily candybar. Fortunately they didn't have my fave apple strudel at the deli when I stopped in....which is why I have been avoiding them since I got back from tx!

This weekend is going to be the major push for packing - I haven't started yet....I think maybe it hasn't sunk in that I actually got the place of my dreams. How did the last 6 weeks fly by so fast?!

I hope everyone is having an awesome week : )

Here is the long and short of it. I have been eating between 1600-1800 for quite a while. A few days over and a few days under here and there and as you all know, that scale just won't move. Last week, I was averaging around 1500 calories and look what happened......my scale moved. I don't think I need to eat more. It was a flash though, I haven't seen that 219 again. I was 221 this morning so I'm still struggling. I'm getting there. Calories have been better this week so we'll see if I can get that scale to move again here soon. I absolutely hate being hungry so I am working on a strategy to avoid that but still keep my calories in line.

I joined the May Wii challenge on some other thread and committed to 300 minutes of wii for next month so that should help with the exercise part too.

Barb: don't give up on the geocaching, sometimes they are well-hidden! we found one once under a fake sprinkler head in the middle of a field, another time it was an out-of-place tree stump in the woods...my dad found both of those and he has brain damage from a head injury! My new palm has a geocaching app that I can't wait to try...stupid phone crashed after a week so I need to set up the replacement. My family in texas has found some need places by doing the geocaching.

Hi friends! So glad it's Friday. Not sure what the weekend holds, but looking forward to spending it with my honey. He may be practicing for a gold tournament, though. He just might owe me a nice dinner out or something!

Older son told me about 5 p.m. last night that there was a last minute jazz band concert at the school at 7:30. Didn't get anything done around the house or in the yard. I really need to get my flowers bought and planted....afraid they are going to be picked over after this weekend. Oh well...I'll find something to stick in the dirt.

Hope you all have a great Friday/Saturday!!