NEMom, I'm so proud of you with the cigs, forgive yourself the hangover and leading up to it.

Hey....No Whining from me Today!!!!

I did my exorcises last night like I promised :carrot: (why did I slow down on that? I've backtracked on the asthma. grr). And I promised myself I wouldn't peek at 3FC until I did my Jack LaLane's tonight......Here I am!!!.....guess that means you're my dessert!!

I'm feeling truly back on track. Ready to tackle the forum challenges again. I told TH I was thinking about Atkins for a while....He questioned my sanity...(been there, done that).

Zumba--You only bought 5 days of Nutrisystem, so may as well give it a try. NS sounds convenient, but I just don't trust packaged goods anymore. TH used to buy me WW and Lean Cuisine, but they never helped me with weight loss. I've been religiously making my own meals from scratch, and family's as well. I'm really enjoying cooking...keeping the house warm in colder weather...and the meals have been getting more and more delicious. I found a grocer that sells fresh herbs in just the right quantity and inexpensive. All that savory goodness is better than anything that comes in a box.

Did you all happen to catch the 60 min episode on flavor enhancers?
ww.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7389748n
(left off a "w" so it wouldn't automatically hyperlink)
....All those bottles......chicken in a hose.......Gross!

MrsT--you guys should drag all your space heaters to work. If management won't listen to you, maybe they'll pay attention to an enormous heating bill! Plus, you'll be more comfy. I have one at work (illegal!) and a humidifier.

NEmom--Woot Woot!! I know your family will be proud of you this holiday, too!!


Stay strong, ladies.....be nice to your scales....

2FatCats-- My New Years resolution this year is going to be to start weight lifting. I'm going to see if I can work out the New Rules for Weight Lifting for Women program at home. I need to buy some stuff and figure it out, but m pretty excited about it. What is your plan? I loved your quote about fit girls looking good naked. Totally inspiring! Lol

Zumba- My mom lost a boat load of weight years ago on Nutrisystem, but promptly gained it all back. The problem, in my opinion, is that you aren't eating real world food and creating real behavior change. And it's expensive! I know what I would do.

NEMom--I could totally relate to your bad weekend because of your hangover. I went on a girls night out on Friday night. I am a very responsible drinker and limited myself to my usual number of drinks. Apparently, I forgot to account for 28 pounds less of me due to my weight loss. Whoops!

----------------
The past week has been one diet-threatening social situation after another for me. For the most part, I've managed to stay within my calories, but I definitely have been eating more than usual. Tomorrow is my birthday, and I already know I'll be eating out for lunch and dinner. :dizzy: On top of that, I saw my low weight of 150.0 on December 7, but have not seen it since. I keep bouncing around between 151 and 154. I think I may have been eating too few calories and perhaps the extra I've been eating lately can help me knock this plateau. Waking up with good news from the scale would be the best birthday gift I could get!

Interesting day...started off with a bomb threat down the street at the local Soc. Sec. office. Police blocked off all the blocks surrounding it...including ours. Turned out to be nothing but an empty suitcase. It was left by someone who jumped out of a van, placed at the front door, they hopped back in the van & sped away. Then it ended weird! I was driving home on one of our main roads (four lane with a middle turn lane) & there was some guys standing RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! He was wearing nothing but boxers! He also looked totally out of it...didn't even blink when I drove past. I called the police & they already had officers en route. Now, you must realize this road is pretty dark...not a lot of street lights...he could've been easily ran over. Maybe that's what he wanted? I'd just hate to be the one to hit him....
Anywhos, talked to HR...we'll see how that goes. In the meantime we DO crank the heat all the way up after he leaves at 5 (must be nice!!). I'm sure the elctricity bill will be outrageous! Hope district management gets after him for it!
Good day health-wise. Ate good & healthy, drank plenty of H2O & walked for 45 mins this AM. :woohoo:

Sheila: Enjoy our time off, lucky lady! PMS is rotten & we all understand that. Remember it will pass...just don't kill anyone before it passes. ;) Maintaining during the holidays, is good...GO FOR IT!!

Zumba: Sorry that your friend lost a child. I couldn't imagine. :hug: Lady, don't worry so much about your weight. Why? Cause we live in the real world (not on the one they used to have on MTV) facing real world issues & problems. Weight goes up, weight goes down. How we handle ourselves is what matters. Do we handle ourselves with as much dignity & resiliance as possible. We are human, we slip, we fall, we mess up...what counts is that we get up, dust ourselves off try again. Anyone who really knows what is going on in your life will be impressed. Know this, you ARE an inspiration despite what you may think or feel. Don't give up! Put one foot in front of the other, next thing you know...you'll be on your way again!

guacamole: Um, Milk Duds...sorry, drooled on the keyboard! I actually was able to say "NO" to candy when it was offered to me today. And it was offered more than once! UGH!
2 miles! Awesome! I love walking...I often wondered why I quit. Sounds like you did really good! I know what you mean about goodies...they are just waaaay too tempting! But you are worth more than they are! :)

2fatcats: Sodium is a killer. I was floored when I started reading lables. It's also one reason why I kicked soda to the curb for the most part...sodium. If I have soda, it's root beer or 7UP, much lower in sodium if I really have to have soda. Go for the weight room! Tone those muscles! You'll burn even more calories!!

NEMom: Congrats on the 2 WEEK MARK!!! That is great! As for the hung over...been there done that. Forget about it. Maybe you have new limits now with your healthier lifestyle? It happens. I also keep in mind when I drink that alcohol is "empty calories". Average mixed drink has about 300 cal/6 oz. Water chasers are a good idea...keeps you hyrdated & hopefully helps you regulate your partaking.

SeeMyFeet: I always look at the board as a treat, too! I come to it at the end of my work day. It's something I look forward to...cause the ladies here know what I'm attempting to do, be healthy! Go for the challenges! You can do it! Next time TH questions your sanity...tell him what I tell H, "You married me!" That usually shuts him up! :lol:

MovingForward: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Most health/diet experts say if you for the most part maintain at this time of year, it's like loosing 10 lbs. at other times of the year. That's not bad at all. Do what you can, hang on & you'll be fine once the holiday are in the rear-view mirror. :)

Sorry gang...I'm sleepy. Gotta take H to the dr. tomorrow. He is getting his 2 week check after being on all these new meds. I'm hoping for good news. If it is good then he won't have to go back for 30 days. :crossed:

HAVE A HEALTHY TUESDAY! ENJOY YOUR DAY! YOU CAN DO THIS!

Good morning, all! It has not been a great few days of eating for me. I know I'm up in poundage and too scared to weigh in, especially because I know that things will NOT get easier the next week or so while the holidays are going on!

I've decided that I am not going to weigh again until after the holidays. I just can't take the self-berating that comes along with seeing a number I don't like. I'm going to enjoy the holidays and try to use common sense instead of being ruled by the scale. This will be a special challenge for me because old!me tends to think, "WHOO HOO!!!! no scale means PARTY TIME" and that's not what I want to do either. I want to go by how my body feels and try to seriously think about what I put in my mouth and why I'm doing it. Am I eating it because I think I can get away with it because I'm not weighing or is it something that will nourish me and make me feel better later?

The challenge begins today. I am packing healthy stuff for lunch, but I don't know what I'm doing for dinner. I am going to a movie right after work today and will need to eat something in the car on the way there because I do NOT want to get popcorn or any of the other movie foods there!

Hope everyone has a GREAT day!

@zumba - wow, I'm so sorry about your friend who lost a child. I can't imagine anything more horrendous than what she's gone through.

@guacmole- oh I LOVE Duncan Donut coffee, too! I try to buy it when it's on sale to have at home.

@2fatcats - I want to incorporate weights into my fitness routine, too! I am hoping to buy the New Rule for Lifting for Women book!

@NEmom - so happy for you on the cig front!

@Moving Forward - I know what you mean about one diet-threatening situation after another. This is why I'm just unable to take it. I want to socialize, but I don't want to obsess about every bit of food I eat this time of year. It's not mentally healthy for me. But I don't want to gorge and gain 10 pounds either. It will be a HUGE challenge for me!

@MrsTryingAgain - bomb threat - YIKES! I hope the rest of the day goes better! :)

Hi all...thank you all for your kind words...I'm in a bad place and I'm really struggling to get better...or to atleast survive. You ask obese people who were once skinny what went wrong and it winds up weight is a symptom of something bad going on in their life.....I can easily become one of those people.. My mother is one of those people.......I am not going to fool myself and say it won't happen to me......

I gained weight after my first day of NS,,, LOLOL! Only me! I cheated a little but I really think it is the sodium....my rings are stuck on my fingers and my ankles are swollen..I'm also PMS.....I am going to take a diurex today to see if that helps.....going to teach today and then get my own workout in...not feeling good today..backache and other stuff like hemmies.....Lord give me strength to get through this day..going to stick with four days of NS...then back on BFC....I thought theNS would give me a head start.....uh......not working out that way!

Read all your posts will do personals later...love you gals!

What a day to start Atkins.....Woke up with the flu...had a handful of turkey and feel like I'm gonna THROW UP....only 20 stomach flus from my goal weight!

Hey....What THE????

JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN????????


PUT THE COOKIE DOWN!!!!

DROP IT!....NOW!!....THIS INSTANT!!!

DON'T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE!!!!

Good Job!.....Zero second rule.....now, let the dog eat it.

Lolololwell!,,,,, but I don't have a dog!

SeeMyFeet - feel better! Cookies are my nemesis this time of year too!

Zumbachica - Hang in there, sweetie! You can get past this. I totally am one of those people that became obese due to negative things happening in my life. Fat loves stress and sadness. Comfort eating became the main way I soothed myself. I feel afraid because I see myself slipping back into the comfort eating mode - I think those of us who have been down that road are prone to it in the future. You are not alone! It is a constant battle most of us need to fight.

olehcat - I am right there with you on being afraid to weigh in. I know that I need to bite the bullet soon, but I will wait until later in the week when I have a few days to recover from the weekend.

MrsTryingAgain - Wow! A bomb threat? After everything happening in the news, I would have been very freaked out. You lead an exciting life! Good job on staying on plan and exercising!

Moving Forward - The holiday season is a land mine field! I have a holiday part to attend tonight, and I already reached my calorie limit. Since I doubt I will abstain from all food at the party...looks like I will be going over today.

Anyhow....feeling like I am losing the fight. I went to a restaurant with my husband that I hadn't been to for awhile, and the waiter asked me if I had lost weight. I said I had over the year, but not recently. He told me he remembered me when we first started coming to the restaurant a few years ago, and that I look great - better now than those years ago. It was nice to hear, but that little voice in the back of my head was thinking, "not for much longer!" I feel like I am slipping up big time. Where did my motivation go? I can't trust that I will lose even a few more pounds. Like, if I gain, it will just stick. What happened to me?

Afternoon All,

Moving Forward: Yesterday I told my DH that I wanted to start lifting weights but didn't know where to start. He shrugged and looked supportive but didn't offer any suggestions. So glad you did! I hadn't heard of that book so I did a bit of checking. Ultimately I chose (and downloaded instantly- love the digital age)!
The New Rules of Lifting For Life: An All-New Muscle-Building, Fat-Blasting Plan for Men and Women Who Want to Ace Their Midlife Exams. There is a newer one coming out in a few weeks that also has videos- I might read that one, too.
I'm off to read some more- I'm even more excited to start working with weights now! Not sure if I will join a local gym or just buy more equipment for home. So great to be able to workout and not care if I'm wearing pink pants, green shirt and red hoodie (like today)!

oooooh woweeeeeeeeee!!..i turn my back on you all and there is 3 pages!!..wow!!...visitors have left...and i am suffering my TOM!!..urgggggghhhh!! most of yesterday in bed with cramps and feeling icky...now back on track after a few days of eating stuff i am not supposed too...a bit here and a bit there...sigh..but oh well now i am back on track..going to the pool today to see physio..going to ask about the numbness in my legs...getting hotter here by the minute making walking in the morning very uncomfortable for all of us...doggie me and friend...not soo bad at night though with hubby and doggie...oh problem with doggie and food is that she is overweight too..sigh cannot win!!..lol..lol..lol...good on ya for working with weights 2fatcats and nemon whooooooot about the 14 days..i am just at my 1 month mark of meal plans...probably going to be naughty over christmas and new year but i do feel sick when off plan and eating carbs so i probably will try and stick to meal planning like 90% of the time!!...i will be here on and off for a while but will try and pop in everyday...missed you all lots...cheers liz

oh and thanks heaps for the sympathy and well wishes!!

@zumba - yes, the ten pounds that I gained (and then lost er...at least as of last Friday...were all from the divorce this summer. I'm a stress eater for sure, and I eat when I'm stressed about life circumstances. Hang in there...you'll get through this. You're probably right about the NS and sodium! Maybe you'll see a whoosh tomorrow.

@SeeMyFeet - feel better! That sort of stomach stuff is awful!

@guacamole - I hear you. I lost the ten pounds as of last Friday and all the sudden I feel "off" and I ate poorly all of this past weekend. and as a result, even after eating pretty well today, I feel gross and bloated still. I KNOW if I stepped on the scale, it would say something closer to 144 than 141 and that's so depressing.

@2fatcats - what equipment did you get for the New Rules?

@liz - HI!!! Welcome back!

thanks hun!!...still catching up on stuff...cooking me some tomotoes and onions in the oven!!...yum yum...might even poach an egg perhaps!!...do your TOM make you hungry??...probably mind over matter for me!!...a pain in the patootie though when watching what you eat...men should experience this too at least once in their life times...mind you i think my hubby does in a way..i get very umm cranky and also a bit whingey...oh wells hopefully will be through this before christmas!!...cheers liz

I'm sorry gang. I just don't have it in me tonight. My day was fine til about 4PM, when H's drs appt was over. He needs a pacemaker. Better sooner than later. The meds aren't doing the job.
I'm trying very, very hard to keep it together, but I seem to keep loosing it. Dr wants him to get in within the next 2-3 weeks at most. We STILL HAVEN'T gotten an answer about his medical assistance. We turned in the last of his paperwork 2 WEEKS AGO!!!
I'll try to be in a better frame of mind tomorrow. :hug: Cyber-hugs to you all! BE HEALTHY! BE GOOD!

:hug: :hug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
for MrsT

**big hugs for MrsTryingAgain**

MrsTryingAgain - so sorry about your husband. I can say that I have a relative with a pace maker and her life was improved so much by having it. I don't think she even notices it's there, but it keeps her regulated. She travels, works out, dances at clubs and lives life! There is hope.

MRSTRYING: Better to have the pacemaker than not to. My father put it off and then it was too late. I know it is scary and I know you are still putting up with the financial stuff but be grateful that there is something that can help your husband.

LIZARD: I can't wait until my TOM gets here...my boobs are killing me and i feel so BLOATED and gross.....hope you're better today....

OLEHCAT: I keep thinking that by the time this divorce is over i'll weigh a good 300 lbs.

NEMOM; having a glass of water between each drink is a good idea...helps cut back the alcohol consumption.

KELIJ; I want to hear more about your juice fasts....which one do you follow?

GUAC: You are having a temporary collapse....it is the holidays, it is winter, it is a low point....we have highs and lows....I'm at a super low. Dust yourself off and get back on the horse. You've come way too far to lose it now....maintenance is so hard.

Well I gained weight after one day of nutrisystem..i cheated on it and I felt sickly...so I'm not doing it anymore. I wonder if I can return the unused portions to Walmart..probably not. So as if things weren't bad enough I gained more weight....when is it going to end? I'm at the scariest number ever, so much so that I refused to get on the scale today...and I have been weighting myself religiously every morning for the past 15 years! I'm definitely PMS and I think the sodium in the nutrishitsystem made it worse...bloated and in pain....Getting the massage tomorrow night...I just feel achey all over.

So after two days of nutrisystem i'm back to square one and I have decided to go back to the old and reliable thing that works for me. Atkins. Just for a while until I get to a better place and then I will live a low carb lifestyle again. ....I think hitting rock bottom like this is actually a good thing....because I'm so disgusted with myself I actually have some drive now to change things. My jeans HURT, I have nothing to wear and I actually do not want to go out because I have nothing to wear plus I hate how I look......

I am spending today cleaning this house top to bottom.

First :

MOVING FORWARD, :bday2you:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR MOVING FORWARD, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

May all your birthday wishes come true! Enjoy the day!

Morning All,


DH is taking the afternoon off and we are off to the sporting goods store to shop for equipment! Yea! I almost finished the NROL, midlife version. Now I need to see if it's more cost effective to buy the equipment for home or join a gym.

@ OLECAT: I'm not sure yet on equipment! I'm eyeballing a cable/pulley system thing. I could go to the Y but I hate to wait for others to get off equipment - or watch folks sweat all over everything and not wipe it off.
I guess I am extra lucky - no kids at home, DH has a great job so I don't have to work (I haven't for a year now - sorta semi-retired) and we have a big old Victorian house with a full sized walk-up attic that I have turned into my 'home gym'. The floors are all padded, I've got an elliptical, treadmill, 2 spin bikes, weight bench, stability ball, bands and freeweights. I get bored easy:D. I have ZERO excuses for not working out, though!

ZUMBA: After the divorce: Just picture how much he weighs and figure you lose at least that much when it's over! :p

MrsT:hug::hug::hug::hug:

GUAC:What Zumba said...and what you said to her!

KELIJPA: Yep, saw the hobbit. DH loves that stuff!

SeeMyFeet: Just realized you are tall like me! Well, almost - gotcha by 1/2 inch:p. And you have a fairly low goal weight, too. Folks keep telling me that 140-145 is too low for my height. But - just cause I'm tall doesn't mean I'm big. My 'frame size' is small. It figures-the one time I would like to be large. My goal is really about body fat %. I want to be about 13-15%. So if that's 150 - so be it. I started out with a high weight of 258.... I'm nosy - How did you pick 130?

To all: I went looking for before pictures of all of me at the HW of 258- only found one. Not surprised, really. It seems whenever I am 'heavier' there are pictures of me from the neck up.... So I spent time with a camera and a full length mirror today taking some 'before I started lifting weights' photos. I had no idea what by back side looked like. Sigh. I think it's supposed to be higher than that.:o But the front probably is supposed to be higher, too:D Definitely starting with weights!

Wow oh Wow so much to catch up on.

Zumba - I am sorry you are going through such a tough time right now. I know what you mean about getting desperate and depressed about your weight, I am right there with ya. Keep trying or telling myself this is it but keep failing, getting very mad at myself.

MrsTrying - I am so sorry you are still waiting for an answer on getting medical assistance on your husband. As for the pacemaker, my FIL has had one for many years and hardly knows it is there. I really hope things work out for you my dear.

Guac - I am like you, it has been over a year since I lost my weight and here I sit a year later up 8 lbs from where I was this time last year. I am so embarrassed and afraid to gain it all back. Ugh, wish I could divorce myself sometimes.

2Fatcats - I too have several pieces of exercise equipment at home. I have a weight machine, wielder pro and I really love it. I'm with you on going to the gym, much rather do it in the privacy of my own home. I hate waiting for machines or people staring at me while they are waiting for the machine I am on.

This week has been HORRIBLE for me foodwise. On Sunday I actually had fast food, not subway but fast food hamburger and cheese burger. I have eaten pizza and a slice of pie. I am so disgusted with myself I just cannot believe how out of control my eating has become.
I know that I cannot promise to be perfect over the next week. My daughter's 21st birthday is Friday and we are having a big todo. Sunday we are going out to dinner with my FIL for Christmas and then there is Xmas eve and Christmas day.
I am going to do my very best to make reasonable food choices and behave when I am not out. After the holidays, I am cracking down on my eating and exercising. I have got to get this weight off. I feel like a cow!

NE......it is the holidays plus you have your daughters bday.....it is unrealistic to think you won't indulge a little bit......try and make good choices. That's all I'm doing for the rest of this year. I only have one dinner out on Friday and then that's it for temptations until Christmas.....I want to bake cookies but I'm wondering if it is a good idea.....

NEMom - Happy birthday to your daughter! Thanks for relating to how I feel. I suppose it says something about our commitment that we are still here posting, even if we are not happy with how we are progressing. At least we are still fighting.

2FatCats - Weight training is supposed to make a big difference in your appearance! Congrats on the new equipment. Like NEMom, I also like to work out with weights at home. However, I have no equipment except some 5lb free weights. I was doing weight training at a local gym, but their equipment wasn't the greatest and I also don't like being watched while I work out.

Zumbachica - I always read on here that sometimes a binge takes a few days to show up on the scale. Is the the one pound due to one day on nutrisystem, or a few bad days of eating? Since you already bought the food and can't return it, maybe hang in there and stick to it until you have used up your supply. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised? I have no experience with nutrisystem, so I am not trying to push the diet - just trying to save you money! ;)

I went for a 2 mile walk today and have been on plan so far. I really felt down yesterday because I again went shopping for a formal dress for an upcoming wedding and found that some of the size 12s I tried on were feeling snug. That really scared me! I really do believe in vanity sizing now, though. When I went shopping a few days ago at Nordstrom's, Lord & Taylors, and Macy's, I was fitting into 8s and 10s. Yesterday I went the discount route at Marshalls, Ross, and JCPenny, and 12s just fit me.

Good luck today, everyone.

Hello Ladies -

I think we have a consistent theme here - THE HOLIDAYS ARE HARD! UH!

I am also eating "off plan" - every evening is a "let's have a holiday drink" - which is usually accompanied by fattening, high carb FOOD!!

My goal over the next two weeks - MAINTAIN. I don't plan on losing any weight - but I sure don't want to gain any either! That said, as difficult as this is, as soon as I finish this post - despite completely NOT being in the mood - I'm going to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes which will hopefully turn into a 40 minute run (my 5K) - but I'll be satisfied with 30 - - at least I know I'm undoing SOME of the damage! It also helps with those "guilty" feelings - LOL

Okay - "Do the Time Sheila" -- only 30 minutes - - in the grand scheme of things it's just one "SpongeBob" episode!!! LOL!

Alright - I'm motivated by you ladies now - - I'm off to run - or even if I have to walk - but I have a meeting with my treadmill!!!!! :) I'll check in after I'm done!

Sheila

Okay - I didn't do 5K, but I ran for 30 minutes and am dripping with SWEAT!! (what I refer to as "fat crying"....LOL). Feel MUCH better! Well worth the small time investment - DO ME! :carrot:

Now my evening is free to RELAX. I'm eating carbs through the holidays, but trying to be smart about it. So I'm having an Ezekiel muffin with veggie cheese for dinner...and maybe a little of this bean salad I bought at the health food store deli...

And I haven't been weighing myself daily because I know I've been "bad" lately....decidedly, I really do need to weigh in daily - even through the holidays - just to keep my goal top of mind - not that I'm not going to enjoy the holiday fare, but simply to be more aware and maybe instead of two servings of those cheesy potatoes, if I know the scale is sliding up, I'll only have ONE helping (and a smaller portion at that). I just don't want to get on the scale January 1st and have 5 additional pounds to lose!!! I've worked to hard to get those off! LOL

I will feel better knowing that I am CHOOSING to either "Maintain or Gain"....:-)

Well - off to wrap presents - I am SO glad I'm done shopping!!! Still have to stop at the drug store to pick up a few stocking stuffers but nothing significant left to purchase - WHEW!

Hope everyone has a great evening! We can do this!!! Only a couple more weeks until what I am referring to as "Bootcamp"....LOL

Good words from you (cough) all today (cough). I have the voice of Nene Leakes (cough) in my head. She's (cough) sayin: "Why the HE## did my scale go up 1/2 lb today when I only had 500 calories yesterday??? Can somebody PLEASE explain that to me?" (cough).......I'm sick of being sick already.

You ladies are dealing with a lot right now. Just hang on for a little while. Find some relaxing moments four yourself...hot cup of tea....warm blanket....(icy drink for Lizzz).....and reflect on all you've accomplished already......some of you are really close to goal.....feel free to gloat that you're not in MY position right now......just getting started and a long way to go......just look at you guys...trying on fancy dresses.....making fun plans.....You're out there, even if you don't feel at the top of your game.

MrsT--I don't know what to say. I would be so upset if my TH were facing such health problems. Listen to everyone...he'll be better after the surgery. My uncle had pacemaker problems since his 30s and he's in his 90s now. Even way back then, something could be done to help.

Shiela22--30min run! jealous! Ugh....I cannot breathe today. Would LOVE to make my fat cells cry today.

2FatCats--I should measure myself. I never felt comfortable being tall, and I swear, it feels like I've grown a couple of inches the last few years. Probably because everyone I know 50+ is shrinking, including my TH. I'm big framed, by wrist size, and weighed 127 when I got married. My highest pre-pregnancy weight was 137. At 137, I could wear things from size 8-12, bigger sizes for long arms/legs. So 130 is ambitious. We'll see..... When were you at 258 and how long did it take to get down to 180??


Hey---I was remembering a weight loss fad that was going around when I was a girl. You could go to a dentist and he would wire your mouth shut! No choice but liquid diet. Anybody remember that???


Well, my DS is gangnamming me, so I'd better pay him some attention. (working farmer style....too funny)

Wow, this thread is smokin' can't miss a day, by the time I read everything, I forget what I wanted to say...lol

Zumba~we bought a juicebullet at bed, bath, etc. it had a recipe book with it so tried some of those, it started because DH watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and then had me watch it. so they have this website reboot with a bunch of recipes and plans, if you download the pdfs you'll see it's not all just juice, but salads, veggie soups, there was a lot of talk about micronutrients in vegetables, so we just started eating more veggies/fruits and threw in a juice fast to try it. One of the guys i work with has some kind of juice for breakfast every morning, he eats regular food for lunch, but has his carrot, apple, and whatever juice in the morning. I'm curious about the NS you bought, are they meals or shakes?

Speaking of diet fads, I do remember the jaw wiring fad! I remember wishing I could do that...now I can't imagine...when Oprah went on that liquid diet I remember lots of people talking about that and using slimfast like that, or slim fast for bfast and lunch and then some kind of weight loss dinner, I feel like I'm babbling...

So, DH had a tooth that's been bothering him off and on for a couple weeks that he didn't mention, just seemed not himself a few times, but then was back to himself, then yesterday was in lots of pain, to the point he called me at work, which he never does for something like that, so of course we haven't been to the dentist since we moved here, so had to find one, he was miserable, I had TOM so I was miserable with that and worried about him, so to make a long story even longer, ended up taking him to dentist, she pulled the tooth, one of his wisdom teeth that had been filled, patched, etc. so now he's like the tiger who got the thorn removed from his paw, coming back to himself, tired from the rough few days, but so much better. I felt better too, relief that it wasn't worse than it was, so got out for a good walk with the little dog, even ran some on each lap, first time for that, so feeling pretty good.

Tomorrow is work xmas lunch, hopefully won't be too bad, but I'm thinking it might be...I'm really wondering how the xmas eve, day, dinner at my parents the 27th, man what am I going to be looking at coming out the other side of that week...the scale will be crying for mercy...lol

sorry I couldn't answer everyone, and if I ran on too long, I so enjoy this thread, you ladies are great, you really pick me up when I'm down, thanks for that and hopefully sometimes something I write picks you up :goodvibes

best to all :sunny:

I have personal experience with "jaw wiring" - broke my jaw and was wired shut for 12 weeks years ago....yep - lost a ton of weight...but I sincerely felt hunger for the first time - real hunger...and after I was unwired, my metabolism was so messed up I gained it all back and then some! LOL not worth it...

....funny I've been talking to some friends tonight - they are struggling this week - I am too - - I think everyone has "holiday fever"....everyone is just ready for a break. I know I am!!! :-)

We all need to start gearing up for our New Years goals soon!!!! Just think about how far we have all come and how far we will go next year!!!!! :carrot::carrot:

OMG! Shiela22--how awful!! Sounds like a baseball/softball injury??????

My worst medical experience was a retinal surgery....I had to spend 3 weeks with my nose to the floor...day and night...no moving....while that was awful (especially from midnight to 6am) the jaw wiring sounds worse......12 weeks....aaaaaiiiiiieeeeeeee....



Hey--I had another memory from childhood (sorry, this cold is making me delirious)............jumping rope at recess........double dutch and all those fun tricks......why, oh why, did we outgrow this?????

I'm just popping in to let you know I'm hanging in there, I think. Kind of an emotional day...found out we probaly will not have an answer for H's medical financial assistance for at least a month probably more. I feel like I spent all night crying & worrying for nothing...I slept maybe 3 hours then had to work.
Yes, I do know that a pacemaker will make all the differnce in the world. My maternal grandma had one for at least 15 yrs. for the same reason. I'm just frustrated & worried because I don't know WHEN he'll be able to get it. And will it be before too much damage is done? Or worse?
I have been able to keep on track. Helping to keep H on track is helping ME stay on track. I refuse to let sweets, food high in fat or sodium in our home. I just cannot & will not allow it. We aren't depriving ourselves...just if we want something sweet we buy just a serving each of it, NO taking home a box/bag/dozen/case.
We had a beautiful walk together this AM. It was nice to get out in the icy coolness & just be together without having to make phone calls, go to appts or pick up medications. With that, I'm spent mentally/emotionally/physically. Good night. I'll see about catching up with you all tomorrow. I have a day off & far as I know...nothing to do but rest, clean & laundry.

Cyber-hugs to you all! BE GOOD! BE HEALTHY! HUG YOUR LOVED ONES!!!

me i am doing okays..still fighting the cravings..sweating my arse off (and i hope literally)..lol..lol.. stopped walking in the mornings...but doing hydro everyday despite TOM..walking at night is just bearable in this heat and humidity...sigh...tis one extreme to the other i suppose...you guys are shivering in your wellies and i am sweating buckets..darn it!!...oh well need to do lots around this house to get ready for going away and christmas etc etc etc..hope you all are doing okays and keeping well and safe!!

mrs-my heart goes out to you and hubby..i bet you are scared and worried silly...i would be!!...i am keeping all of my appendages crossed for you and my eyes too!!

zumba-yes feeling soo much better..i swear sometimes my uterus feels like it weighs and tonne and when things start happening i feel like 10 kgs lighter..sigh if only that were true!! yes and my thoughts and
best wishes for you is this trying time!!..i soo hope you feel better soon..your TOM is coming and perhaps this is why you feel soo yucky at the moment!! yeah i thought about baking biscuits too but decided not too...the dough is tooooo much temptation for me!!

moving- happy birthday to you dear lady!!

nemom-you are doing soooo well with the ciggies...just one step at a time hun...your meal planning will come back soon and you will feel soo much better without the smokes as well..yes i knows what you mean.. christmas and new year are going to be a big challenge for most of us i think..and i know i am going to go off plan!!

sheila-hey there girl you are doing great!! i figure if you are being active then thats half the fight.. the food is the other and besides we are in the dreaded silly season and i think we can excuse ourselves for a few naughty things!!

see-i soo love your sense of humour hun!! keep on dishing it out..i love it...thanks for the cool drink i soo appreciate it...tis bloody hot here!! yeps i am there with you..just started myself and doing a bit of struggling but trying very hard even so!

kelijpa-hey my dh did the same thing with a bad tooth...he finally complained and had it pulled too...MEN!! oh well at least he got something done about it in the end...now i am faced with getting him organised for a sleep test...i know he has bad apnoea...cause i have it too and use a cpap machine...he needs to as well but is putting it off and off and off...but i am determined to have him done in the new year though
wether he likes it or not!!

I think I'm already mentally on holiday vacation....LOL

I have absolutely NO desire to get ready to go to work this morning! To make matters worse, I woke up thinking it was Saturday - (it's THURSDAY)...UH!

But tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!

Wow, yeah, can’t miss a moment around here, lol. Must whine again, because that’s what I do after I am foolish enough to weigh myself in the middle of this holiday stuff.

1. I weighed myself this morning, even knowing this was foolish. See, I had made gumbo last night and it turned out not so great (usually it’s one of my signature dishes) and overly salty AND so I know the sodium was out of the roof. But I was really hungry after I made it and had like two bowls of it. Blech. I also had like a glass and a half of wine. I’m also on the last few pills of my birth control pill cycle (I take them to stop my periods since my periods are so bad) and I always bloat up a little those last few days, almost like PMS. Anyway, the weigh-in was grim, and it was about what I had suspected, at about 144. :(
2. I haven’t gotten back into exercising. I got sick over 2 weeks ago. I’ve had a lingering cough and chest congestion. It threw my routine completely out the window. Plus, I’m being indecisive about what I really want to do for exercise. So many people are telling me to throw cardio mostly out the window and do heavy lifting. But I don’t really know where to start with the heavy lifting or how to do it.
3. The weather is promising to be atrocious today and tomorrow with possibly our first snowfall of the year coming. So I have no plans to go to the gym.
4. I made soft toffee last night. I don’t like the hard stuff at all, so I purposefully don’t cook the butter/sugar nearly as long as you’re supposed to and so it’s very soft, melt-in-your mouth and beyond delicious. Why do I sabotage self like this? But I did show some self-control at least and only had one piece instead of eating the whole pan as I would have wanted to do.
5. Today is our holiday luncheon at work. I don’t know what to do about it. On one hand, I would rather save all the extra calories for Christmas Eve/Christmas, but on the other hand, I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist it today. I have no strength.


Okay, that felt good! :)

@zumba – wow, that nutrisystem doesn’t sound good at all! Those packaged meal plans seem a little scary to me, frankly. Who knows what sorts of preservatives they have in them. I think you will feel better on a lower carb. I know I always do. It’s like it makes me feel light and energetic. I’m going to be moving into doing Paleo/primal (which is similar to Atkins in a lot of way, only there’s more fruit involved) after the holidays. That always makes me feel good is to eat real food and fewer carbs. I only wish I liked meat a little better than I do.

@2fatcats – I have a gym membership but I feel so self-conscious when I’m there. I wish I had a full gym at home!

@NEmom – I feel the same way..it will be hard to be perfect the next week or so!

@guac – I sympathize with the buying clothes thing. A few months ago when I was at my high weight I went looking for some jeans, thinking I’d be a size 8 (am usually a 6 when I’m in the mid 130s), but I was horrified (for me) that I had to get a 12. I almost cried right there in the dressing room. And it wasn’t just one brand. It was multiple brands that I tried on. Now I’m probably closer back to my 8s (I can wear a size 8 that I have already), but maybe not now after a few days of major bloat. :-p

@sheila – go you on the running! I also need to get back to exercise, but this time of year I can barely make myself go ANYWHERE aside from work (when it’s cold and nasty outside) much less to the gym or outside to run. Fat crying! I love it. :) I’m with you. I have two more days of work this week and really am having trouble getting motivated to care. I won’t even have to do that much the next few days, lol. Mostly just planning for January.

@Seemyfeet –yikes, feel better soon! That sounds really miserable! Oh my gosh, my dad had that retinal surgery some years ago and that was awful, especially because it never healed properly and he ended up losing permanent vision in that eye. :(

@kellijpa – am so tempted to buy a juicer!

@MrsTryingAgain – oh, man. *hugs*

hi everyone....have to make this quick because I'm taking a good friend to chemo today..talk about putting things into perspective! She's a great person and this is the second time she's going through chemo, the first was years ago. She's a fighter and she's doing great.

anyhoooey.....I dropped that nutratshitsystem to the curb. I was starving the two days on it and the sodium was making me gain weight. Yesterday I did a full day of Atkins and wouldn't you know it I already lost some bloat and I didn't feel hungry last night. (Night time eating is a big issue for me). I think I'll be sticking to this for a while to get my binging under control and then come the new year switch from atkins to BFC and then eventually just have a low carb lifestyle that I can keep forever.

After chemo I'm getting a massage (found a gift certificate that was going to expire!!!) and then out to eat with friends. I already told them I can only have meat and veggies, so no italian places where i"m going to want pasta.

I'm off like a rocket, I hope you ladies have a good day.

Really??? up 2 lb???? Really??? Now the Godfather voices in my head are ready to make my scale an offer it can't refuse.

Staying in bed today. This thing is turning into bronchitis. Fish out of water...gasp..gasp.....hope the mucinex will help soon.

I can't join ya on that particular 'men' bandwagon (there will be another coming around I can join...I'm sure).....I'm just as bad about getting myself to the dr. Not for a toothache, though.

I wish I were rocketing today :(.

Hello, everyone! Quick check-in to say that I was still too chicken to weigh-in today. I have been going over my calories every day this week. So far today, I am on track. I have also been slowly weaning off heavy carbs and sugar, although I am not where I need to be. I decided to forgo cookie baking for the weekend. I hope my kids won't be too disappointed, but I just cannot handle them right now. Every Friday/Saturday I end up eating the equivalent of 1200 calories or more in cookies alone. I wish I had the will power to only have 2 or 3 cookies, but I just can't stop binging on them. So - no cookies for anyone this week. I did make them some cakes for dessert that they like, but I could take or leave. So far, I have no inclination to cut into them and have a piece. If I had made cookies, I would have already downed a dozen! So, I am making progress. My pants are still tight around the waist, though.

Good luck today, everyone! :hug: to you all!

Afternoon All,

Still no snow! So frustrating! Guess that means the dogs and I can walk, though!

SeeMyFeet: Glad you keep that sense of humor even when you're sickly!! DH had bronchitis last year and he most certainly did NOT have a sense of humor.... As far as how long for weightloss - that was 10 years ago. But - I still vividly recall - my DH was in military and deployed on 28Oct and I started the day after at 232lbs as my 'official' weight. When I saw him next on 25Feb (for 4 days) I weighed 158 lbs. No idea where 180 was in that first mix! But I have 'revisited' 180 many times... That first time - down 74lbs in 4 months - was because I was working, no kids, spouse deployed and I worked out 2x a day (cardio and weights) and did Atkins without a single cheat. I stayed in the Induction phase the entire time, too. Sadly I was so hungry that I would go to bed at 2030 to avoid eating, lay on my side and ball a pillow up by my belly to try and stop hunger pains. I got down to 150 and 15% body fat. Was it worth it? Short term - heck yeah. Long term? Nope. By not transitioning and learning to eat more calories and maintain I wrecked my metabolism and set myself up for the pattern of up/down/up/down. Took me years to realize it, though! I have finally learned that the human body will adjust to what you give it - less calories eventually just slows down my metabolism. So I have to keep eating less and less and working out more and more to achieve what I did at the beginning of a program. So this time I am at my BMR calorie requirement of 1500 (for current weight), feel no hunger, I eat 6 mini-meals a day and I do 26minutes of cardio 3x a week. It's working. And if my body adjusts and stops losing- I have room to add in a little more exercise. Weights here I come! I want to teach my body to increase it's metabolism - not decrease!
Enough rambling - hope eveyone is well!

Wow...i gotta hand it to ya....i don't know how anybody can stay on atkins for 4 solid months....I need my veggies.....I've only been able to stick to atkins for as long as 4 weeks.....after a few weeks into my first real atkins attempt, i just had to have a veggie, so I ate a pickle....and got a severe migraine. But, Boy Howdy, did you get results!

Wuz hopin to try atkins again for a while, just to get the fast results, but this coldy thing is getting in the way. Hey, 2-4 calories per cough! And ab exercises!

End of the world and i've got bronchitis. bummer.

@SeeMyFeet - I thought you could have veggies on Atkins! It's been a lot of years since I did Atkins, but I would do it again in a heartbeat if I could make myself like meat better. It was effective and I felt great while doing it. But now? Too hard to go for 2 weeks with no wine or caffeine (as in the induction). But even on induction, you can have quite a bit of veggies! You're not supposed to have fruit (that gets added back in later) or grains or legumes or sugar, as I recall. So mostly you would eat meat, veggies, dairy. I HEAR you on the coughing though, geez. I am still coughing 2 weeks after my virus started. Very annoying.

I am not Miss Virtue today. I had so much toffee this evening. Ugh...