Hello Geoblewis... and gosh I know how fickle that scale can be! Patience is the hardest word we have on this journey and I too have been at the same 2 lbs for 6 weeks.. finally I am starting down alittle again.. finally... I gave up my 1 sugar free chocolate and my nuts (doing low carb) and that is helping me... -------- I hope you have a fun personal trip! and enjoy yourself!!!!

Happy Friday to you all!

Hi everyone--can I join in?

I've seen some of you in other groups/threads on the forum.

Little introduction: I'm Beth :-), I'm 50 (for a few more weeks), and have lost 50 lbs and have 50 lbs to go. The truth is, though, I question whether I'll ever get to 130--and I don't think I'd feel a failure if I stopped at 150 or even 160. We'll see how things go. My attitude is a combination of thinking that I've come so far and done such great things for my health and ability to get around (and appearance!), and thinking I still have so far to go.

As of this fall, my husband and I are empty nesters. I miss having kids at home!

My husband is losing weight with me--he's lost 25 lbs. And this morning he discovered he lost his wedding ring--it fell off his hand. We're going to spend the weekend looking for it and hope it shows up.

I check in with the Beck forum (cognitive behavior approach to weight loss) pretty much daily. I participated a lot in some of the "moving to the next decade" threads in the 100 forum, but they seem to have fallen off, and I like having groups that I'm checking in with.

Hope to get to know all of you!

Oh good, this thread has reactivated (sounds like me after having had my grands for the weekend!).

Wannaskipandlaugh and Georgia -- it's good to see you back. I laughed at your description of being the only poster for a month, Wanna -- never dawned on me to just keep writing! Georgia, hope you have a great holiday.

BethfromDayton -- Welcome. You've got a lot going on with adjusting to being empty nesters, but I remember my mom saying it opened up a whole new world for her and my dad. She said it was kind of like they were getting to date again only this time they already knew each other.

I'm on some made whirl of trying to get too many things done at once. Actually, this is the pace at which I worked for most of my adult life, but now that I'm retired, I definitely "pace myself" so scheduling a lot in a week seems abnormal. It will all get done......or it won't. Life goes on.

Hello to you all nice and wonderful ladies! (men too if you are peeking).. I have followed all of your posts and know that I am happy to be posting here with you! You all are Wonderful! Beth.. I have followed your posts in the 100 lb area since I started in January of this year and saw your struggles and now LOOK at YOU! in the 170's and 50+ lbs down!!!!

Betsy.. You are on a mission and you inspire me to no end!... Glad you have a new puppy I have 5 cats that I adore... but I cannot walk (LOL) I did have a cat years ago that I would harness up and we would go for a walk around the yard... but had to stop dead every step just about... as there were always new smells to smell! LOL

Georgia.. Hope you are doing great!

Welll I have gotten "over" my week of **** with my lying scale (14 lbs off I found out on Monday - and has been that way for 15 years ggrrr)... So.... Back up... but if I use that old scale I am down to 238... which (ahhhhh sigh here),,, the lowest I have weighed in 7 years... and I feel lighter... lighter and my clothes are getting baggier. I had to cut a chunk of elastic out of my shorts last week (gosh darn it LOLOLOL). A nice NSV!... I have gotten my Mojo, juju, Fighting spirit back and intend to (I am a Taurus lol) bull my way thru to the new scale 230's ... YEP gonna... I do not want any time spend in the 240's ( I was in that old thread for 8 weeks!).. so hear me grunt and paw the earth... but don't be scared.. (well it is close to Halloween!)

Beth... I don't know how it feels to have your chicks grow up and leave the house (never had kids ) but when I have lost a roommate in the past.. I have felt the whole in the house/building. It is so hard to not hear the noises.... the feeling of knowing someone is there. Knowing that you get to see that person more often then when they have gone other places. I hope you and your hubby fill the void and space (air) with new projects, friends and whatever makes you happy!

I hope you all have a very nice and eventful (happy) day... I am taking my mom to a Make it/Take it day at A C Moore crafts (just came to our area). and we are not eating out HOORAY!.. doing something fun and not adding calories!

It has been a Sunday! and the weekend is almost over. I had a good day!. I actually got my butt out the door again (3 times this week) and walked my 2.6 miles before 9:30. It was neat, as I walked around some different streets and saw some wonderful houses. The temperature did not start getting hot until I was almost home... Fall is here and the sun does not get up as early and goes to bed earlier too... I also had another nice scale reading. I am so happy. I am down to 251.2 new scale / 237 old scale (17 years )... This is the lowest I have been since 1997... I love my Whoosh Week and I hope that I can break this cycle and lose weight during the other 3 weeks. I am staying strict to plan and not even a Sugar free Chocolate or Almonds will pass my lips... So hoping to get off 8 lbs before Halloween

Do you all have goals for the month... or week or a specific Holiday?

Looking foward to weighing in tomorrow.. tho I think it will be higher as I musta eaten something really salty as I am chugging tea LOL.

How do you all handle a WHOOSH followed by a bounce back? I was down 2 lbs on Sunday (Finally as that meant I lost 6 for the whole month of September) then popped up those 2 lbs yesterday and still staying today.. so only 4 lbs off total for Sept (gets worse every month)... But .. How do you mentally handle the bounce back? Do you give up for a day or two ? Say GGGRRRRR and kick butt?, Just continue on your journey with no change? I know that this happens to us all (to me every time I lose, I gain and then lose again to stick a few days later) but what do you all do?

Thank you.,... just looking for maybe sa different way of handling this ongoing situation. I just keep going and maybe I need to change up something...

Have a great day all!!

Wanna -- WOW!! You've been busy. Good for you as I do find that getting out and doing things brings a lot of pleasure and pleasure for some reason makes me less likely to eat.

You asked what I do when the scale goes up a pound or two. The couple of pounds don't bother me as I figure that my weight is going to bounce up and down for no explainable reason. But when I hit a new decade, I have a hard time controlling things -- seems like I give myself permission to go nuts. I've lost the same 10 pounds in two different decades twice each. That means if I'd stuck on plan, I'd weigh 20 pounds less. That's just such a dumb thing to do. So, my suggestion is not to sweat the little ups and downs. And while we'd all like to have months where we lose 8-10 pounds, as long as I don't gain any, I'll take it. Now, I've got to figure out a way to conquer the decade binges.

Betsy, I know what you mean about binging when I reach a new decade. It's almost as if I lose the connection that pairs up "what I eat" with "weight I lose" and somehow think it happened magically and won't change even if I revert back to prior eating habits.

I actually have a card on my dresser I read every morning that reminds me that everytime I've lost weight I've reverted to prior habits and gained it back--if I want this time to be different I have to stay the course. (Say that to the cookies!)

wanna--I try not to get too attached to my wooshes on the theory that they're likely to bounce back. (Doesn't always work!) Thanks for saying you've been noticing me! Isn't it great to have to take in our clothes? I think that's been incredible fun--I've taken in pants and then lost mroe weight and had to get rid of them because I couldn't reasonably take them in any more.

Don't get too upset about your scale--even if the weight number was wrong it doesn't change how much weight you've actually lost--that "how much you've lost" number is still valid!

I'm currently wearing an oversized pair of size 20 jeans (the last pants I bought were all 16s). It was hiding in my closet and we were staining the deck tonight, so it seemed like a good pair to wear! (I have to hem all those size 16 pants, but having spent two hours painting the deck I feel like I should get to veg the rest of the evening!)

I do have some upcoming goals, but I don't expect to lose weight fast. My mental goal is 25 lbs by May. I know that's slow, but as long as I keep going down, I'll be happy. We're going on a cruise in May and I want to be down 75 lbs by then. I know what I've lost already makes a difference in how much I can *do*--I get less tired, the stairs don't wipe me out, I can walk longer and faster. I think I'll have a lot more fun exploring the British Isles if there's less of me to cart around. I've also promised myself some Chico's travel clothes--I have some pieces (jackets and shells) but really want several pair of the easywear pants--so that's the reward I'm shooting for!

Have a great night, all!

Beth -- I laughed at your oversized pants and using them to stain the deck. Actually, that's a great idea because if you're like me, that means that they're not really good for anything now except to wear when doing projects that require used up clothes. Plus, by May, they won't fit anymore at all......you'll be in danger of flashing the neighbors. Your trip sounds like it will be great -- I'm looking forward to when I can really get out and walk around and enjoy it instead of wondering if they have ambulance service out in the hinterlands.

I got the afghan finished for my grandnephew -- he turned 3 yesterday. I talked to him last night to wish him a happy birthday, and he was so excited as he's gotten a Batman balloon and one that said he's 3 from his folks. He was on their landline phone, and he kept holding up the phone for me to see them. And I kept hearing his mom in the background saying that they weren't on Skype and he needed to put the phone by his ear. We're taking him camping this weekend. His 6 year old brother will join us on Saturday after soccer. I've got to get the RV cleaned out and packed today, finish up his birthday cake (Batman.....he's on a roll right now), and then head out tomorrow morning to pick him up. Chasing after him for 3 days should take off a few pounds!

Love this group. I have been on WW simple points for 4 mos now and have lost 35 lbs. Not as much as I would like but it is do-able and I am not craving much. I try to walk several days a week. I just turned 58. I am just now seeing a difference and so are some of the people I only see on occasion. It really does help to have someone ask you if you are losing weight and how good you look!

Hello all and I hope you are all doing great!.... I had a major backslide last Sunday and almost gave up.... Total Give up on the whole journey. I did not even log onto my computer for 2 days to read any posts (which woulda nipped this thought process in the BUD as Barnie Fife would have said).. I just am tired of doing the worrying of eating the right foods and exercising and not seeing much of a difference on the scale AT ALL. And with my scale Fiasco from 2 weeks ago (14 lbs off from the doctors).. .it just finally got to me. I think if just someone would tell me that they see a difference, that would have helped my Pyschie.. but noone notices anything (66 lbs loss too).. But I see a difference (Squats help) and my clothes are really big on me... I just wish others would say something to just encourage me.. but no... SO I guess and am now figuring out (after 9 months) that this is a singular thing for me (and our minds and hearts) .. so in person (and I DO NOT Discount all of you wonderful people and your encouragement!!!! and Congrats!!!) I am my own encourager... SO today.... I will be on plan today! I will and I will walk ... I will! Tomorrow is tomorrow!

Good morning all. I'm back from a couple of trips and trying to get back in the saddle again. I definitely need some Barney Fife "nip it in the bud" before I let the vacation eating get to be a habit. Right now I'm just trying to get things back in order.

More soon.

Betsy... glad you are back... I need to hear of someone else who strayed from the trail and made their way back as I am having a hard time finding the road again... still being blocked by the trees/bushes/candy lol

I have also come to realize that I tend to stray and have a hard time staying on plan when people (who I count on) stray too. There are so many people that I have become friends/friendly with here on this forum and other forums that when they have a hard time... I try to be strong and then I start slipping too. This has happened to me most of my life when I have tried to lose weight. I have had friends (in RL) that would go on a diet with me and then start "cheating" and I would then just think.. well if they are .. then I might as well. I was part of a WW meeting that I was doing so well at... I had gotten down from 235 to 201! 201!!! and then the leader left our time slot and went to a time slot that I could not attend (during work days) and I stopped going after a few weeks with the new leader as I did not connect with her and gained weight. I just get disappointed when circumstances change and people change their minds. I feel like I cannot count on the influences around me to be strong as I guess I can't be strong enough on my own. Does this make sense? Does this happen to any of you? So things have changed here too for me and people I rooted for are wavering and I feel lost...

I know I need to just do it for myself. (I live alone) and having the months of friends here have helped be get farther than I had thought (-60+ lbs).. but I just am at a loss why my mind reacts the way it does to others..... As I so Co-Dependent that I cannot finish? Just musing...

ANYWAY.... its FRIDAY! and that is ALWAYS a GOOD FEELING/HAPPY FEELING day!... I wish you all a great day!

Wannaskip -- What an interesting insight. I had never thought about the fact that when my friends on this site struggle, that there is a correlation to my struggling as well. I don't know if they're directly related, but I have a feeling in my case that I rationalize that my slips happen to everyone. That may be what you're experiencing, too, as opposed to be co-dependent. Let's face it. This changing how we eat and getting healthy and refocusing how we've thought our entire lives is WORK (think of Maynard G. Krebs there......remember him from Dobie Gillis?). And, WORK is seldom pleasant, often hard, and something that we avoid if at all possible. So, to say to ourselves that we're going to have to do this not only just to get the weight off in the first place, but for the rest of our lives......that's a lot of WORK.

You've done so well, that even if you have some slips, you're headed in the right direction. I really do want to change these patterns, but I have to admit that I'm experiencing more and more the desire to just revert. I'm glad that I come here pretty much every day to at least try to keep me accountable.

Off to the gym.

Hello Betsy and I am so sorry it has taken me so long to respond (My computer's modem/router died )

I thank you for your words..... I think tho.. that I am influenced by others... When they start "whooshing" I wanna whoosh and 1. if I don't, I get upset but determined or 2. do start losing and feel great... but either way... I don't give in... But when others (that I connect with) are having troubles.. I think - well I might as well... I guess that is one of my missions in this life is to figure out why other peoples actions and emotions affect me so much. I have always been the friend that remembers all my friends milestones, dates, loves, tragedies etc.. and yet... my friends do not remember much about me (even my birthday which makes me sad).. so I have transferred that mindset to weight loss. I do have to say tho... if I had not found this site and the other one I am on with my friends.. that I would have given up trying to lose weight months ago... Seeing others "win" and just be determined and put their head down and move forward.. just helps me so much! It also lets me know we are not alone...

Just alittle Depressed this morning... but good news is I am down to 253 (old scale 238.5 which I wish still was true)... so I am heading back down to lower numbers...

Betsy... you do so much outside work and are so active... you do inspire me to MOVE (lol) and not just walk. Thank you for your wisdom and kindness... I hope you have a great day!