Hi Gracenote. I can completely understand what you mean. I thought maybe it was just me. My desire for food and sweets is so strong sometimes. I feel like a wild animal ready to snap if someone tells me I can't have it. I've gained back 7 pounds in a month and its so frustrating that I can't seem to control myself. I whine and complain about my weight as I'm stuffing a donut in my mouth! Its crazy! I'm going to make a stronger effort this week (Don't I say that every week?). Going to eat better and no more sodas!!! I'm going to start walking at lunch again and really try to workout at least 4 days this week. I went to the park yesterday with my bf and our dogs. It was so nice. Did a couple laps around so I feel good about that. Hope you're all doing well. We can do it. There's still time before June!!!!

I know what you mean. Sometimes my husband has to wrestle me or chase me around the house to get me to stop what I'm doing. I truly have an addiction. I am a glutton and I'm ashamed of myself for it. So let's do it this week, ok Shoequeen (and everyone!)? Let's really surprise ourselves and bring every accomplishment - I mean every little teensy weensy thing you're proud of - back here so we can encourage and applaud one another. That's why we're all here! Shoequeen, I know you can meet your goals this week. But let's start with today - right now! Ok, I will report back with my progress!

I wrote this I couple of years back in one of my forums here at 3FC. Reading this again really makes me think... Just take a minute and really imagine ok?


Think about yourself in the present time. Think about your goals, both short term and long term. Think about where you want to be in four weeks, six months, a year...

Realize that, from here, there are two paths to take.

Imagine yourself quitting this race. Imagine yourself giving up. You don't have to exercise anymore. You have more time to do whatever you want. You don't have to worry about food because you can eat whatever you want. You don't beat yourself up for anything. You just let yourself be.

It's a lot easier giving up.

You continue with your old habits. Your appetite increases and you continue to crave and depend on food for comfort. Your self-esteem shrinks while your body grows. You don't realize that you've gained 5, 15, 30 pounds.

Months have passed. Summertime comes and you are forced to go shopping because your old clothes are much too small. You blame it on the dryer like you always do and completely deny your weight gain. You're no longer fitting in the size you normally wore, so you up the size a bit. You spend hours in the store. Nothing fits right. Nothing looks good. You're sweating from trying on so many clothes. You're depressed and angry and leave the mall only to go home and cry. Oh well. There's always food, right?

Sad, isn't it?

The second path is much harder, but far more rewarding.

Imagine recommitting yourself daily. Imagine researching and educating yourself about your health and body. You begin to feed your body with healthier fuel. You choose a banana instead of cake, spicy tomato sauce instead of alfredo, grilled chicken salad instead of a burger and fries. You replenish your body with water. You walk everyday and challenge yourself to work a little harder each time. Pretty soon you're speed-walking, even jogging a little. The more you jog, the fitter and lighter you get. The fitter and lighter you are, the faster you are able to jog. And the pounds keep coming off as you jog faster and faster.

You lose one or two pounds each week. Some weeks the scale doesn't even move, but you know that you've been faithful and trust that the numbers will show your success sooner of later. The digits on the scale keep changing. Soon, you're no longer in the 280's but the 270's, no longer in the 200's but the 100's.

Your jawline is becoming more defined. Your neck is becoming smaller. You have clavicles! Your curves are slowly taking shape. The compliments start pouring in and you feel better than ever! You walk past a mirror without recognizing the newer, thinner you. The sex is better! You begin discovering muscles and bones that you never knew existed! Your clothes are becoming loose, the rest of you is glowing. Your hair, nails, and skin are responding to the healthy changes you've made. You're buying sexier, younger-looking clothes with bright colors and less material. You have to remind yourself daily that you're thinner now, and that you can do the things that you were restricted from doing before. You feel just FABULOUS. You are more confident, you are happier, and more successful because you had the strength to do it!

Imagine it. Taste it. Which path do you want to take??

That was so AWESOME Gracenote!!!! Thank you for sharing that! I love what you said about your hubby chasing you to make you stop. cause my boyfriend tried to tell me not to have something at a buffet and I gave him the dirtiest look! I had a good day yesterday. I successfully survived 1 day without a soda! And I went with my workout buddy to the park and walked with her dog. It was such a beautiful day. I'm feeling pretty good today too. I bought a bunch of new workout clothes last night and I'm determined to use all of them!!! Tonight is step aerobics. So far so good! I'm ready to re-commit myself to this challenge! Thanks for the encouragement everyone Have a wonderful day!

P.S. I love the new smilies!!!

You can do it chicks!!!!

Gracenote- thanks for sharing that with us

I have lost 8lbs for the summer challenge...my goal is to become a lifetime WW member by July 2004.

One of my other goals is to get in shape so I can wear my bathing suit this summer and not feel selfconscious about it

I have stepped up my exercise to 5 times per week for at least 1/2 an hour in order to acheive my goal.

mauvaisroux - I know you will be wearing a super sexy swim suit come this summer! I know you can lose those remaining pounds... As soon as you kick the exercise up a knotch, you'll shock your body into losing more weight! For motivation, I like to check out the swim suits at Victoria's Secret. They have some really cute swim suits.. Only thing is, I know I will never be tall and super thin and have perfect looking boobs and great skin like those models!

shoequeen - Look at us! We are doing awesome!! Ooh! I love step aerobics! It's such a challenge for me, but the cool-down feels so good when you worked your butt off! And it's always fun to reward yourself with new workout clothes!

I had a great day yesterday too. I resisted the Burger King driveway when my husband got a Whopper and a Strawberry shake. I didn't even have a bite like I usually do! This is a huge accomplishment for me!! The only thing is, I think I had about 15 too many wheat thins after my "no eating" time (I try to stop eating 3 hours before bedtime so the food could get burned of while I'm awake, otherwise it might stay inside my tummy and turn into fat).

Well ladies.. Today I plan to do another awesome workout video - probably Minna's Fat Eliminator workout - and drink plenty of water again. It's getting hot outside here in Southern Cali! Yesterday we broke records.. some areas reached over 100 degrees!

Well all, take care and choose to make this day a productive day towards your goals! We can do it!!!!

Well I have dropped 4.5 pounds since starting the summer challenge but have been holding steady at 156 for about a week. But I have acheived something- I sqeezed my big butt into my size 8 Levi's which had dust on the hanger !!!! the had been sitting there for so long! My 12's and 14's are getting really loose- don't have any 10's in the closet - must of skipped a size when I lost weight last time (well actually I think I waited til I got to goal and threw all of my other clothes away) the larger blue jeans have been purchased since my last weight loss. I will have to say I have a more to go to be comfortable in the 8's but the fact I could zip them and actually breath was an accomplishment.

Phhht I used to work with models for fashion shows and photo shoots and half of them don't look good without the skills of a good hairdresser, a makeup artist and good lighting. Plus they air brush the pictures to get rid of imperfections and use computers to digitally enhance people to make their boobs look bigger/ not lopsided and their legs look longer and thinner - I got to watch a friend do it with a picture of myself. They can even change their skin tone, hair colour, eyecolour and lips. Half the time you are looking at a person in a magazine that doesn't even exist! So none of us have any hope of looking like Victoria Secret models We can just look like happy, fit, healthy versions of ourselves Yay us!


Good going on the exercising girls!

Way to go Amyjo!

Did anybody here see the picture of Jamie Lee Curtis with no makeup? She had a photoshoot with her hair not professionally done, no makeup, and she was in a jogbra and shorts, I think. She showed her flab and she looked so GOOD. She was laughing and having a good time, but she looked so different. She did it because so many people's self esteem was low because of celebrities, but she wanted to show that they were real, too, so people wouldn't expect too much out of themselves.

Yeah, I saw that picture-she looked great

jennifer I have seen a couple of interviews with Jamie Lee Curtis, and she is awesome. a real inspiration, her sweetness shines thru.

Gracenote, thank you for posting that.i really needed it.

Gracenote: You go girl! Good job on resisting the King. I love your new avatar! I have gone 2 days without sodas and I'm surprised at how good I feel already! Its amazing! I'm still drinking coffee but I read a story in Prevention magazine yesterday that drinking 4-6 cups a day helps reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 39-54%! Of course I can't even imagine drinking even 4 cups. But ice tea counts too. Since my mother has type 2 I really need to work hard not to develop it also. I'm doing pretty good giving up sweets too. I passed on the cookies at work yesterday and had a special treat in the evening, a sweet potato! You know, I think I might just be able to do this Hope ya'll have a great day. Mine is starting out pretty darn good! - Amy

Oh! Good job Amyjo! That is awesome!!!! I don't know if I could fit my arm into an 8! hehe If I could squeeze myself into a 14 right now I would be ecstatic!

Good going on passing on the cookies Shoequeen That must have been tough - I know it would be for me

Shoequeen, just a suggestion if you are trying to get rid of or lower your coffee intake. i use to be a major coffee fiend in the morning. couldn't move unless i had at least a pot in me. but now i have a cup of ginseng tea or sometimes green tea in the a.m. instead of the java. took me a little while to get used to it, but is actually very soothing and i think the ginseng boost my energy levels. congrats on passing up those cookies. maybe i am kooky but a sweet potato sounds way more yummy than cookies. but then again i have never had a sweet tooth. salt is where it is at for me.

Thanks blugrl. I like green tea, just never thought of having it in the a.m. I tried a good black tea that is flavored that might be ok. Not sure about ginseng. Some of those herbs really mess with my hypothyroidism and high blood pressure condition. Those are the joys of having PCOS. I had a good workout last night-step using handweights. But I think I pulled a muscle in my left shoulder up through my neck. Its very sore today. Anyway, that makes 3 days of exercise so far! Hoping to go tomorrow (I'm taking off tonight to see a chiropractor) to do weights and walking. Hope you're all doing well. Later - Amy