Hello Coaches,
I think we are going to forgo the picnic today. The seminar went well today, but a surprising 107 people came! We initially planned for 20, so we are a bit short on leadership materials. The course lasts 9 weeks and the first class was great, so I am looking forward to the rest. Off to walk puppy when I finish here, arrived home VERY hungry so I had lunch first and now am checking in. I should do my DVD today, we will see...

Update: Skipped snack today because of a late lunch. Low cal OP+ for food and walked only for exercise. Had "tacos" for dinner using big romaine leaves for shells-delicious!

Cheryl Sounds like you have a great plan for the week, hope you are able to get your work finished quickly!

ladym0208 Hurray for OP exercise and not being derailed. Great job choosing a plan you can stick with.

onebyone Salt is messing with me too right now, I can tell because my hands are swollen. Hope all your glazes look great!

gardenerjoy Veggies in egg is one of my boys favorite meals. They devour it no matter how much I make. What are your favorite types of veggies to toss in? Hope you are able to find another motivation to keep you on track. Pumpkin bread was yum!

nationalparker So glad you enjoyed your date. Kudos for being back to your ticker. I feel stuck right now too, have not lost anything in nearly a week again.

Hi Coaches,

Still here!! Just read the greatest book- The Diet Fix by Dr. Yoni Freedhoff. I had sworn off buying anymore diet related books for the rest of my life but saw this at Costco and thought it looked interesting. Read the entire book this weekend. What he has to say about the emotional toll of repeated and failed diets hit me right in the heart. I have been feeling so lost about my inability to deal with my weight and the book gave me some hope.

Anyway, had 2 healthy eating days and I am happy about that.

Take care- if you have read this book let me know what you think.

Nationalparker. I had not thought about gifts I would give myself. I would like to be down 20 lbs by next year. I had not thought of it as a gift to myself but it would be... Thanks for the thought.

One more breakfast out with a friend for tomorrow then I am back on track.

I am making a goal for exercise this week and then a reward for the goal. I have to start somewhere because I feel like I am failing myself. I have to stop it. And start somewhere. One goal at a time right? Get eating back on plan and week goal for exercise.

New week. New goal.

Good morning coaches,

Things have settled down a bit now and it was so nice to have a full day to myself yesterday and it really helped me to refocus. I am really quite please with myself as this is the longest time I have gone without weighing myself and been able to stay on track. The last time I weighed myself was on 31st Jan, I have a bit of a weird relationship with the scales at times so this break ( even though Beck wouldn't agree) is doing me some good. In the last 4 weeks I have lost 10 -11 inches from my body in total which I am happy with and this is proving to be a good indicator of my progress.

My credits for yesterday....

- Completing Month 1 of Insanity
- Getting fully back on track with my planning and eating
- Buying myself a measuring cup so that I can check the accuracy of my portions, surprisingly I was doing quit well without it but I'll still use it every once in a while

CeeJay Well done for being OP with your eating, I may check the book out if they have it on Kindle as it sounds really good
AZtricia Well done for being OP with food and exercise, glad to hear your seminar went well
nationalparker I hope you get to your goal and break your 167 barrier
gardenerjoy Well done for changing your approach and getting back on track
onebyone well done for not letting the number on the scale de-rail you

Have a good day all xx

Hi coaches

Got through last night and made an omelette very late - and put cheese in it. Not unreasonable but I put in so much because I wasn't thinking or weighing or logging. Anyway - I finished my writing beforehand and had a reasonable sleep and made it through today. It turns out I have a project to finish tomorrow that I had forgotten about when I was hoping to start on my usual Sunday project - I will need to be even more organised now. Yesterday I only managed 3500 steps which is a bit tragic really

Credits for today:
Planned food but could have made a better plan for lunch; dinner is still a mystery and I am hoping to plan for something sensible
Steps are at about 8,000 - less than I like but not bad
still to plan lunch and dinner for tomorrow
So when I think about it the only credit for today is surviving it - sigh

Will organise lunch to take to work and pack my gym gear to go on the way home.

Ladym0280 - Glad the move went well and that you are on plan. Credit for one month of insanity - it looks pretty challenging. Credit for losing 11 inches off your body!! Yay for being back on track

Onebyone - Hope kiln sitting went well. Drat for the impact of salt - it is annoying that it masks the real progress. Hope the weigh-in tomorrow goes to plan

Gardenerjoy - I am certainly of the era that believes you can at least get what you need. You substitute sounds good on all fronts. I totally agree that one needs to spice things up occasionally - I have a very short attention span

Nationalparker - glad the date went well - one of my favourite movies

(AZ)Tricia - gee - a really popular seminar and credit for surviving! I think I will be having lettuce tacos for dinner - thanks for the idea

CeeJay - glad you are feeling inspired! We need that to keep going. Went looking for it and it is published near you! It is so new it is not on kindle yet but it does look interesting. CREDIT for 2 days of healthy eating

LoseToAll - Happy Birthday! Credit for exercise goals - I don't do it without putting it in my diary

BillBE - hope you had a great weekend away. I can't remember when you said you were back. I am sure there was not too much snack eating!

Diet Coaches/Buddies – It's good for the mind to spend two days away from home. I'm particularly pleased that I stayed sufficiently on plan that the scales this morning saw no change. CREDIT moi for moderation when over indulgence was always at hand. Particularly, CREDIT moi for no snacks - absolutely NONE whatsoever - for two days despite a table of temptations available 24/7 the whole time. These included chocolate dusted roasted almonds that slide down calling for more.

Exercise was limited; Ouch. Did get to do some minor walking, but always with friends who were more inclined to meander slowly while talking than to briskly march forth. Always good to get away; always good to come home.


onebyone – That's a Kudos worthy of capitalization, "-A DAY EARLY." Yay for subways. Honking Kudos for giving your FREE dark chocolate to your DH. And Yay for "NOT outwitted."

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Smarting a little at your realization that "you get what you need" - I want what I WANT!

CeeJay - Kudos for finding a book that gave you hope.

Cheryl (GosfordGirl) – Yay for "A bit hungry tonight." Neat idea to reset to "This is the first of another 7 days," LOL at "Sunday sillies." What's Monster Monday?

maryann - That's clear, "I am supposed to feel a little empty in my stomach or I am not on plan." What I now experience as 'a little empty' is probably just 'not stuffed.'

ladym0208 – I'll start picturing you in Kigali now.

nationalparker – Hope you enjoyed "To Catch A Thief." Kudos for ordering well at Panera since their aura of healthy makes it easy to over indulge.

LoseToAll - Happy Birthday! (however belated). Kudos for shifting your focus to exercise goals. I've avoided weight goals since I seem to have little influence on my body's choice of when to lose; sticking to my plan works as a goal for me.

Tricia (AZtricia) - I know that feeling of being relieved that a new battery does the job - since alternators are pricey.

flnu - So neat that your idea to read your anti-craving card before acting is working for you. Kudos for designing that.

6crowsgold - I'm always surprised at the benefits of staying hydrated.

Readers -

Hello to all,

Ran my 5k today in 37:05 - my 1st goal is under 37, so close. Weekend eating (which is a free for all by design) was nice but back to regularly scheduled eating also nice. I look forward to both Saturday and Monday w/r/t eating. OP for today, Monday. Exercise streak stands at 64 days.

6crowsgold: I agree with you on the need to think small. I focus on five pounds at a time (thanks, Beck) and really do find it encouraging to achieve. Congrats on 2 lbs down!

Nationalparker: Way to go at Panera. What’d you have? Congrats too for getting back to ticker.

Tricia: Sounds like you are easily on track. Enjoy that. You’ve probably said before, but what’s your DVD?

Onebyone: The streak is a powerful thing (once it gets going). Glad it’s working for you. Show that kiln who’s boss.

Cheryl: Good for you for putting the gym appointments in your planner. I am going to start using the Sunday sillies as a phrase. Glad you survived. Sometimes that is all that is required.

Ladym0208: Congrats on continuing to work through Insanity. I am very tempted to try it but want to focus on my new-found running ability at the moment.

Joy: I also find that new challenges and strategies keep me invigorated. Perhaps you learned as much as need to from the streaks you were working on. I am continuing to read Fat, Salt, Sugar, which you recommended. It is (usually) fascinating and definitely thought-provoking about what I eat and what I feed my kids.

CeeJay: Thanks for the book tip – I will check it out.

Losetoall: Yep. One goal at a time, that’s all you have to do. What’s your goal for exercise?

BBE: I knew you’d rock the snacks – rock on.

Good Morning, Coaches,

I have been offline in Tahoe for the weekend. The skiing and company was pretty good but I knew how anxious I would be, this third week of over commitment. The anxiety manifested itself in my eating. It is ironic how I force myself to make everything run so smoothly for guests but then allow myself to founder. I am a wreck this morning and took it out on DS and DH. I really need a day of quiet but still face this filthy house.

Usually about this time in my exhaustion I start to feel guilty of not being able to handle everything when I have only one child, a nice home, live in America, blah, blah, blah. People would kill for my life and I complain . . . this line of thinking does nothing to help me. I have a blessed life but I still try hard to be of service each day, be a good mother, be a good employee. . . Comparing my life to to others leads to a chronic feeling of not being enough because I discount what I do well as "easy" and highlight things with which I struggle.

Guilt and shame just lead me into the pantry for something sweet to take the edge off.

So credit for getting on the scale even though I knew I had gained. I am four pounds over ticker . I feel like a failure. But Credit for a plan. Fourteen days left in March. No big weekends or commitments just my little family and I think I can stay OP.


AZTricia: Looking at your ticker. Huge credit for 40 pounds lost. You must really feel the difference.

Ceejay: I am putting the Diet Fix on my list. Thanks.

LoseToAll: I was 200 pounds when I started my weightloss. The only thing I could do in the beginning was exercise. I have kept it up for nearly 25 years now having found some classes I love and a great gym. I felt like you in the beginning, completely unable to change my eating.

Ladym0208: Super credit for focusing on a healthier relationships with food and exercise instead of the scale. That is a big deal.

GosfordGirl: Never forget the biggest credit of all - telling the truth by posting here. Being Honest with myself is the most important tool I have learned.

BBE: Welcome back.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I celebrated by turning my thoughts on cabbage salad that I posted in our recipe thread into a blog post, complete with photos: http://www.joyweesemoll.com/2014/03/...alad-a-recipe/

I ate well yesterday even though I never managed to write a plan. I tried an experiment of writing in my journal before I ate. I've said for a long time that my hunger instinct is broken, probably permanently, but I decided it was time to test that theory. By journaling about why I want to eat, I can figure out how often hunger enters the picture.

The one streak I didn't break was my exercise one and since I was already ahead of schedule, a few days of light exercise didn't put me behind. I got back to it in a more normal way yesterday.

WI: NA kg, Exercise: +55 840/1500 minutes for March, Food: NA%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: no

AZtricia: in the winter, I like broccoli and carrots roasted in just about anything. In the summer, zucchini and tomatoes are good.

nationalparker: To Catch a Thief is one of my favorite movies!

CeeJay: I have The Diet Fix on hold at the library.

BillBlueEyes: Welcome home!

flnu: congrats on your 5K!

maryann: I so relate to feelings of guilt that my life seems so hard when anyone looking at it (including you) would have to say it is easy. No job, no kids, what do I have to worry about? In fact, how do I even spend my time? And yet, I still never have enough. My theory is that creative people always have more good ways to spend their time than they can possibly manage. My best tool is gratitude. Guilt doesn't help me or anyone else, gratitude helps me take actions that make things better for myself and everyone else.

Monday!

The "Field Trial" of my 3x5 notebook is a success and I now have a reliable system for tracking calories. It will be a wild ride at work for a while, but going into the day with lunch, snacks, etc ready.

Listened to some PBS health specials while I worked on Saturday and kept motivated.

Journalling/thinking that one of the reasons I'm doing is that I have been so miserable at this weight for so long, that my personality is actually changing, making me a Pain to be around. It actually affects my everyday interactions, not to mention wardrobe workarounds so I maintain some feeling of comfort in my clothes

Enough!

Happy Monday to everyone!

Another work Monday wrapped up. Phew. Long, busy day, but have stuck to my eating plan and on track to have a decent evening. Just a few more hours of work on tap, and can call it a day. Had planned to stop off and buy some bubble bath (priorities are clearly in order) but was talking to DH and forgot.

Welcome back, Bill - What a resounding success your trip sounds like. Good to get a breather away. I like your note of Panera's "aura of healthy" because i get frustrated at that at time ... buttered noodles - seriously? I stick to their older menu and haven't been swayed by the pasta, grilled cheese, etc.

6crowsgold - I like your focus on journaling and tracking - how do you feel you might be a pain to others? Frustration or dissatisfaction?

CeeJay - Thanks for the tip on the book - I've put it on hold at my library. It's still on order, so I'm No. 2. What spoke to you the most?

ladyM0208 - Great job for continuing your streak of staying on your plan without weighing. I find that a major struggle myself ... even though I KNOW i'm not going to see the results as quickly as I want to. Credits abound for your commitment.

Maryann - I know what you mean about too many weekends in a row of commitment. I used to book myself here and there and then get frustrated and the third one was a bust where I was snappish. Often, though, it's not our own planning that we get tied into I am with you on the gratitude - sometimes I have to step back and say, if I am frustrated with X, then I'm fortunate. Credit for recognizing that in yourself, too! The scale will be down very, very soon. Because you're a person who follows through on what's important to you.

Lexxiss - Hope things are going well with you. Looking forward to your next update. We've been discussing option of buying land/cheap house on land ... and building what we want. Fun to dream but I know I can't cram in the hours of work that you do!! Admirable!

GardenerJoy - Many credits for not breaking your exercise streak. I say i want to be active again, but do nothing to GET active. Argh. It helps me with stress relief, and I need to look at it like that, not just something to hopefully shrink my thighs

GosfordGirl - Now what is Monster Monday?? You have me intrigued.

Flnu - MAJOR credits on the 5K ... heck, five seconds is nothing. I'd count that as reaching my goal My fave at Panera is the asian sesame chicken salad ... It's 440 calories and a filling meal.

Hi everyone,

Just a quick check in tonight.

Today: ate on plan, posted to my coaches, read cards, did arm/shoulder exercises, went out and got some fresh air and walked around, listened to motivation tape, planned tomorrow and packed up lunch.

Hope everyone has a great day tomorrow.

Hello Coaches.
I'm tired of not loosing anything, so I gave in and walked an extra 3 miles today...hoping for some results soon!! Food and Exercise OP for today.

CeeJay I've never read the Diet Fix, I'll have to see If our library has it. Kudos for OP today and all your health activities!

LoseToAll What are you doing for your exercise goal?

ladym0208 Hurray for all your lost inches - awesome!

Cheryl/GosfordGirl Sounds like you had a very busy Sunday! Hope you enjoyed the "tacos". Kudos for 8000 steps and plans to go to the gym.

BillBlueEyes Welcome back and awesome job on healthy eating on your trip with no snacking!

flnu Congrats on your 5K! The DVD I use is T-Tapp Fit and Fabulous in 15 minutes...which actually takes about 17 minutes. It does a great job with toning and the exercises help heal my torn shoulder. It is short enough that I have no real excuse for skipping it!

maryann I hope you will take time to be nice to yourself, you've been busy and had a stressful time. Kudos for weighing and acknowledging your gain, that is difficult but the first step to being back where you want to be. Thanks for your encouragement!

gardenerjoy Thanks for sharing your recipe link! My boys favorite veggies for eggs include broccoli, carrot, and purple onion...don't know why purple cause it is ugly cooked...but that is what they always ask for.

6crowsgold Hurray for success with your notebook and for journaling!

nationalparker Kudos for on plan, hope you are able to get some of that bubble bath soon

Coaches

The Food Pusher in my life got me. No sugar streak is at an end tonight. DRAT.
My M-I-L is Irish and she really wanted me and DH to come by tonight. It was a sort of a puzzle why but then when her neighbour sat me down to explain how she and her DH who lived common-law for 15+yrs got married last year, and really it was no big deal, just for the legalities, and to have rights in a life or death situation, well that was why she needed me there "to help her serve the cake". Ugh. My sister calls it "dumb" that we haven't tied the knot. 22 years and counting! Why do people care? I tell you, we never escape peer pressure. Other than this I also think she wanted me to see her have a party in her home as she was very concerned when we had her over during the ice storm/power outage that our place was so cluttered/dirty/chaotic that we couldn't have people in and we were really missing out. It was one of the things she fixated on so I am *sure* part of having us over and having me serve the cake to everyone () was about that, so I would experience it at her place and realize I have been missing out. And so, she made Irish Coffee and I had told myself I would have one. I rarely drink and have never had one and hoooboy was it potent. I was fine with saying no to the Bailey's cheesecake, the Bailey's bundt cake AND the Bailey's truffles TWO KINDS (everything made from scratch) as I served everyone else, but then the drink kicked in and as I went to see what DH was doing in the kitchen MIL asked me to clear the cake away and bring out the snacky things: meat/crackers/cheese and being STARVING I ate a bit of that stuff, which was fine but once I was inthe kitchen I ate truffes, maybe 4 of them, so there goes my no sugar streak. Feb 17-Mar 17 RIP. We start again tomorrow. I am really PO'd though. I made a plan for food when I got home and stuck to it and tracked everything and I'm ok for the day. I'm just annoyed. Thank goodness it's time to put the day to bed.

*credit for tracking, posting, not eating over emotions except a tiny bit, planning and weighing in=moving ticker down exactly 1lb.

Have a good night everyone. 3 more sleeps til Spring.

Good morning coaches, a quick check in for me today.

Yesterday was good and very much OP in terms of food and exercise. I love the feeling I have when I am in control nothing beats it. The more time I am on this weight loss journey the more I am realising that a major contributor to my success or (perceived) failure is my self esteem. I often link my self esteem to my size or number on the scale, so when the numbers are low or going down I feel good but if at any point it goes up my self - esteem tends to plummet. I am hoping that my time here in Africa will help me to improve my self- esteem and it's something I am going to start focusing on for the rest of my time here and when I get back.

Have a lovely day everyone xx