[Tigerlily]

another reason...so I can have my rings DOWNSIZED instead of made larger like I had to do last year.

[tryin'hard]

Good morning all! I've been reading this thread but not doing a whole lot of posting.
You guys are so motivating! Even with vacations, visitors and slip ups, you guys still come back to cheer each other on!
There are so many good reasons to loose the weight. I have lost most of mine (still working on those last five pounds) but I am SO LOVING my slimmer self. Here's a few reasons:
1. No thighs rubbing together in the heat.
2. I can take my rings off, even on a hot day (there was a period of time of about 18 months when I couldn't get them off AT ALL!)
3. I own 2 two-pieces. I am 39 years old and never even owned a 2 piece until this summer.
4. Good sex. Don't have to elaborate, do I?
5. THe whole self-respect thing. I look good and I feel good.
6. Amusement parks are so much more fun when you fit on the rides and don't have to make excuses to your family.
7. Clothes. Sizes 8 and 10 instead of 20 and 22.
8. The role model I am for my daughter. I've often heard her say, "my mom doesn't eat junk food--she likes healthy food!"
9. My health. My doctor showed me how healthy my current BMI is compared to a year and a half ago.
10. Being able to inspire others.
Have a great day, all! YOu are all in my thoughts!

[Jello]

Good morning and TGIF!! Love you guys! Thanks for the support. I'm trying, really I am. But I think I'm just going to have to try harder. Yes, I have to watch what I eat. No, I can't just eat like other people can. No, it's not fair but guess what. That's the way it is. Live with it, Jo! It's time to stop whining about it and fix it....

...Um, how do I do that exactly?

I loved reading everyone's reasons for wanting to lose weight. I remember a while back in WW class when the leader asked that question. Everyone was saying things like being healthier, having more energy, etc. I raised my hand and said "I want to tuck in my shirt." Yeah, yeah. I know health and all that "cerebral" stuff is important but, what can I say? I have more down-to-earth reasoning. I want to wear a bathing suit. I want to wear shorts in the summer and the little black dress in the back of my closet. I loved Tryin'hard's comment about her thighs not rubbing together. It is so true!!! That's what I want too. I want to bring only fresh fruit or the veggie platter to the picnic because that's what I really WANT to eat and that's what I'll be satisfied snacking on and not because that's what I know I SHOULD bring and eat.

When I was in college, there was a walkway with a railing that had a little break in it. Most of the kids used to slip through the break in the railing and cut across the field. I always had to go all the way around because I couldn't get through that break. The one time I tried, I got stuck! I did finally squeeze through with a huge bruise on my leg. So one of the things I want is to be able to slip through an opening in the railing!

Yes, I want my heart to be healthier. Yes, I want my blood pressure to be lower. Yes, I want to be able to sprint up a flight of stairs without gasping for air. Yes, I want to be able to (God forbid) literally run for my life if I have to.

But dammit what I want most is to be thin!!!!

So here's the deal. I have 42 days until Rich and I leave for our vacation in Scotland. (Tiff, that's what I'm referring to. Don't know if I've mentioned it here before.) I just emailed my friend over there and we've been making plans. I am so looking forward to this! Now how much weight can I lose in 42 days? That's 6 weeks. I bet if I put my mind to it, I can lose 10 lbs. in 6 weeks. If I really work hard. If I set that as my goal instead of thinking about the other 30-odd lbs. I'd still have to lose.

Having said that, I've already started my day with a chocolate-chocolate-chip muffin that's sitting in the pit of my stomach like a brick.

Help????

[Jello]

P.S. Tryin'hard, I didn't realize how much you'd lost and how close to goal you are!! Congratulations!!!!! You are so inspiring to me!!

[tryin'hard]

Jello--you have six weeks and I know you can do it! Just take it one day at a time and remember, you are your greatest fan and keep telling yourself that you're doing great! If we wait for others to pat our backs, we could be standing there for a pretty long time!

[Cafe976]

Huntress - way to go kickin' some booty on the board!

Can I just say I love this thread?

So I just went to peel the top off my yogurt and it exploded on me. Pink splatters on my face, freshly washed hair and de'colletage. Now that's insulting!

Your reasons are very very good. A few on my personal list are:

-------

Commanding respect of strangers even when I'm not wearing my black coat and black ski hat. (I swear people don't mess with me and wait on me twice as fast in the winter, I must look scary.) Seriously, I'm tired of people underestimating me right off the bat.

I've started snoring - maybe that will go away?

Feeling pretty/cute/sexy/attractive. It's like heroin. I really miss that.

Flying on a plane will no longer be an endurance test of trying to take up the least amount of space possible. Not that I'm going anywhere, but my last trip was an eye opener about how big I'd gotten.

No thigh rub! Although with my body I have to be at my thinnest for this one.

CLOTHES. Guess what? I'd have to buy a whole new wardrobe! I seriously just decided to put $20 a week away every week I can possibly afford it (and without spending on snacks and fast food, I think I can). By the time I reach goal - I'll be able to go wild! Although I will have to spend on in-between items.

BMI. You know how that stupid calculator made me feel. It's not worth dying young over. Enough said.

-------

I'm percolating with ideas about the PMS-advance-planning thing, but I'll post later about that.

[Cafe976]

I forgot to add another reason:

For the sake of H, who married a beach babe and feels kinda gypped. And who can blame him?

[huntress]

This group ROCKS! Thank You Tiffany..........gosh, where would we all be if it weren't for you.
Have a good day all, will post later when I have more time.

LJ
225/203/150

[Tiffany123]

Awww....*BLUSH*

Well, I feel like a big ole hippocrite. Emphasis on HIPPO. I did well all day long, then about 10:00 I ate a can of SpaghettiO's with some bread and then chased it with chocolate chip muffins and skim milk. (Hey, at least the milk was skim )

Jo, for some reason, your post made me almost cry.

Hang in there, we will make it. Slower than some people, but faster than so many others. Even with our slip-ups...we will make it. These things take time and we have so much to RE-learn. We have to learn that healthy food tastes as good as unhealthy food and we know that isn't true for some of us, at least right now. I think it probably is a learned thing. Like my Diet Pepsi. I hated it so much and wanted a regular one SO bad...but after drinking it straight for a couple of weeks, I now love it like the regular and couldn't imagine drinking a regular one.

I am hoping it will be that way with healthy foods. After a while, maybe I will crave them. I try to think about how awful and horrible some of those fast food things are, like nuggets (I am convinced that they are made of beaks and buttholes) and burgers...that hamburger can be a killer with all the germs and unclean conditions...but you know what? I still think that almost nothing in this world tastes better than a Whopper or a big greasy pasta meal or gooey pizza. I am trying to make healthy alternatives to those meals, but I will be honest and say, they lack something. They don't taste the same. I realize that I will have to indulge once in a while or I may ultimately go completely off the wagon.

Before the vacation, I was on the wagon. During the vacation, I was hanging off the back of the wagon being dragged down the road. Last night, I fell off completely and hit the ground hard. Today...the wagon is sitting in the road waiting for me and I have a choice to make. Get back on it and enjoy the ride, or walk on my own. I already know that I can't do what I want for the rest of my life or I will be a big fat gross mess forever and I want more than that for myself. So...back on the wagon I go. Strict rules again. Drink that water...eat that healthy food. Eat those healthy snacks, WRITE IT ALL DOWN. And get that exercise. Slowly, I let that slide and then the rest began to slide.

Don't get me wrong, I am proud of losing almost 25 pounds, but I would be prouder to reach my goal. I will do it and only because I am finding my strength here with you all, and within myself. I feel like I have you guys to talk to and you actually understand, and you won't judge me when I slip. But I want to be the motivator that I started out being and I will do that. Starting now.

Thank you all for being here for me and letting me be honest and human.

Jo, the tucking in of my shirt is a huge one for me too. I forgot about that. I haven't tucked a shirt in for YEARS. I miss it. Don't worry, 6 weeks is enough time to make a difference and besides, every little bit is helping you. If you make it to the gym twice this week, well that is better than NONE. If you eat healthy 2 meals a day, well...that is better than being completely off the wagon...don't let yourself get frustrated. This happens to me at certain times of the month, I just get disillusioned or hormonal or whatever the case may be, and I eat weird. Other times, I can barely eat my minimum. These are just phases....

Cafe, sorry about your insolent yogurt. The nerve. LOL

Well ladies...I have had a yogurt for breakfast and I am having Subway for lunch. A turkey with no mayo or cheese. So, I will try to stay at the low end of my calorie range today just in case I develop the urge to munch later in the day.

I bought a watermelon that I will chop up and then I will munch on that instead of chocolate chip muffins.

Back later,
Tiff

[huntress]

Jo - don't you dare give up girl! We are all here to support you through the rough times. I KNOW how hard it is, but you can do this. I have a suggestion and you can take it or leave it, here goes.........I have found that sometime when I fall off the wagon it is because my diet is too restricting. Is it possible that you are expecting too much from yourself. IMHO, the best plan is one that you can live with, even if that means eating a little more than you think you need to to achieve results. When we restrict our food intake too much we end up bingeing. I hope that this helps in some small way, if not and I am way off base I am sorry.

If there is anything I can do to help, and I'm sure the other feel the same way, I'm here for you.

Lajuna

[Tigerlily]

first let me get out of my system...MY INTERNET CONNECTION SUCKS!...ok. i feel better.
The following post is from this morning. I couldn't stay online long enough to post. Grumble, grumble.
--------------------
Tryin, reading your post was a good way to start my day. How old is your daughter? I have a 10yr old boy that is slightly overweight. I wish I could help him loose it. My 5yr old isn't overweight yet, but I have to wonder if he'll bulk up too. I hope my new way of eat'n will rub off on them.
Jello, I think being able to tuck a shirt in is a great reason. I'm always searching for the right length of shirt....sorta long hits me on the hips...not good...too short may give a peak at my roll, way not good...way too long seems too obvious that I'm hide'n something. Tuck'n the darn thing in would solve it all!
Off to buy groceries. The dreaded store where evils lurk around every corner!
---------------------
So, already did the store thing. Did ok buying good things. Was wanting something ooey gooey fudgey really bad, but glad I resisted. Now, I'm taking my boys swimming. We cancelled the water park plans because there is a chance of rain. LOOK OUT, grape ape is putting on a swim suit.
ttfn

[Cafe976]

Jo -

You can TOTALLY do this in 6 weeks.

In fact, I was just looking at my planning calendar and realized that way back on June 22 I weighed myself for the first time in a Looong time - 215 astounded me. Whereas my scale this morning said 209 - that would be 6 pounds in 4 weeks.

Here's the kicker - I've only been counting points for 6 days. Before that it was simply adding 3 good cardio workouts a week. (I did this the week of June 16-22 also but 22 was the first time I weighed.) I was trying not to overeat so much, but counting points has been a real eye opener about the quantity I'd been eating.

Bottom line: If you eat less and move more you WILL lose weight. Just don't let it get you down. It only SEEMS like it will never happen.

Anybody can give me this same pep talk another time. I think I'll need it between August 3-6, LOL.

Edited to add: I hear you Tiger, on the connection issue. It is hard to be patient at home. I hate it when it times out.

[Tigerlily]

Is this the confessional? I ate a package of Grandmas cookies. I don't know why...they were suppose to be for dh's lunch box. It really hit me when I read the wrapper AFTER I ate them...190cal, 7g fat....times TWO. Weigh-in Monday. No more screw ups for me. Going to have baked toritlla chips and salsa for supper...w/o all the trimmings (sourcream, cheese ).
I looked at Bob Greens new journal at Walmart. Didnt buy yet, but I'm destined to buy it. It was on Oprah. She can make me buy anything. :P

[Tiffany123]

Ok, I'm among friends...I can confess too. I like Oprah too. As a matter of fact:

I was on the Oprah Show twice.

The first time was for being a "people pleaser". I tend to do things for people even if I don't want to. I guess I want people to like me. So, I was on the show and cried like a baby...and after I got home, she actually called me personally and asked me to keep a journal and come back in 6 weeks to give an update.

So, in the meantime, she sent a box with a bunch of goodies, like books, makeup and bubblebath...and I kept the journal and went back in 6 weeks and pretended like I was all better. (cause I wanted her to like me. )

So...that is my 5 minutes of fame!

Ahhh..hadn't thought about that in a while. LOL....
Tiff
Ok, it's 6:30 and I am at my max for the day on calories. YIKES. I guess I will have to go to bed now. LOL

[Tigerlily]

Tiff, that's a trip. I probably saw you! I remember the show with the people pleasers. Too funny!
Oprah has a house in Laporte, Indiana. I don't know the exact location, but Laporte is about 30miles from me. When she talks about her farm, I think that's it. My mother has gone to see the Oprah show, but I've never been. Some day I'd like to. She should do a segment on 3FC! LOL
I did ok for supper, ate my baked tortilla chips with salsa, onion, tobasco, tomato, refried beans and shredded lettuce AND LIKED IT.
DH isn't home yet, so fighting the snack monster. Bought Jimmy Neutron for kids, gonna watch it and hope it can distract me!
Have a great weekend Ladies!