Speaking as a woman of the same age, that's the FUN of the insane goals - to do what other women our age wouldn't be caught dead doing! Got to admit, I get a little kick out of lifting heavier than the other women 'of our age' in the weight room. And it's REALLY fun to outlift the guys (not that I do it often) - it drives them nuts. One of the very few benefits of spending a lifetime as an obese woman is that it makes you strong from all that weight-bearing exercise - every step of every day is weight-bearing exercise. It's so cool to discover that I can do something better than Skinny Blondes! I wish I could take every overweight woman by the hand and take her into the gym to show her how strong she really is -- it's life-changing stuff.

Hi all,

Anne, regarding the work food situation, are you able to wear something like a rubberband around your wrist for the next few days and when your mind starts wandering onto the slippery slope of the food zone, can you snap the rubberband to remind yourself what is going on?

My own week is going well. Nothing out of the ordinary food or life-wise, which makes it easier. I have been going to sleep earlier and enjoying it. I also have been reading more in my new revised copy of 'thin for life' and cant believe even after several prior readings how much motivation that book still gives. And there is even more in the new version.

Jan

I have to go get that book - this weekend! I'm so anxious to read it again.

December is usually REALLY rough for me. Parties, visiting relatives, etc. This year, however, there are 0 parties for hubby's work (the only one they're having is on Jan 8th) and no relatives coming. I have this rare sense of relief and calm - I never feel this way at the beginning of December! I'm kind of happy it's going to be a quiet Christmas.

I have some Thanksgiving poundage to lose, but I'm confident I can get back to my weight range by the new year. With all your help, of course! This week has been a good one and I'm back to feeling like my old, strong self.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only yo-yo maintainer around here. Seems like I'm always losing extra weight from vacation and holiday losses of control. I admire those of you who are so steady even during the worst of challenges. You are my idols!!!!

Meg: I like my calves of steel which I in part contribute to my years of being obese (with some good genes thrown in there)... I always liked doing WT because I am fairly strong naturally and it was something I was good at

Karyn: You're definitely not alone... I yo-yoed my way back to 170 a while back, but I am at about 154 and just want to lose a few more. I know what you mean, I have some holiday gatherings, but I am already figuring out my stratagies now (strong mints should help!)... as well as trying to maintain my activity level...

Cheers!

Ali

Hi Ali and all, I too have calves of steel. I am built like a fireplug, low to the ground, big-boned, with lots of natural muscle that I love to use. The perfect peasant-farmer body, LOL. Too bad when I was young I mis-interpreted this wonderful natural body type as being fat.

Karynlee, I have been a yo-yo loser. I have been losing my weight on and off for (as near as I can remember) about 6 years??? Weight loss thru persistence. I really dont remember when I started this long phase of wl. The over-all loss rate is about 10 pounds per year, but in reality it is more like lose 20, gain 10 back, lose 7, gain 3 back, lose 15, gain 5 back. A real jagged graph, fortunately in the overall downward direction. These last pounds I have lost are pounds I also lost about 16 months ago. What a drag to have to re-lose the same pounds over. Perhaps this is the true meaning of 'glutton for punishment'.

I guess, without thinking about it very much, I have had the notion that there are two phases for successfully losing weight -- the actual losing part, then followed by the maintanence part. Now I finally realize that for someone like me who seems to lose in phases, that I need to consider myself a maintainer as I lose. I know its not quite the same, but I need to keep what has been lost, lost and to not regain any weight during my non-losing phases. One of the things I really like about reading this forum is familiarizing myself with maintainers mind-set and coming to believe I am one too.

Today went really well. Good sleep last night, good lean food, good fun exercise, coupled with a really good mood. And the scale gifted me with another pound lost today.

Jan

BINGO!! That is EXACTLY how I have been in the last year... yo-yo up down 2#, ooops lose 1 .... yo-yo up down 2#, ooops lose 1 ...this goes on almost monthly ... The upside is coming to 3fc, realising I'm not alone ....

OK, technically I have one day left on this 8-day goal 'week' I set for myself, but I thought I'd give a public accounting of myself a bit early--I'm not sure how I'll be tomorrow after the half marathon.

Got these so far. I've got about 100 cal left for today and tomorrow's allowance is more than 3000 calories with the run, so I don't anticipate any problems. I had beans 4x, fish 2x. Got at least 6 veggie servings each day, 8-10 on weekdays when I took veggie snacks to work, but had to work that one pretty hard on non-work days. Found the sustained calorie deficit to be mildly uncomfortable, but doable--low level hunger always present, same as when I was losing.

Did the training on the plan. Stretched after all running, and most other workouts. Got 8 hrs 4/6 nights, the other two were better than 7h30m. Found these goals to be quite do-able, and mostly just had to remember them.

NO work food!!! That one was sooooo hard. No snacking during Internet/TV 6/7 days. Brush/floss immed after dinner 6/7 days. Delayed ALL stress eating by at least 15 min 6/7 days, usually about 4-6x/day on work day, 2x/day when not at work.

I've re-read most of '9 Truths About Weight Loss', 6 chapters and will probably squeeze another in tonight. Watched 1 Triathlon on TV and will probably catch another tomorrow. 3FC every day, usually more than once.

So, what I've learned: I'm stronger than work food, and my calorie intake dropped dramatically when I beat that back. After a full week at work, I'm really not being tempted by it any more--not that it doesn't look good, but I've accepted the decision is already made. Having the fruit/veggie snacks to eat at work is also helpful in keeping actual hunger out of that picture. Delaying stress eating is also a very effective trick, but the brushing/flossing after dinner less important.

I built a spreadsheet for these goals and tracked them with it, an uberlist with special borders, colors and shaded boxes. I found it helpful to keep me focused. I think it will be overkill in a week or two, once the habits are re-established, and I'll go back to my little notebook only.

I've also dropped more than 7 lbs this week, mostly excess water weight and bulk after the binge and probably about 1 lb of body fat, but it sure feels good to have that gone. It'll be so much easier to run 13 miles without it tomorrow. This is my reward for the effort this week, to run this race 7 lbs lighter!

I'm calling the week a complete success. I'm really proud of my turn-around, and feel like I'm on the right track. The hardest part is over! I just have to keep working it to make sure it sticks.

So for next week, I'm going to work most of these same goals, but will do a really brief summary on the weekly check in thread, instead of boring everyone with the gory details of my 'self intervention' as Jan so aptly put it.

I also want to thank everyone for the extra support this week, working through your own goals, the tips, the well wishes. It really made a difference and I didn't feel alone in this!

Go Anne! Have a great run tomorrow!

Mel

Hi all,

Good going Anne. It sounds as if you have gotten back in control again.

Ilene, what you describe, going up and down 1 or 2 pounds sounds like what most people do on the scale with everyday normal stable weight fluctuation, especially women. Unless of course you were working on trying to lose during that time.

Tomorrow is the last day of my 'starting over' week. Thus far its been quite good. I actually liked the weekly format. It made this week sort of different from the rest.

Whatever works.

Jan

Jan ~~ yes, I was/still am trying to loose weight. According to Fitday I have lost an average of -0.296 weekly over the last year... I've lost 18# in the last year ... what I was trying to say is that the loss is soooo slow that I feel like a maintainer ...

Anne ~~ Have fun tomorrow, I'll be thinking of you...

Hi Ilene, thanks for the clarification. To me losing 18 pounds in one year is a very good accomplishment. There are only two alternatives to losing-- maintaining and gaining. (Not taking rate into account.)
I think it is of very great benefit that will serve both of us well in the years to come to learn to think like a maintainer before one reaches one's ultimate goal. Not that I have that mastered, but I am thinking more and more simultaneously like a maintainer as well as loser. I am hoping the ramifications of actually maintaining will be less of a surprise when I finally get to my goal.

Jan

Jan -- You're absolutely right when you say: "I am hoping the ramifications of actually maintaining will be less of a surprise when I finally get to my goal." I've resigned myself to the fact that nothing will change when I reach goal, whenever that may be...2005 or 2006? Who knows, and really who cares! As long as we get there right? It isn't necessary to take rate into account either.

Someone, I think it's Cindy/BFLcat who has the siggie: "Who do I want to be today, the new me or the old me..." The word today could be changed to next week, next year... So hanging in for the long haul, the rest of my life, is what I aim to do...