my name is sassy. whats always held me back from posting here before was my idealism. the Maintainer's forum was the Winner's Circle. now i have always known that to be a winner, i need to be around the winners! hence the lurking since day one of my journey. looking forward to the day i earned the privilage of associating with them.

even though i am far from my goal weight, 50 pounds far. i have managed to maintain a 25 pound loss over the past 10 months. but, i am happy to report, that the scales are moving ( in the right direction ). and so am i, out of lurkdom. i look forward to laughing and learning along with you all in this crazy journey of health and self discovery.

sincerely,
sassy

Sassy! It's about time your de-lurked, you know. (we've PMed a bit and Sassy knows that everyone's welcome here ) Besides, if we don't give Ilene - our official greeter - something to do, then she's off hitting the Margaritas on a Friday night and oh man ... it's just not pretty ...

On a more serious note, your comments made me think a bit (always dangerous). I understand what you mean about Maintainers being the Winner Circle - kinda like a goal to strive for - but getting to goal really isn't the Winners Circle, though I sure used to think it was. To me, 'Winners Circle' implies that the race is over and in reality, it's a lot more like the race has just begun. I don't think there will ever be an end - a Winner's Circle - where I can rest on my laurels, as they say.

While I was losing weight, I intellectually understood and parroted the line about how this has to be a lifestyle and not a diet. But I didn't emotionally grasp the fact life AFTER goal looks almost exactly like life BEFORE goal (the 'while I was losing weight' part, not the fat part). I really thought that something would be different or that I would be changed in some way (aside from wearing little clothes, which I'm very happy about ).

The reality is that I wake up every morning and do the same things and deal with the same issues that I always have. In order to maintain, I eat the same foods, count calories, weigh and measure, journal, and do the same exercise as the year that I was losing. I still crave the same (bad) foods and still want to binge eat at times. I guess it comes down to - I'm still the same Meg that I always was. When people ask me what's changed since I lost weight, I tell them everything's changed but nothing's changed. If that makes any sense?

What's different (and this is a huge difference!) is that I also wake up with the knowledge that I know exactly what to do to keep the weight off for life. I'm confident that I have all the skills and tools and knowledge that I need to maintain a 120 pound weight loss. There's not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that I am in total and complete control of my weight through all the many choices that I make every day. Nothing and no one can make me fat again except for me. Maybe THAT'S what the Winners Circle really is??

Sorry about the rambling ... it's Sunday morning and the coffee's hot and the gym isn't open yet ... so look what happens!

Hi Sassy I'm glad you "de-lurked"! I loved your other post about living outside the confines of the calendar. Great thinking

Mel

hi Meg's!! can we talk about sunday mornings & coffee??!! came out of lurkdom, wrote 5 posts and answered 2 PM's! i was just the Chatty Cathy this morning! and the real funny is i was beggin for Ilene and her patented "newbie hug" on the exercise boards!

i agree up to a certain point on your thoughts about the Winner's Circle. it is something to strive for yes. but, winner's never rest on their laurels. in fact winners never rest. their constantly striving, reaching, aiming, broadening their horizons or fields of vision. winners arent lazy. their go-getters, on the ball, know what it takes and arent afraid of what it takes.

case in point Meg... if you read between the lines of your next 3 paragraphs..... Thats a Winner Talking!! i am so glad to be here and out of lurkdom. that makes me a winner too. because i know what it takes to become one and i am not afraid to come up and say... " hey, can i hang out with you" hob-knobbing and rubbing elbows with. until (and i will) meet my own goals.

sincerely,
sassy

WoW theres Mel!! and she said Hi to me! Mel you have been my Guru Goddess of Grunt for so long now! if i ever have a problem, question, concern, within the Gym. i come here and look for you! oh geez i didnt even say hi back to you yet ...... Hello Mel

okies you guys are going to have to forgive me. i am kind of going thru this star-struck stage here. imagine yourselves at a premiere standing on the "Red Carpet" with the "Hollywood's" all around you. (thats me all googlie eye'd) you all have been my hero's for a few years now. and to actually be talking with you instead of just reading you. its a pretty cool feeling peeps. i promise to do my best and grow up and get over it. but its going to take me a few days....... consider me the "Tooter of your Horns" while i calm down and get a grip

sincerely,
sassy who is working on her pucker......~laughing~

OMG I think we've created a monster coming out of lurkdom!!

No time for a long post just a quickie hello and WELCOME to Sassy... WooHoo WE LUVS NEWBIES !!

Gotta run, literally!!

Welcome Sassy:
New friends are always welcome!!!
Continued success on your journey.
Take care