watermelon: I hope that the light isn't a train either. But here you'll only find
candlelight . . . (I hope I didn't say that in a way you'll misunderstand. I mean this is a place to find solace.)

They can only spread a person (pardon the pun) so thin, can't they? I hope that you get a break soon and can relax.

2oM

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were great OP days for me. I forgot that exercise is a wonderful stress reliever, so when I was going through my turmoil, I didn't exercise. DUMB! The past 3 days I've stayed in my point range, made the proper choices, and have exercised. I feel so much better. The turmoil is still happening, not as bad though. My attitude is much much better as a result of being OP!


------------------
If it is to be, it is up to me! One second,
one minute, one hour, one meal, one day at a time!

Good afternoon, Folks!

How is everyone today? Hope all are well, happy, and (reasonably) stress-free.

I'm feeling pretty good myself. While I'm not counting points (yet), I have made some changes in my eating habits and other areas in my life that have been causing me to feel less than good about myself. So far, I've lost 5 pounds. This weekend I'll be going through my storage boxes to find my old WW material. I can't afford the $/time for the meetings, so I'm going to do it on my own.

Is anyone else following the program on their own? Any tips/suggestions?

Gotta go. Still at work.

270/150/265


------------------
Wishing success to us all!

Joanne

Mare: It's good to "hear" that your attitude has improved. So many people have been struggling with feeling out-of-sorts, I'm beginning to think it's cabin fever or something.

jdoneil1: I use my WW123 materials from a year or so ago and do it at home. My suggestions are the same as what someone who is going to meetings will tell you: journal what you eat (I made my own little forms), drink a lot of water, exercise, and get support. Obviously, doing it at home, is where the support lacks, so I come here many times. Some may tell you to journal your feelings, too. I have to admit that I am not losing as quickly as when I went to meetings. I'd quit meetings and gain it back anyway. This way, I AM doing it on my own. But I have more time and money. This suits me for now and this site helps a lot. Find an exercise buddy. A buddy makes it fun and when one isn't in the mood the other can get him/her out and going anyway - you know that extra needed little push. My last suggestion is don't stop. If you mess up a day or two or three, get right back to it. It's easier to pick up where you left off than to start over with 20 extra pounds added.

2oM

Hi Everyone!

2oM-Thanks! I love the candlelight! I got rid of the one project today and I am just finishing up some loose ends so my life should be calming down soon. I estimate it will take about a month to catch up on MY work and reorganize. I put in 12 hours today. My doctor apt tomorrow had to be rescheduled so I am going to go in to the office and take that vacation day later when I can plan something fun.

Joanne-Congrats on the 5 pounds. I think 2oM had great pointers. I can't "weight" to rejoin WW this Saturday. Do you have the new book? If not I think I have an extra if you want it just send me a private message.

Mare-now that sounds like Mare. Sorry you are going through a tuff time. I know I will feel so much better getting back into an exercise routine.

How about a weekend challenge like we used to do...how about water..with me just getting back I know that will be the hardest this weekend...let's say no less than 8 ea 8 ounce glasses each day.

Hope you all have a great Friday!

Setina

Hi all,

Have been very busy since Wednesday. The other girl in my office is on vacation, so I am doing two jobs. At least the extra work makes the days go by fast!!

My kids are on vacation this week, so my schedule is a bit thrown off. Hope to post more next week.

My meeting was canceled this week due to Ash Wednesday (our meetings our at a church). Because I didn't go last week, we didn't know it was canceled and showed up anyway. Oh well, kept me honest for the week.

Setina, I'm on for your challenge.

Gotta get to work. Have a super day.
Sheri

Hi!

2ofM -- Thank you so much for your encouragement and tips! It really brightened my day to read your message. I do have an exercise buddy. It's my 12-year-old stepdaughter. She came to live with us in late-December and wants to lose 10-15 pounds so she's agreed to help with my exercising. We have a list on the Dining Room wall that shows her time exercising vs. mine. She is extremely competitive and doesn't hesitate to point out when she's put in more time than me. No way am I letting her gloat over that! So it's off to the exercise cycle for me! Oh, well. At least it's working.

Setina -- Thanks for the offer of the new book. It was greatly appreciated. I was talking to my husband last night to see if he might have a clue as to which storage box my old material was in. He reluctanly admitted that he thought he tossed "all that suff" out during fall cleaning. He reasoned that since I wasn't going to the meetings and didn't appear to be following the program then I didn't need the material. Men!!! (No offense intended, Max. ). If I don't find the material this weekend (I'm going to look just in case he's mistaken), he has offered to pay half of the expense of my attending meetings -- at least until I'm comfortable with the new program. Sounds like a good deal to me. I might just not be able to find the old material after all.

All -- Is anyone else facing the GS cookie challenge this week? HELP!!! I ordered two boxes back in November and just got them it. I sat at my desk stressing over some personal issues and suddenly realized that I'd eaten an entire row of Thin Mint cookies. Man did I feel sick! I've put the rest of that box and the other box (low-fat lemon shortbread cookies) in my tote bag to bring home. My five-year-old, Shane, is having his first sleep-over tonight (two of his little friends are coming home with us from day care) and I'm going to surprise them with GS cookies to munch on during their movie. How is everyone (anyone) else handling these little demons of temptation?

Gotta go. Still at work and lunch is just about over.



------------------
Wishing success to us all!

Joanne

jdoneil1: I don't have a blended family, but it sounds to me that you are one of the lucky ones that can actually get along with each other. I think it's great that you and your SD can exercise together and keep each other going. Hubby and I have this unspoken understanding. I don't throw his stuff out and he doesn't throw anything of mine out (but of course mine doesn't need sorting through like his does). When he has a little "pile" of stuff that is making me crazy and doesn't budge to take care of it, he finds it on his side of the bed that night!! (He eventually gets the hint. LOL)

Have a good weekend. I'll try the water challenge, too. 8-8oz glasses each day.

2oM

After reading some things on water consumption, I'm upping that challenge for myself -- up to 1/2 my body weight. That is, since my weight is currently 216, I should drink 108 ounces a day. Yikes! Well, I'm aiming for it to see if it helps. I am such a slow loser; I'm casting around for ideas.

--Lauren

This is looking a little odd since there's a place for a Post subject. I just hope this adds on to the thread.

Anyway, we are back from Cologne and Amsterdam so you will be hearing more from me. LOTS of beer - it was Carnival in Cologne. My kidneys are glad to be back home I'm sure. But there was lots of walking and dancing as well, and I lost about 3 lbs. on the vacation. There are some tall great looking men in Germany ladies (and DH says the women are just as good - Max).

Sorry about the problems you were having, Mare. I don't know why I forget that staying OP helps me get the rest of my life in control as well. Max - get back on that bike, buddy. I notice that exercise helps get my blood pressure down rather quickly, if I'm faithful to it.

I'll be rejoining WW tomorrow afternoon and will have to face that scale fully dressed. Not a comforting thought, but I am mentally prepared for the program and ready to give it my all.

Cynthia

Hi Everyone!

SJR-Great chatting the other night since we could not post. I got knocked off and then you were gone. Don't work to hard...look who's talking huh? LOL. I hope in about a month to be able to breathe at work. I just realized I have a week of in April so I am living for that.

Joanne-Your welcome. That would probably be great if you can get back to the meetings and get a little boost. I planned on rejoining Saturday but I had to work or it was going to be a big mess. I saved my company about 20K plus so I think I did a good job. That is great that you have your step daughter and a little friendly competition

Lauren-Thats a lot of water...I drank my 8-8 ounce glasses plus. I hope to keep it up this week and then I will be fine...I start craving water after a while but it's hard for me at first.

Cynthia-Hey girl! Glad you had fun! Send me an email with details Tell your hubby hello.

Hope you all have a great week.

Setina

Welcome back, Cynthia! Sounds like a lot of fun. About exercise -- you've long been an inspiration to me in that area. You were hiking up mountains at one point, which I still find incredible. Some day I'll get there. Right now I'm working on upping my 45-minute workouts to 4 times a week, then 5. I really do feel better when I exercise. Improves my mood, too.

Setina, you saved your company HOW much??? Wow.

About the water -- I did drink the 120 ounces on Friday. Saturday and Sunda were less but still over the 64 ounce minimum. No idea what good it'll do, but I'm going to keep doing it for a while just to see.

I did a Richard Simmons tape this a.m., "Sweatin' to the Oldies II," I think. I used to think this was a tough tape. Today it felt way too easy! Amazing what two months of exercise can do.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
(274/216/down)

Thanks for the welcome! I went to my "first" WW meeting this afternoon. I figured I'd start Monday so I can have some nice banked points come the weekends. While I wasn't completely happy with the number on the scale, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I guess the walking in Germany paid off.

I want to be able to hike like that again this summer. It's warm here today so that makes me realize I need to really get off my butt and walk that park. Somehow using machines in the gym just don't get you in the same condition as actually doing the walking. Keep up the good work on your water Lauren. And isn't it great when our bodies get used to the exercise and pay us back by not being in pain all that much ?

Anyway, I feel great and ready to get going. I had planned to start once we got back from Germany - in fact I almost couldn't wait for that trip to be over so I could start this one!!

Hi all,

Setina - I was glad to chat with you too. I found your e-mail address, but it was returned as undeliverable. It was an AOL address. Glad the boards weren't down too long. Send me a PM if you want to e-mail. If you don't that's OK too. Don't want to be a pest!

Cynthia - Glad you had a great time in Germany, and also glad you are back posting. I used to weigh-in on Mondays and liked that day. Now I weigh on Wednesdays and think I tend to overdue the weekends thinking I can make it up on Monday and Tuesday. Unfortunately it is not working out that way lately.

I really need to get back into exercising faithfully. That is the only way I am going to get rid of these last 30lbs. (Maybe 40 now. I have been doing horrible lately. Really miss my meetings. Hope to get back to perfect attendance after this week.)

Have to do some housework and get dinner ready. Just wanted to say HI.

Sheri

Well I went and faced the scale last night. I was up 2.6lbs, putting me at 196. I was just excited to see the number didn't start with a "2". It took me so long to get below 200!!! So now I start my week attempting to be OP everyday. Thursday is always my best day!!

Setina - Thanks for the PM and your e-mail. Have been busy, but I did get it and put it in my address book. Hope you are feeling better.

Have to get to work. My kids are finally going back to school after 3 snow days (which followed a weeks vacation). They were getting pretty bored!!!

Talk to you soon.

Sheri
280/196/160 (low=190 11/8/00)