Julee-I have experience with OA another 12 step based program. Their emphasis was on not dieting, but in getting rid of our obsession with food. They considered it a victory if you had a better relationship with food, but never lost weight. I left when my group got taken over by bulimics and anorexics. I needed support, and it seemed like everyone else needed serious psychiatric help. I didn't actually join until I was in a maintenace phase, so I guess I didn't do it right from the get-go, so I don't know if it would have helped me lose weight or not. My main concern with yours is if you turn over control to someone else, how are you going to be able to maintain for life? Losing the weight is the easy part, maintaining is where I always fail. Extremes or all or nothing programs aren't healthy. We have to learn how to be healthy, and that usually means moderation in all things. One of the seven habits of successful maintainers is to expect some failures, but to never give up. Perfectionism is one of my biggest burdens. It helped to create the 600 pound monster I became, so I don't think perfectionism is going to help me get healthy. Listen to that little voice when something seems to extreme for you, and run the other direction.

I'm hurting today. My deep water aerobics instructed tried to drown up yesterday. It was the last day for several snowbirds who are heading north, and we won't have class on Friday because she has to go to staff meetings. She really wanted us to burn some calories to make it till Monday. My bottom half is so much more buoyant than my top half, that I have to fight extra hard against the water to stay upright. My butt always wants to bob to the surface. The regular water aerobics class isn't quite hard enough for me, and the deep water is a little too hard, so I am sticking with what is hard, not easy. That's a new sensation for me. I'm not the only one that struggles to keep up, and no one tries to makes me feel bad so I'm going to stick with it until my bottom half looks as good as my top half. Just getting myself there on time 3 days a week is a big change. Discipline is something I have never had when it comes to sticking to an exercise program. I'm actually looking forward to it. Everyone needs to find an exercise that they like well enough to look forward to. I can't wait until I can get up and down off the floor so I can start going to yoga or pilates classes. I still have to walk past the climbing wall to go to the locker room. That's going to be my celebration when I reach my goal weight. I'm going to have a party and climb the wall.

Good Morning Ladies!

Well, it's still morning here for an hour at least!

Too Cute: Doing good! Go, go, go! Virgin fat is fast approaching. Kinda thought the picture, cute as it was, was a cheat though! I still don't know what you and thin look like!

Brandnewme: Personally, I think it's a really bad idea to weigh every day. Weight naturally fluctuates from day to day with food, water, TOM and enviromental conditions. IMO, it's too easy to see the scale go up and say, "darn it, it's not working, so why bother" when it might be a temporary thing. I weigh once a week and that's the "official" and only weight of the week.

Julee: on the loss.

My best friend has recently been diagnosed with type II diabetes. Of course, her diets not only low sugar and low carb but low fat because she needs to lose weight. I'm doing WW, which is a high-carb type program and I didn't really realize how many carbs there are in, well, everything! I just don't know what to do to help her. It makes it worse that her family is on a limited income and low-carb substitutes are so expensive. Also, her husband and child are both tall and skinny, so she's the only one having to watch what she eats. She's also bi-polar and this is NOT helping her stress level and she's been told stress makes your sugar go up. She's just having such a hard time adjusting to the new way of eating. This is a woman who has NEVER used artifical sweetners, or low-fat anything. I want to help, but there's so much more involved than my low-fat, high-carb diet I don't know where to start.

I don't know what tomorrow's WI will show. I wanted to lose more, but I suspect I'll have maintained at best. Just haven't been eating the way we were at the start of this program and exercise since Vegas has been non-existant except for my one day of hard labor in the yard. I've got to start cooking again and quit with the ready-made meals and RolyPoly sandwiches...even if they do fit in the program they can't be that good for me.

Anyway, I suppose I should get back to work while there's time to get stuff done. I have to go to the big-boss and beg for 1/4 of the vacation I originally asked for in June since it was cancelled due to the influx in hearings we'll be getting on Medicaid cases this summer. (Our state just passed legislation ending Medicaid for nearly 100,000 people and adversely affecting 100's of thousands more and they ALL are entitled to hearings! We have maybe 30 hearing officers statewide!) Yes, work will be heating up!

Later ladies,

Catherine: Thanks for the insights. I just sort of wanted to see if other people got the same vibe that I did. A large part of my success at WW has come from feeling empowered and learning how to make smart choices on my own and having to own up to everything that I do and facing consequences if I go off-plan. Extremists of any variety tend to set off my radar...

Lilion: My boyfriend is doing WW with me and he is also Diabetic (although I don't think he is type II). He has been fortunate enough to be able to maintain with only diet (he doesn't exercise). WW has resulted in an average daily drop in his blood sugar by about 10 points which he is loving. WW does not have to be high-carb though. They do however emphasize whole grains over processed and refined carbs. I am able to eat a bowl of oatmeal every morning. BF can't do that of course, but he does eat bread and corn tortillas...he just knows that he has to count points for those...and there are some good breads out there that are 1 pt for 2 slices and also 1 pt hot dog and hamburger buns as well. I am sure the bipolar diagnosis does not help, and yes, extreme stress can certainly have an adverse effect on blood sugar, as well as many other body processes and chemicals. With the exception of my oatmeal though, I am eating almost no carbs at all. I did purchase 1 pt bagels and english muffins, but I see them as treats, because I have to count them as points so since I only have 35 points each week, I pick and choose very carefully where I spend them. I was very bread-dependent before joining WW and I can honestly say that I don't miss it. It does get tempting sometimes when I can smell it and it is fresh...but at what cost? As far as your friend, baby steps. WW thought is supported by the American Diabetes Association as a healthy eating plan.

Anyhoo...Thin gave me some tips for possibly getting my **&^$$^ pictures on here already....maybe it will work today!

Have a happy Thursday

HEY,
Thought I'de stop in to see how everyone is doing!
Me, I've been just a little down today[ might be the weather]but never the less I have learned that food is just food[ not love,comfort,a frend,ect,ect] so eating about anything is NOT an option!
Boy am I glad that I've found some support, sure I've did W.W [lost 127 lbs] but then you get stuck and until you handle the BIG issues[fear,anger,hopeless,ect] you are spining your wheels . and what so amazing is this is a inside job, and nobody can do it for you!!!!!
AUDREY

Forgot to think-you for adding me to the challenge
AUDREY

I'm really depressed...I'm sorry I haven't said much lately but I'm just not losing weight lately...I'm sure it's because my food hasn't been the best..but it's been no more than 2.000 calories a day...I guess that means that's a bit too high for me *sigh*...I kept it down to 1780 today but we'll see.

It's just depressing because I've been exercising RELIGIOUSLY and that is OBVIOUSLY not enough to make me lose weight..GAH! I need a kick in the arse to make sure I stay on program, I have this horrible habit of not being able to combine both diet and exercise. I'm not quitting, I'm sticking to it, I'm just frusterated about those five pounds that seemed to creep up because of my period...well I got on and they were STILL THERE...I should have waited the two weeks..I KNEW I should have. It was just too heartbreaking.

Hi ladies,

I forgot to post the results of the last 2x2. Sorry! We lost a total of 11.5 pounds bringing us to a grand total of 271.6 for the year. That is awesome. Wish I had contributed more than I have lately. Got to get it together.

I bought myself my first western shirt tonight. I was happy to see the western store had 2x and 3x shirts. They are usually made for size 0's. Then we headed out to the barn. The girls were in the back lot in the grass and they all ran like darn fools and wouldn't be caught. No way I was riding a running, bucking mare in heat. So I just worked with the boys.

Dinner was pork chops in mushroom soup and sauteed cabbage, carrots, green peppers and green onions. Yummy!!

I've been in a funk all week. So listless I felt like a limp dishrag. Barely able to drag my butt out of bed in the mornings. Slugging through the day at work. Tonight I told DH that I felt so depressed, I could throw myself down the stairs. Not that I have anything to feel depressed about. It is the joys of allergies that do this to me every year. And it always takes me several days to realize its allergy overload and not mental issues. Now to start working through it and get back to exercising.

Food has actually been pretty decent this week. When we've eaten out, its been Mr. Goodcents and not Popeye's chicken like we used to do too much. Exercise has just been fairly non-existant.

I'm off to bed. Have a good night all!

Good morning Ladies, Crawl out of that bed! It is time to move it! Now, if I just had the energy to follow through on that! Ugh! I truly hate exercise. Who was it on here that used to say that they would lose if they had to pay someone to take it away?? That is what I want, someone to exercise for me! I would pay! While we are at it.....why not someone to diet for us?

2cute, Way to go!

Loved the pics from the spring fling group. I do wish you had NOT put the menu over your faces though. They looked as if they would be very nice faces.

To all of you that lost weight, congrats! I wasn't one of them.......again. I swear I am going to

Have an OP day. Iwillbe (Ihad better be)

Good morning everyone!

I'm on my way to the Women's Expo in Novi this morning with a friend. This will make the 4th year in a row that I've attended and the 3rd year with her. She takes a day off work even, so we can spend the day together. For those of you that don't know about a Women's Expo, it's like a trade show for ladies! They have booths of everything under the sun you would ever care to have. The hospitals set up with free screenings and then it's usually sponsored by a big grocery store so the back end of the center is set up with sampling stations. NO, we do not have to stop and get lunch today!!! It will all be at the Expo.

Can't stay and do replies other than:

WELCOME to the new gals. You'll love it here. And:

Iwillbe: I told you YOU CAN'T DO IT!!!!! Is it helping yet?

Gotta run. I'm picking up my friend in half an hour. Later. Love ya bunches.

I am trying thin, I am trying! Iwillbe

Felicia...you are totally right about the cookies. You absolutely have to allow yourself a treat now and then, because it is deanial that causes rebellion and binging. So if you're going to have the cookies...have them...but enjoy them, don't eat them out of the bag, and do it for the right reasons...which clearly you did. WTG on all the walking and everything else!!!

Julee

HEY GUYS
HOW IS EVERYONE?
This is a good day, hope everyone is o/p! I feel good today, got my work out......OUT the the way did the kitchen, even mopped the floor! had a heartly breakfast and now I'm "ready for the world"
I think I'll run out for awhile, need a few things from the dollar store!
MissMeliss; hang in there,chances are after TOM is over you'll have a big"loss" but you have to ride this out!!!

OK,I'm out of here.....

I've done pretty decent with the eating thing these past few days, and the scale is still at 312, so I'm feeling pretty okay with everything.

I've noticed that my stamina has increased with the weights. . . instead of having to force myself into it every morning, I actually find myself looking forward to it! I'm enjoying the way it feels to get my blood pumping, which used to feel overwhelmingly awkward and uncomfortable.

I'm still planning to reward myself once I get those next twelve pounds off with swimming. I still gotta reposition those straps on my swim suit and find a way to reinforce them, though.