Bandit and Princess and Ariana...my goodness, you guys are just burnin' it up! Wow, it sounds like something has clicked! You guys are doing fantastically.

Judy, no need to apologize to me! You're doing this for yourself, remember? Make decisions you are comfortable with, and hang what everyone else thinks.

As for me, I'm doing okay. I'm up 2 pounds from my recent low, so I'm 271.5. Yet again. My body LIKES this number, I swear. Hubby seems stable and reasonable this week, too, and we've got an appointment with a marriage counselor for tuesday night. Neither one of us, at all, wants to end the marriage, but we want to make sure we're establishing healthy patterns. So anyway.

A friend and I are talking about taking a Zephyr Adventure next summer. We're considering Tuscany, Netherlands, or Switzerland at the moment--it depends when my licensing exam is. Since I can find that out next week, my workouts may have a much more focused goal very, very soon!

Have a lovely Easter, all, and watch out for the Easter Bunny! Be careful with your chocolates--it's okay to have SOME, but not ALL!

Hi Turtles,
I hope you all had a good Easter weekend and enjoyed yourselves. I have determined that I am not weighing myself today, but am going to do yoga as soon as I leave the computer.

You turtles are really booking it! Mousie, I'm so glad you and your dh are going to a marriage counselor because it can be a chance to refocus on what's important. Good luck!

Bandit, what is this about winning money, eating casino buffet food *and* losing three pounds? Holey Moley. You are the greatest! Weigh to go. This is really fabulous. This is the most balanced between good food and exercise that I've seen you and I am using you as a role model to do the same for myself. Thanks.

Ariana, you go girl! : You are so close to your mid=point and you're doing so well! Keep up the good work. Weren't you smart when you were feeling punk to not give in to all sorts of food cues? Eating a little PB and J worked out fine for you. I often think about that and for myself even though peanut butter isn't Core, it is a vegetable fat and good for you.
Yay!

Princess, I hope you had a wonderful time with your family over Easter and that the food went well. You've had such a nice weight loss so far that I bet people noticed it!

For me, I'm on track today and aim to get to housework and exercise as well as eating well. jGood luck and good vibes to us all.
Judy
Itry

Princess -- thank you! If the scale has not gone down, don't lose heart. Hope you had a great easter weekend!

Hello, Bandit. Sorry you're feeling unwell, but at least you had fun at the casino and lose weight!

Yes, mousie -- I think something did finally click. Sorry you are up, but I know you have been having a hard time lately -- just try not to let it get away from you.

Thank you, Judy! I wish I could claim great virtue, but PB & J is one of my favorite foods, but I rarely eat it because it is high in points (at least 7 points a sandwhich), but it is my comfort food and the bread absorbs some of the acid, so I went for it. I also lived on reduced fat saltines, PB & J. I adore peanut butter. I could never do core, I admire your determination. I love my bread too much, specifically pizza -- I order a medium vegetarian pizza from pizza hut every sunday night, and then divide it into 4 servings (2 pieces/8 points each), and eat that for four meals a week. Sometimes I get sick of it, but it is SO easy, and the only way for a person who lives on their own to justify buying a whole pizza. ;O

Have a good day, ladies, and take care!

Just stopped by to check in quick... I hope that everyone had a nice weekend and a happy holiday.

W/I went was expected on Saturday, DH dropped another 4.2, I stayed the same but as it is that TOM and I usually gain I was ok with staying the same, HS dropped .4 so all in all it was not a bad week.

DH and I have started walking when ever we can and bought a second hand Crossbow training system so we are on the exercise track and it feels good.

How is everyone doing?

Have to run but will check back later on when I can get a chance to catch up on the posts and see what has been going on with everyone.

Princess

Just a quickie here. I just finished my first whole week of tracking in ... well, in far too long. I used about 26 flex points, and I'm extremely proud of myself. I'll weigh in tomorrow (at home), but it's almost beside the point; I just feel good for getting back on track.

Our Easter is coming up this weekend (we're Eastern Orthodox), which is a major food-a-thon. My plan: to not use flex points until this weekend and blow them all on Sunday! And to walk most days.

Sorry no time right now for individual messages, but you're all an inspiration to me. Thanks for being here!

Onward and downward,

Lauren

Good luck to us all. Lauren, so glad to hear from you again and that you've journalled this week. Weigh to go.
I am so pleased with how we're all responding to each other on this site. It's a huge help.
Love,
Judy

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to stop by and see how everyone is doing. Not much new here... just trying to stay on plan and get my walking in

I'll stop by later,
Princess

Today I made a big decision to not go to WW's. My constant up and down has made me crazy and I hate facing the scale. Now I can hear all of you shouting that this is a very bad idea. It may be, but I've also promised myself that if my weight goes above what it is right now, I'll head back to WW's. It's just that I haven't been able to get going and the mtgs. aren't helping me right now. The other thing is that I dread WI's. I know this sounds like a brat talking, but I do plan to get on track with food and exercise each day. So far I've done well and plan to continue in this vein.

Lauren, Happy Easter! Good plan to save your points for the big day!
Princess, glad you keep on chiming in. You'll have a great WI this upcoming week. I can feel it.
Mousie, how are you?
Bandit, how was your weekend and how are you doing?
Good luck to us all. This group is an inspiration.
Love,
Judy

Judy: I understand how you feel... sometimes I want to do the same thing especially with my husband dropping weight at an average of 4 lbs per week... keep going, you can do it, I have faith in you.

I am a bit worried about this weeks W/I myself, the scale is just not budging at all. My clothing is getting looser but according to the scale I have gained weight. Not sure what that is about

I have been thinking about trying the Wendie plan to see if that would help... any thoughts there?

I will be back later to check in and see how everyone is doing.

Have a great day!
Princess

Hi Turtles,
Princess, it seems to me that you have lost a lot of weight in these last few weeks. So many things affect weight loss: exercise (and even over-exercising can cause fluid to remain in the muscles causing a temporary weight gain!), drinking water, calories and volume of food. Hang in there, the way I'm trying to, analyze what is happening, breathe deep and keep on keepin' on! You're doing great. Yes, attending WW's with males is tough but you're doing fine. Sometimes when I get like this I have to stand on my scale (which is a doctor type), put the marker where I was and slowly slide the marker all the way down to where I am now. That is a visual for me that helps me see the progress I've made. Here's an idea: for each pound you've lost imagine 4 sticks of butter dropping off your body. Now that's an image.
Weight loss can sometimes be almost routine--I've had weeks that just weren't so bad, and then I'll hit a snag. So here's a for all of us to keep on so that we get a : in the picture very soon!
Judy

Princess, I must say that I'm very impressed that you're doing to meetings with your husband and not letting his fast weight loss get to you. DH has the metabolism of a hummingbird and can eat about three times his weight, I think, without gaining an ounce. I cannot imagine dieting with him!!

Judy, you know exactly what you need. You'll choose the right things to do in the long run, which is what counts.

I lost a pound last week in spite of PMS, which made me happy. So far so good this week; no flex points used, and tracking every day.

Happy Friday Everyone!

So very glad that Friday is here... took my car in for an oil change this morning and $277.00 later it is ready to be picked up... some how I can never get away with just a $35.00 oil change oh well, it is a much needed part of my life so I pay the bill and move on.

Thanks to all for all of the tips and information! It really does help because even though you think you are trying everything and doing it all correctly sometimes you can be missing something and talking with everyone really helps.

Got on the scale and it was down 2 pounds this morning so maybe I was just holding a lot of water... W/I tomorrow morning should tell the real story.

Busy weekend with tons of yard work to do so that will keep me busy.

Have to run but I will check back in later on to see how everyone is doing.

Have a great weekend!

Princess

Lauren,
This weight loss is wonderful, especially in TOM! Good for you. Tracking and not using the extra points is great. You go girl!!!!! You're right in that I do know what will work for me. It may be time for me to switch to FLex and journaling for awhile. I also want to try writing down the emotions that drive me to food because that is still what I am fighting. Not fun, but I know I have the answers within me to be successful. Thanks for the kind words.

Princess,
I am so glad you showed a weight loss on your scale! It's so easy to have fluid retention throw off a deserved weight loss when what is needed is to wait (weight) it out! It is unnerving and you're also dealing with attending WW with the males in your family. What I am also thinking is this: How wonderful that you've started going to WW mtgs. and that they are attending as well. Reason? Because you're all going to be healthier and happier and this is a way of life. So if your dh loses quickly, he'll be maintaining in this style forever and that's a very good thing. Glad you're chiming in here and continued good luck. That outside raking and yardwork is sure to add up lots of activity points.

Bandit and Mousie, good luck to you and the whole group as we go into our weekend.

Hey, I've seen some good DVD's lately. I really enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha and didn't think I would since I read the book twice: Both times for different book groups. Also saw The Wedding Crashers which was ridiculously silly and it made me laugh. Today we watched Elizabethtown and I liked the message because it's easy to dwell on failure and forget to live. Boy, I'm sure trying to make each day count!!!! Good luck and : to us all.
Judy Itry

Hi Turtles - hope everyone had a great weekend.

Have been busy with work, house stuff & helping out at bf office during tax season. Got a mantle put on my fireplace Fri & that looks really nice.

Went to a pancake breakfast fund-raiser today & was very yummy. But a big indulgence. It was at a farm that helps handicapped children & we walked alot of the property as well.

Did not have a good w/i - was up 1.2# this week. So goal for upcoming week is to: journal faithfully, go to curves 3 times and make good choices.

This past week I had a cold & did not get to curves at all & it has showed at the scales. I could have gone at end of week, but by then with missing and eating treats I just felt lazy. As you all know, when I am OP I am really good but once I go astray I go overboard. I really, really have to work on that.

Anyway, enough whining here. So, back on track. New week, new thinking!

Have a good one. Bye for now.

Morning all!

W/I went well, I was down 2.0 lbs and DH was down like 2.6, he is .2 away from his 10% goal in just 7 weeks! I asked the ladies behind the counter if he needs to be counseled since he is loosing so quickly, it was meant as a joke and everyone thought it was funny except him

DS did not go to W/I, Not sure if he is going to continue or not, his heart does not seem to be in it after the first week. Oh well, I don't push since that makes it worse.

Have a busy but good weekend.

How is everyone doing?

Princess