Hello everyone. I'm back. Again. I have been absent because my mother-in-law passed away mid June. It was not unexpected, but difficult all the same. And to add to the stress my sister-in-law was staying with us for 2 weeks and I really don't care for her. But in this situation you have to be supportive...
Shortly after that we took a vacation to Canada, which was nice.
I may have gained a few pounds, and I really want to get back on track. I have been running a little bit, but a huge drop off since June. School starts up again in 2 weeks, and I am hoping a return to routine might help. I know I really need to focus on diet. I have a somewhat unrealistic goal of losing 10 pounds by Aug 20. Thats what? 3 weeks? I think I can manage 8. I've done that in 2 weeks. OK thats the goal. But what is the challenge? For now, (don't laugh) its hula hooping. I started 2 days ago, and I'm adding a minute a day. So tonight it will be 8 minutes. 2 pauses allowed and I'm already on my way!
Hope all is well with everyone and we'll be catching up along the way!

Hi Red! Yea, I know I'm being unreasonable, but a jump start is necessary!! Then again, I haven't exactly been eating in an appropriate manner since I have stated that goal. It's TOM, thats my excuse for now. I'm going to be facing the dreaded beer challenge too, when I'm ready.
Hello to everyone else out there!
HulaHoop Day 3 completed, 2 pauses left.

Hello.
I've been out of control and I'm unhappy with myself.
I want to come back here with a reasonable challenge that I can meet. So far, I've not been doing anything worthwhile and I have been what I call "bad".
I'm not proud of myself and if I do not watch it, all the weight will be right back.
I lost control.
So, if I can say anything positive is that I am HERE. I am typing this and I recognize that I have been on the wrong path.
So, today is day one of recognition. I recognize what I have been doing is not working. I recognize that I need to make a positive change. I need to work on my eating habits and my exercise habits.
It is not day 1 of doing it. I hope I can report, later, that the recognition turned me around and I am doing what I am supposed to do.

So, feeling like I had to drag myself off the floor due to my unhappiness about how I have failed, I started this new thread over in Weight Watchers.
I'm hoping to get inspired.
Today is day one, of me recognizing what has been wrong. One thing is that I have not been inspired to succeed.
Maybe you have something positive to report? I hope so. So, if figured I would share this link. At least you know I am trying. Trying is a good thing.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...ml#post3959958

Great to see people coming back!!

Apple - I'm so sorry for your loss. Even when the passing is not unexpected, it is still difficult. 10 lbs is an ambitious goal...other than hula hooping, what are you going to do to achieve that? You go, girlfriend!

Red - I always like it when you pop in to say hi.

Derry - I think you're being too hard on yourself. This whole journey is about progress not perfection. This is a LIFESTYLE change. We can't be expected to give up foods FOREVER. All we can do is make the best choices for ourselves on a day by day or even minute by minute basis. I think your NSV thread is awesome!! There's a woman here on 3FC who has a great signature. "There's no such thing as failure. There's only feedback. Stop judging yourself & start recognizing it for what it is, an entry point for learning. The truth is, if you're not failing then you're not really reaching & really trying. If you don't like the outcome of a situation, learn from it, make corrections & reapproach wiser & stronger until you achieve your goals."

That being said....I have been sick the past two days with a stomach bug, and the only thing that I've managed to keep down is regular 7-Up. Therefore, I'm starting over with all of my challenges.

64 ounces of water - 0 days complete, 0 pauses allowed
4 servings of fruits/vegs - 0 days complete, 2 pauses left
30 minutes of exercise - 0 days complete, 3 pauses left
No sugared soda - 0 days complete, 3 pauses left

Diyana, we are our own worst critics.
This is a journey and I hit a few bumps in this road. You are right.
Linda

Hey, a flyby again. Just wanted to say that I got on the scale for the first time in months. I have tightened up, but muscle or not, I HAVE to get the numbers down. this was admitting to myself that fact. Until now I didn't want to look at how bad things were until I had changed my body a bit. Now it's time to take it to a nwe level.
I'm at the office. Just turned down a sweet. We get so many of them here and, though the total may not be great, it rattles my resolve.....

derry, ditto diyana. Though I think one shouldn't get in the habit of making excuses, there's no reason to get down on yourself. Fall down, get up, move on, try again. Just do it and leave out the critique. Review, assess, strike out again.

Derry - We all hit bumps/obstacles. We just have to get back on track and keep making progress.

Red - I'm so glad to hear that things are toning up! The numbers will come down. Look how well you're doing so far!!

Still wasn't feeling well enough to exercise as of yesterday...though I did go to physical therapy and had them "stretch" me. Amazing how tight I got after just 1 day of being sick in bed.

So here's where I'm at:

64 ounces of water - 1 day complete, 0 pauses allowed
4 servings of fruits/vegs - 1 day complete, 2 pauses left
30 minutes of exercise - 0 days complete, 2 pauses left
No sugared soda - 1 day complete, 3 pauses left

This is such an odd 21 day thing for me, but maybe it's the ultimate one?

So, my challenge is to recognize that I have an issue with my weight and that I need to do something about it.
Telling myself that I have a problem and that I need to do something about it is hard for me. I tend to play little games with myself. I go out to restaurants and the "fun factor" takes over and I order things I shouldn't be eating and it's all about the moment, the party, the event, the "special occasion" (who am I kidding?).
Being hard on myself is one thing. Forgiving myself for being human is another thing. But, recognizing that I have a problem and a need to deal with it is huge. As huge as my derriere and belly are getting if I truly look at myself in the mirror??????
So, here I am on day 2. I need to drop 20 pounds or so. I tell myself I'm not obese. I'm not, good for me, but I am still heavier than I should be and I would rather be thinner. I think I would look better and feel better. So what stands in the way of this? Years have gone by and I still hover about the same weight. I moan, I complain, and here I am - no results.
I can make it happen if I set my mind. I can go on vacation next week, which will involve a great deal of food and fun. I can choose to be "bad" but I can recognize that it is not helping me reach this goal. If I make the wrong choices, I can recognize it is not the best thing I could have done to acheive this goal. I can, perhaps, with this admission to myself, take steps to do some form of exercise to counteract what I have done.
I may sound silly here, but I want to bring fourth this recognition. It's not something I can conveniently put away in a drawer when it's not convenient for me to deal with. I'm here and making all these great strides towards weight loss, but when I am here I have been lying to myself and pretending. When I am not here, I go off the plan and program and then conveniently pull it back out again. I feel remorse, but then I forgive myself and do the same thing all over again.
Who am I really? I'm a person who loves to have food and I association food with fun. I like a few alcoholic beverages now and then too. Nothing wrong with that, but they sure do add up calories. I'll still have them, but can I maybe try a few other things that are less calories?
I try sometimes and then I blow it off and get carried away. I so wish that I didn't have to worry about my weight and I recognize this as a tremendous problem. The real reason I am not at my goal weight is that I have not recognized this ALL THE TIME. I do this only when it's not party and fun time.

So, there I said it. Silly me. Sorry for rambling on. I wonder if this will make sense to any of you? Do you conveniently pull out your weight loss efforts when it's not party time? I say "party" and for me that means eating out and hanging out with family and friends. I'm not going to parties and events every day, my life is rather "normal" but when I have social time, it means I can just put aside my efforts. I do not retain the recognition of my problem at all during those times.

Derry, I couldn't of said it better myself!! I feel exactly the same way you do and I'm doing the same stuff. Just last night I had dinner at a friends and had seconds, along with a few beers. I could have EASILY consumed HALF the calories and still had a nice time, but my excuse is this is a special event that doesn't happen often so i'll indulge just this once. If I stopped "treating myself" for a few months, not that long really, I could lose a bit of weight and feel better about myself. (my Aug 20 goal date is a week-end I will be spending with family, and probably a lot of food and drink too.) And about that goal date? Have I even really been trying? No, just same old same old. The only thing I am finally pretty good at is exercise, but it doesn't seem to be the key to weight loss for me. Diet is much more important. I run around 10 miles a week and go to the gym now and then. Maybe I am in an exercise rut. But at least I am moving. I have signed up for a triathlon in 2 months so I need to start biking and swimming too. Although I did the same race last year and did not lose any weight during those months. Like said, it shouldn't be my main focus. And now I need to take my own advice.
By the way, I forgot to hula hoop yesterday. So HulaHoop Day 4 completed, 1 pause left.
I need to go to bed now, early day tomorrow. Good night!

Ah Red... you are right you know. However, I do feel that the 20 pounds might stand in the way of my health down the road. I'm 57 years old. I have started to have some health issues and is that extra 20 pounds going to impact my future? It probably is?
Do I want to make it priority after learning I have diabetes or a heart condition or high blood pressure? No, I'd rather do it now.
But, you are right that it has not been a priority.
So, day 3 for me here. Recognition. I have an albeit small weight problem, but I do have a problem that I want to work on. Will I?
This morning we leave for our vacation.
I did go on my treadmill yesterday and walked a mile. I will try to do something today. I had Chinese food last night. But, it didn't taste "good" to me and I ended up throwing a great deal of it away. I kept thinking it tasted awful and it was ruining my efforts. Unusual for me.
So, I recognize my issues. I also recognize what you said Red, truly, and I appreciate you saying that. Apple, I also appreciate your thoughts.

Will recognition be something I carry with me or will I blow this off too?