Hi Turtles
Sorry its been so long just very down again, my doctor told me I was extremely obese and I need to help myself now before its to late.
I know I am big and need to lose weight but hearing the words it hit hard how fat I am and how much I need to lose.
I am sick and tired of been fat no obese
I dont want to be a obese mummy
I HATE HATE HATE being this big I feel lost in my own body the fat has taken over my life. sorry if I went on & on

INVU-Hey I get it! I've been crying and feeling sick to my stomach and crying some more. My weight just keeps climbing and I have no idea where to turn or what to do. I haven't weighed myself for 2 weeks now. I have been exercising and but not really tracking what I eat so much and I have managed to add 7 lbs to my weight. The dr. can find nothing out of the ordinary with me, but I just don't get how my weight is climbing so fast. I honestly don't know what to do or where to turn. I don't have a support system. My sisters are all skinny and I have no friends. Hubby isn't much help.

I'm scared. Panicking. Crying. Upset. I don't like myself this way. I hate it and it makes me hate me. My life was not supposed to be like this. With each new pound, I am losing more and more of me. I just don't see anything to look forward to. I'm so embarrassed by what I see and embarrassed for my family. Sorry all...I've just been hiding the bad stuff with all the "I'm doing fine" talk. It's not fine and I'm not fine, and I don't know what to do.

Morning all and happy Thursday! Cold here again and gloomy, ready for spring to get here but I fear it is a long way away thanks to that rotten ground hog! Who ever thought of asking a ground hog anyway

Ok well I am struggling too ladies, have been since this whole thing with my back... I make excuses to eat things that I should not, I make excuses why I don't have to work out, blah blah blah!

I have very little in the way of a support system, DH fell off the wagon way back when and has never gotten on it again, and I have next to no friends also... a few but not many and those that I do have are busy with their own lives. So all of that being said where does it leave us... well I guess it leaves us with ourselves and this chat forum. So we can continue to gain weight and make excuses, we can continue to watch our health go down the drain, we can make excuse after excuse or.... we can look into ourselves and get back on the wagon. WE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN DO THIS, NO ONE ELSE. We gained the weight and we are the ones that have to lose it. We can help each other, go to meetings or if you can not then make it a point to do it yourself at home... maybe make a day to weigh yourself and read something on the internet to kind of have your own meeting... exercise on a regular basis even if it is just for a couple of minutes to start. Take your measurements weekly as part of your "meeting" and also to track none scale victories...

I don't want to die of a heat attack or a stroke or end up with diabetes... period... I still have things to do in this life.

If you are struggling with depression, and I fear that most of us are in one way or another, then all of this will help, no question about that. The more we gain the worse the depression gets... we know that for a fact!

Start slow, climb back on the wagon, go to meetings if you can, come here often...

Just my ideas and suggestions but it is what I am going to go... 2008 is my year to hit goal or at least get darn close to it.

Princess

Thoughts on what to do instead of eat...

Clean out a closet, drawer or cupboard
Take a hot bath =) if you can
Walk around the block or if at work, around your office building
Take your child or pet to the park or for a walk around the block
Dust your furniture and run the vacuum
Do a load of laundry
Knit or crochet something
Write a letter to a friend or relative
Set yourself up to do some volunteer work
Work in your yard or garden


Get 7-8 hours of sleep! So important for our mental and physical health and weight loss!

Before you go to bed, pack your lunch for the next day if you work outside of the home or are going to babysit... maybe try this even if you do work in your home... put it in the fridge with the points amount and it is ready for tomorrow and you won't have to think about it.

Make a new recipe... try something new, who knows, you might like it.

Any other thoughts???

Princess- your posts were very insperational. You are right. We are the only ones who can get ourselves out of this situation we have created. When i want to eat one thing i sometimes do is a craft project. I like to scrapbook. Or i have a puzzle i work on.

INVU and Chrily - I am so sorry you ladies are having such a tough time. I have clinical depression so i know where you are coming from and sometimes i cry because i hate what i have become but i REFUSE to give up.

Judy- Just wanted to say Hi. Thanks for your continuing encouragement and support.

Okay Turtles,
Is this 2008 or what? This is the year we are all working in to get to our goal (or at least close).
I am extremely sorry that so many of us face emotions and depression more than anyone would ever want to face. However, please read Princess' post again, and again, and again.

We have a built-in support system right here on this site. We know how you feel, have felt it ourselves, and can help. And remember, you help us too!

A man at my last WW mtg. said this and I think it has merit, "I make believe that my mouth has a built -in camera that records every bite of food I take. If I shouldn't be eating it, it's on record." I thought that was hysterical, but then I thought about it and I think he's got something. Our leader tells us that every morsel is a choice--to get us closer to or further away from our goal. If our goal is to be fit and healthy, then this bears thinking about.
What are your challenges? Are they daily? What can you do besides eat?
Will getting a walk make you feel better? Do you need more sunlight? How about getting those little guys out to a park or even a mall where you can all walk and get exercise. Pushing a stroller is absolutely fun and attitude is everything. If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.

Right now I'm using the WW pass system where I pay for my mtgs. monthly and that includes use of WW e-tools. Then I track my food points and my activity points and get little smilies when I eat the healthy guidelines foods. It cheers me up to see I'm doing the right thing.

For things to do, I love to read a book. I bring a cup of tea or a Diet Coke out to a quiet spot and read away.
I answer my e-mails and get carried away and forget about food.
I call a friend or e-mail a buddy.
I plan meals for the next 7 days and make sure I have the ingredients in the house.
I freeze leftovers so I'm not tempted to eat them and it gives me a fast dinner or lunch when I need one.

We are here. Let's do this! Princess, you're the best. I remember when your dh went on the WW wagon with you and when he climbed off the wagon. I know that makes it harder for you., but you're right--we're doing this for good health and fitness and what other people do can't really matter all that much. We can do this!!!!! :

:

So to Chrily and Princess and Bandit and Cherry and INVU and NEWYEARNEWME and Ariana, I'm pulling for all of us. It's up to us to do the right thing.

Here's a suggestion that might help others. When I get on the treadmill, I put a price sticker (round circle--same color for the whole month) on my calendar. Then as I look at the month as it goes by, I see how often I've done the right thing and it feels good and encourages me to get on the again!

So, if you have any little tricks, let us know what you do.

By the way, here's what I do with a rotisserie chicken from the super market:
1. eat some of it hot for dinner
2. make a yummy chicken salad w/reduced fat mayo, celery, and apple for lunch the next day
3. Take whatever's left and make a yummy chicken soup w/ couscous as the grain. Absolutely delicious and easy.

Good luck. I mean it--chime in when you're feeling bad, we'll help you. If you're having success, please let us know--that helps us all. take care and be well.
Judy
234.6/218.2/thinner into onederland

Good morning, turtles:

Sounds like our group is in "extra struggling mode" right now. Maybe the time of year is a factor. With everyone being busy & socializing over Christmas with family/friends & now there is a lull in all the action & planning for everyone else, I think maybe we don't know how to make ourselves a priority at times.

Maybe we should make "us" be the focus for the next while & treat ourselves like we would treat a friend in need.

I have always had no problem with journalling (good or bad) and I find that helps to keep me on track. I have had bad weeks & know exactly what the problem was & most of the time there was an "emotional" trigger that started the backslide.

Lets start each day with a new ww can-do attitude & not keep dwelling on our past mistakes.

New day, new start, new journal, new way of thinking.
If you can get your head focussed, everything else should follow.

Have a great WW turtle Friday.

Good morning ladies and a very happy Friday to you all... any plans for the weekend? DH and I are thinking about going to a dog show that is in town, we both love dogs and at some point, down the road, will be getting a German Shepherd. We currently have three old girls and when they go on to doggy heaven we will take a break and then go pick out our GS... either from a rescue or a pup from a breeder. I am for the rescue of an older dog but DH would also like to have a pup so you never know... at some point we may end up with two . Other then that not much is planned except I am going to make it to W/I and stay for the meeting Saturday morning. Most likely will do some cooking over the weekend.

I did not mean to come on too strongly yesterday, I truly did not, but I am struggling too and I just had taken a really long hard look in the mirror and thought to myself "How long are you going to let this go on before you do something about it?". Then I logged on here and saw some of the posts and I thought... well, I guess this is a sign that I need to get my butt back on the wagon pronto!

Judy: Great post! I do the monthly pass with e-tools also... it is a wonderful thing.

All: Have a great day, look inside yourself and figure out what you want... then start moving towards it, keep the faith - we have the plan so lets use it and lean on each other and once the scale starts going down that is a great motivation to keep going!

Princess

Hi TUrtles,
Bandit, I love that you journal all the time and see exactly what triggered a lapse in good eating. Weigh to go!
That "can do" attitude is just what we need now.

Princess,
I thought your post was perfect. I've been "struggling" for years now and it's tedious. It really doesn't matter that my thyroid stinks, etc. I know that if I keep on program and exercise 5x aweek I'll lose about a pound a week. On those weeks when I get down and eat more than I should and abandon the I gain faster than it can be believed. None of this is easy, but it's all doable.

Come on Turtles!!!!! We can do this. Let's Start in wherever we are and drink that water, get that exercsie, plan and prepare those healthy foods and give yourself a chance!
Love,
Judy

Thanks Judy!

Well I am out of here early today, DS is coming home from school for the weekend, complete with large amounts of laundry and all... well I did say that I should keep busy instead of eating didn't I =) Not exactly what I had in mind but I will take it.

You know... I have felt like crap ever since Thanksgiving... I am tired of feeling crappy... this is my weekend to work on my home, get it cleaned up, organized and the fridge stocked with some good stuff. W/I and a meeting on Saturday, dog show on Sunday and cleaning and organizing in between... that should keep my hands out of the cookie jar I think.

I will make it a point to pop on here over the weekend to see what is going on and chat for a bit also.

Have a great weekend turtles!

Princess,
That's a long time to feel crappy. I hope your body is healing. Here's some : to help. Hey, on the bright side you'll have a heck of a lot more to do this weekend than you imagined on Thursday! Aren't kids wonderful? LOL. It'll be good to see your son.

As for me, I avoided some temptations yesterday, tried to make good choices, and am heading for the treadmill when I'm finished writing here.
It looks like it will be a quiet weekend since dh is tired and needs time to recharge. It'll be okay because a new movie is coming in from Netflix, I have a good library book to read, and there's always TV. Mostly I'm trying to put the words and thoughts expressed here lately into place and action--think about what I eat before I eat it (so there's no guilt and remorse) and be prepared with good healthy foods.

Onward and Downward!!!!!!!
Take care and be well.
Bandit, thanks for the reminder that the very season makes it tricky to do well with foods--less fun, worse weather, less sun, and all that makes February a tricky month.
Judy

Happy Saturday all!

Went to W/I and stayed for the meeting even! Did not do well on the W/I, I was up 1.2 lbs but am back on track and doing well so far.

We are going out to supper with MIL and DS and really hoping to go to Appleby's since they have the WW menu and it is sooooo easy to eat well there... but DH does not like it there so much so we may pick another place... you never know though, I may get lucky!

Cold and windy here today so not sure that I will get a walk in outside. they are calling for snow tonight and the temps are supposed to take a nose dive into single digets... peachy! I will keep busy in the house instead. I sure wish that I had a treadmill at home... boy oh boy what I would give for one of those =)

Have a great weekend!
Princess

Happy Monday All!

Oh my word but it is just soooo cold here in the Midwest. We went to another restaurant on Saturday instead of Applebee's but I had a salad and salmon so it was ok.

DH and I went to the dog show on Sunday and had a good time with the exception of the weather.

I am on track and feeling pretty good so that is a good thing.

Have a great day ladies!

We have been working on organizing the house here to. We woke up this morning to a thunderstorm only it was raining ice. How wonderful. I sure do miss the sun.

I looked at myself in the mirror last night and thought "I can do this" I have done it before and i was doing well. I know how to lose the weight and I know it is possible i just need to get a handle on my emotional eating and other behavioral problems.

Judy and Princess - Thanks for keeping this board going. Looks like there hasn't been much posting since Saturday morning. Hope everyone is doing well. Don't give up.

Hi Turtles,
Don't give up! Keep on trying! We can do this.

Princess,
You're on the right track and that's what counts. I think it's great that you were able to eat well while dining out. Weigh to go! Hey, we were given a couple of gift cards to Appleby's over Christmas and had a chance to go there recently. It's fabulous to be able to eat out and not worry about the points or food prep. I had shrimp and asked for a baked potato instead of the rice pilaf and had a yummy meal.
Princess, you're doing great! : for coming through that back misery and : also for helping us out here.

Cherry, I'm so happy that you looked at yourself and gave yourself some positive self talk! Weigh to go! Yes, you've done this before. Yes, you know what to do. Now baby steps to doing it. Emotional eating is a kick in the head, so tell us what you'll do instead of eating the next time emotions get to you. I'd love to know so I'll have some new ideas too. Yay! You can do this and you'll feel so good about yourself.

Bandit, how are you doing driving in the Canadian snow? Brrrrr, seems like we have a lot of cold weather Turtles in this group. Spring's on the way--I can feel it.

Chrily and INVU and New yearnew me and Ariana--:grouphugs: to you all.
Take care and be well.

I'm doing great. I've been recording all points of the food I eat. Even when I made less good choices, I still recorded it, looked at it and said, "Well that's what the 35 points are for," and kept on going. I had to really talk to myself a few times, but if I can lose weight this week : it'll all be worth it!
I've also added ten minutes to my treadmill time. Soon I'm going to try using my one pound weights and see if I can't do something about my upper arms.
Wow, that would be great.
Okay--I'm rambling enough here.
Take care, be well and keep on turtle-ing along.
Judy