Thanks, everyone!

One day down!

Still working at the coffee shop and have not nibbled on junk or sipped the sugary goodness.

its not sugary goodness its the forbidden apple. fruit is sugary goodness

Hey, you two! Great to see you both back.

I gained back every single one one of the 70 ponds I'd lost, so I have an inkling of how you might be feeling. But, we're in the right place to get back on track. There aren't that many people who don't have a hiccup or two on their way to a healthy weight.

Congrats on your first day down!

Welcome back, H-man!!! You have a lot of info to share, glad you are here.

Well, that's true.

So far, so good. Down 3 pounds since January 9. Yahoo!

Hi Howie and Kimberly,

It is great to see you are both here. I always found the 2 of you very inspiring. It is also great to see that DishyFishy and SAPF are still posting. Let's go lose some weight!!!

Denise

And a lot more fun!

I'm hearing a recurring theme here. A lot of people were successful here, then left and gained their weight back (all or some)...so just a question. Why did you leave?

I lost weight and then gained it back and wondered if a support group might not help me get it off again and learn how to keep it off, but now I'm starting to wonder if this isn't supposed to be a support and accountability group for life...to make sure we stick to our maintenance after we've gotten the weight off. After all, I'm not the only one who successfully got it off once before.

So...I'm thinking I'm going to be hanging around here for a long time (if you all can stand to have me)...even after I think I don't need this anymore.

Anyway...welcome back you two and it will be nice to hear your new success stories and motivation while getting to know you.

For myself I just got out of the habit of coming here and was tired of talking food and weight all the time. But you can see what happens when I don't talk food and weight. So I guess I just need to make it a part of my life and when I get to goal I can still hang out and try and help others.

Well Howie, you've kept about 165 lbs off for 3 years. That's one huge accomplishment! I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling, but it's phenomenal what you have achieved so far!

Howie: You hit it on the head for me. I got sick of talking about weight (it has always been an issue in some way or another). I was tired of "obsessing" about food and weight. But I now know that in order to be successful it HAS to always be in the forefront of my mind.

Some things just HAVE to be....

Welcome back. I hear you on the regain thing--everytime I think I have it down pat and ease up I find myself regaining. Sometimes it irks me that I will have to be vigilant about this forever--I wish I could just put it all behind me and never think about it again. BUT I remind myself that everyone has some kind of challenge; I can just HOPE this is as difficult as it gets.

Thanks, guys. You all encourage us a great deal, too. It's so good having these boards for the friendship and information as well as the accountability.

Do you think the sober alcoholic reaches a point where she doesn't need to think about where she's been and where she could easily end up if she indulges "just this one more time"? Does a drug addict? Perhaps, but not typically.

Our struggle is no different, only our addiction is something can never just quit cold turkey if we want to live. We must talk about it, reason out our choices, plan for it, and wrestle our emotions into submission on a daily basis if we're to succeed.

Well said, Kimberley!

back Howie and Kimberly!!

I used to think of having to track what I eat for the rest of my life as a big bummer...but after a while it just becomes another thing you just do. Not very exciting but necessary. The alternative seems to be going back to where I was...I'm trying to make sure that never becomes an option.

Sorry to hear you are struggling..but on the flip side, thanks for the reminder.

Howie and Kimberly

Glad you came back - I've been back for several months, and it does help.