hi everyone,

oh there you are aphil, i knew you wouldnt desert us. thanks for the kind words, and sorry to hear about your grahm. thanks for the offer of e mail, i might just take you up on that, i will write it down.

i of all people know about staying a certain wieght for so long, but it will budge. about the mirror, i was just thinking about that yesterday. i got on scale today it says i am 179, tha scale finally budged, but my official weigh in is thurs. morn. so i will officially weigh in then. if i lost 10 lbs altogether, how come i still look in the mirror and still see that fat person, instead of a person who has just successfully lost 10 lbs?

guess it will get easier. we just have to stick with it, no quitters. we are gonna do this.

Hi everyone!

Welcome its_my_life! Like you, I've probably tried every diet under the sun. I've lost weight - and gained - and lost - and gained (you get the picture!).

Counting calories is fairly easy considering it really doesn't eliminate any foods from your diet (yes, if I truly think I can't live without the chocolate cake, I eat it - but it may be vegetables for the rest of the day!). You can use one of those pocket calorie counters (you can pick up those little books at the grocery or k-mart) to start. It doesn't take long to figure out how many calories your favorites have!

I've followed Willbethin's method of WW points but I find that the old WW exchange program is easier for me. I made a computer sheet that I post on my fridge and just check off the blocks. (When the blocks are all filled in, I go to bed!) It is about 1400 - 1600 calories depending on whether or not you use the optional blocks. If you are interested in that, let me know and I'll be glad to e-mail you a copy.

Willbethin - 10 pounds is 10 pounds, good for you! I have the image problem thing too. (So I just avoid mirrors!) Think of your accomplishment and forget the image.

Aphil, glad you're back. I can relate to the computer problems. We just lost a harddrive at school. Recreating stuff is the pits! Hang with your program and don't worry too much over the plateau. Everyone hits those - I don't know of any way to avoid them (if you discover one - let me know!). That is when I always get discouraged so I know you have to be extra careful not to let it get to you.

Gotta get up at my normal 5:45 in the morning to walk and get the kids off. I've still got some school work to finish before I can get some sleep - and this note has gotten way too long! Have a good one girls!

Southern Gal

Hi everyone,

I bought a book that has calorie counts so that should help me.

Aphil- I weigh 171, I am 30 lbs overweight. If you need any more information to help me find out my needed calories just ask and i appreciate your help.

Southern gal- I would love to see those computer sheets you have for tracking your food- my email is [email protected]

good night everyone

sue

southern girl, your plan sounds great. how is it working for you???

yea, i think i should stay away from the mirrors too. it does put a damper on how good you feel when you lose some weight. but i dont let it get me too down, where i think about quitting.

its_my_life, good for you, you are already planning out your strategy and preparing yourself to start eating healthy and taking control of your eating. you go girl.


everyone has great plans lets stick to them.

Hi all!
it's_my_life, if you are of average height(5'3"-5'6") start out with about 1600 calories a day. If you lose 10-15 lbs., and stop, you can go down a 100 cals to boost it. When you are at your goal weight, take it up a 100 calories every couple weeks until you are at about 1900-2000 to maintain. Make sure to keep excercising even after you are at your ideal weight. It will keep your body burning fat, and you will keep getting firmer.
So glad to be back!
You can also go to Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDanalds, Taco Bell,ect. even if the listings are not in your calorie book. Go to their websites and find the nutrition information for your favorites. I have my faves written down small in the last couple blank pages of my book. I keep it in my purse, and have a mini notebook and pen that I write it in. It stays with me all day, and I can keep track when I am out.
Ya know guys, after we are all thinner, we need to email each other with before and after pics! Right now my before pic is on my fridge, to keep me out of it!
Well, gotta put my sheets in the dryer-take care ladies!
Aphil

hello, how is everyone doing??? i weighed in this morning, it is 179, never thought i would get under that 180. slow and steady, but i will do it.

189/179/125

hope everyone is doing well. we can do this.

Great for you willbethin!!! I am waiting to get out of the 200's. Doing well.

246/204.5/165

Hi! Sounds like everyone is doing great!

Willbethin, way to go getting under 180. I'm proud of you!!! Doesn't it feet great?

Sadiegirl, I'm with you, if I could get under 200 I'd be happy at this point. But you have already lost a good bit of weight and I think that is wonderful. Unfortunately, I'm starting over (once again). I had lost about 15 pounds and managed to put them all back on again so I'm right back where I started.

its_my_life, I hope you got the food tracking sheet. You can tell I am really computer savy - I forgot to attach the thing before I e-mailed you. I sent it separately. Let me know if you had any problems receiving it. Sorry!!!

Aphil, thanks for the info! I never quite got to the maintainance stage when I was doing WW (I was within 10 pounds, quit going, and gradually put the weight back on over the next 2 years - bummer) so I never knew how you were supposed to figure out what you could eat without gaining weight. I printed a copy of what you wrote and posted it on my bulletin board - I plan to get to that stage this time!!!

Gotta run. I've still got a newsletter to finish for school tomorrow (does it ever end? I didn't get to bed until almost 1:00 last night!!!) so I better get to it. Catch you later, girls!

Southern Gal

Hey ladies,
Willbethin-way to go! I always think the best pounds to lose are the ones that change the second digit of your weight! It is the same as any other pound, but 179 sounds so much better than 180, huh?
my life-hope my info helped you out-let us all know how you are doing!
Southern Gal and Sadie-keep up the good work, we can do this-I know it is hard, but we have to push each other! It is so great to have this kind of support, and know someone with a kind word is only a website away! It is nice to vent our frustrations to people who understand and are in the same boat.
I ran into a friend of my husband's at Wal-Mart tonite. His wife is in her early 20's and a model. Looked great with no makeup and sweatpants and a tank top with no bra! I was so envious-I used to look like that when I met my husband. I tell ya-if I meet my goal, I am going to walk around like that! I'll wear a bikini out to the mailbox!
Well you guys have a good night!
Aphil

thanks for the encouraging words, it does feel good. today i am having the end of the summer party for the kids i babysit for, fianlly my life will start to get a little easier now. so the cake, snacks and pizza will be flying.

i have been doing so good though, so i dont want to blow it on this. i f i want that stuff, i will have to think if i want to spend my points of that junk. maybe just one slice of pizza and small piece of cake(maybe) i will let you know how i did.

southern girl, you lost that weight before, you can do it again. my (starting once again) and for the last time, was friday, and i already lost 6 lbs. but as you said i am back where i startred, so now i have to get lower and lower. we will do this. sounds like you have got your hands full these days. makes it harder to stay on program, but you can do it.

sadie girl, you will get under the 200 's your are almost there!!

aphil , you go girl, very brave, a tank top with no bra? i know you can do it??? and we will be the girls in the store, that every one talks about , looking good even though we are dressed like slobs.

it is not easy, everyday turning away the fattening things that made us start struggling to lose weight. with an occasional, i can have this treat, but not everyday. no deprivation, just eating less of our favorite foods. more of the healthy stuff.

and of course excercise and water. did i just say water???? i used to hate when i read alot of posts that said drink, drink , drink that water. i still only drink the minimum, 8 cups a day,sometimes i get 10 in. but i guess everyone else cant be wrong, when they say, water helped them lose weight.

lets keep supporting each other. it helps alot.

Hi,
Had a good morning so far. I just found the coolest thing for chocolate cravings!!!!!!
Every now and then I have a Slim-Fast bar or shake in place of Breakfast or lunch when I am in a hurry-they are okay, but not spectacular. I like them because they have a lot of nutrients without ephedra and other junk some diet products have.
I was at WalMart, and Kellogs has new nutrtion bars called "Krave." They come in chocolate delight and chocolate peanut. They have 200 calories, and are full of vitamins just like Power bars or Slim-Fast, but taste MUCH better. It was just like a candy bar. I had one for breakfast, and a decent lunch, so I have done well so far. The only thing you have to watch for is not to eat the whole box. They are either in the granola bar section, or where the Slim-Fast stuff is on the grocery side of Wal-Mart. A Hershey bar has about 230 calories, and anything with peanuts or peanut butter 300+. so this is a great treat with some nutritional value. Let me know what you think.
Willbethin-hope you do well at your party today. My daughter's is in 2 weeks, and I am making cupcakes like the Veggietales charactersinstead of a whole cake. That way I can control portion size and have one, instead of a huge slab of cake!
Sadiegirl, you will be under 200 before you know it! When I had my first child, I weighed in at 205 after, and hitting the 199 mark felt SO good!
It's_my_life-are you doing okay??? I hope our info has helped you out some.
Southern Gal-don't beat yourself up for falling off the wagon, most of us have yo-yo'd a bit before finally reaching our goal. I know I have. I have even reached goal, and gained 2 or 3 pounds, but the key is to get back on track before 2 or 3 turns into 20 or 30!
Well, my sweet daughter wants some attention, so I better go-take care.
Aphil

hi aphil. sounds like you are having a good day. good idea about not making a whole cake. well i had a piece,and it said a serving is 75 grams. so i got out my scale and weighed it out. i had to have a piece or it would have turned into a binge, and i would have eaten the whole cake. oh by the way, that was 10:00 this morning, and there is still cake left and it is 8:30 pm and i havent even touched it. it cost me 7 ww points but it was worth every point. and i didnt feel like i was being deprived.


i made the kids mac & cheese with hotdogs, so i didnt have the pizza. oh i also had two potato chips, just to taste, would you believe i stopped at just two, well i did. i didnt know how to count it so i just marked it as a point each.

stayed within point range, and still had a good time with the kids.

we can all do this, it took me so long to realize it , but i finally got it. we can eat and still lose weight, without feeling like we are on a diet. the bars sound good. glad you found something you like.

hope everyone is doing great.

Hey ladies, just letting you know that the stubborn scale is beginning to budge! I lost another pound, and am now at 188!
Aphil
195/188/140

Hi ladies!I am having a good weekend. I am making a po of healthy exchange sloppy joes for tonight. I think I may be cracking the 200 mark I do not have TOPS tomarrow, due to the holiday, but I will weigh in tomarrow morning anyway to check my progress. Glad tohear that you stopped after 2 chips willbethin. That is wonderful! I know the feeling of binge eating and those triggers. Keep up the good work and have a great holiday.

Michelle
246/204.5/165

Sadiegirl,
Is your scale at home weigh in at the same as the one at TOPS? I hope it is at least close, there are some small differences in home scales and doctor's ones-My scale at home is always a couple pounds heavier than a professional one. Just don't want you to get an off result if you are used to weighing in with a certain scale!
I know you are going to break that 200 mark real soon-when you do, don't forget to do something nice for yourself-get a new shirt or makeupor something like that, you deserve it! How do you make your healthy sloppy joes? They sound good.
Willbethin-When you watched children at your old job, did you watch babies, or just older kids? Just wondering because I have a really high demand personality baby, and need some suggestions on how to deal with him better before I go insane!
I had to have him a few weeks premature, and he got real sick at 5 weeks and was in the hospital a while and i had to do a lot of care for him-now he won't let me out of his sight. I can't even shower or do diches without him screaming because he wants me to hold him constantly. The only person who can watch him for any amount of time is my mom because her voice sounds like mine. He is almost 5 months now, and needless to say, it is really starting to wear me down. He will sleep through the night one night, and get up 2 or 3 times the next. My daughter got into a schedule really easy, and as long as she could see me in the room, I could do housework, etc. Any suggestions?
Southern Gal, how are you doing? Hopefully well.
Well, I better quit venting-but it feels so good!
Take care soon to be skinnies!
Love,
Amy
(Aphil)