Hello everyone, I hope that all is well. I finally had time to read and catch up with the posts over the weekend only to discover that I couldn't post All is going well on my end. I just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing. I am up to an hour of cardio daily, but boy I am really seeing the results that I want. I will post again soon. I really missed you guys!

Hi guys, hi sub, great going on the exercise. I was good yesterday with the exercise, then blew it at night with the eating. Damn! Was talking with a friend for 6 hours! and guess I was pissed at having "wasted" my entire evening and this morning because I had to sleep in and couldn't get to the gym or do any work now before having to rush out to work and today we're having a stupid symbolic strike for 30 mins. It sucks, this whole place (the paper) and the union and people's demands. But what sucks more is that the company is not listening. And then we all suffer together and we're not all in the same boat. I need money but I hate doing it for this company. At the same time I don't see myself being able to just up and quit. At the same time the publishers is piling work on me like a madman, and demanding it all is done NOW! But I am glad I have work. Really need the money. Rent's not paid yet. Having to borrow tons again. Gotta get ahead of this.
But, again, I am going to focus on what I CAN do and what I HAVE done. It really makes me feel better.
Yesterday, I turned down a ride from the riding club to the station, which is hard. I liked walking but one of the people had been insisting she give me a ride. It was nice. I liked talking to her but I realized what a big chunk of walking this was taking out of my day and I don't get much opportunity to do it. So I insisted on walking and you know, it was easier than I thought. Just goes to show you that a lot of it was ME!
OK, really, gotta run now.
Bye for now.
Hope to hear from you all.

Hi, Red. Sorry you are having such a sucky time at work!! Maybe if you did more than thirty mins at a time on your strikes, you might be taken more seriously?

Great job on the walking! I wish things around here were closer so I could walk to them. Ironically, I would have to drive to a park to walk. How weird is that? Plus, it is POURING rain here! It has rained every day since Sunday! It uaually rains in the morning, and then clears off in the afternoon! It makes driving very dangerous, though.

I am taking a head cold or something. I just got over the last stuff three weeks ago and now I am trying to get sick again. I hate that. I haven't exercised in two days b/c my nose is so stopped up I can barely breath just sitting in my chair. Oh, well, maybe by Monday I can jump back on it!

Gotta go. Have a great day!

Hi everyone! I hope that all is well. I think that everyone is doing great and I know that we are all serious or else we wouldn't be posting here. The weather is finally warming up and this week it actually got up to the mid 60's but unfortunately tomorrow it will probably snow again This is my first week of an hour of cardio/stregnth training a day --four days done, only two to go. I have been walking 4 miles a day with the walk away the pounds program. I probably sound like a crazy woman when I tell everyone about this program. IT WORKS, you just have to be consistent and do it at least 4 times a week. I brought a new pair of size 14 jeans two weeks ago and they are loose...I will be in a size 12 sooner than I thought. My new mini-goal next week is to walk at least 5 miles three times next week. Although my scale hasn't budged in the last two weeks, my waist and stomach have come down almost an inch and a half. I would also recommend a book called Thinwalking too. It's short, sweet, and humorous all the while explaining the science behind why walking works (the author lost over a 100 pounds) in layman's terms. My cousin and I regularly switch our WATP tapes and DVD's for variety. My cousing recently spent 300 dollars having all of her clothes tailored because they were too big. I know I sound like a WATP fanatic but it has been one of the only things things that has worked for me as I do not have time to go to the gym everyday. In the mean time my legs have gotten toned and muscular too. I recently ran into a friend that I haven't seen in four months and he couldn't believe how different I look. Previously I tried the Slim in Six Series but it was **** on my knees and I found that since I couldn't get through the first DVD I quit. These tapes have been a great help since we were buried in snow all winter and I don't own a pair of cross country skis or showshoes Before I started the program I felt like the laziest person in the world, but not anymore. I hope that this post has been a help. I would like to pose a question though: What was the turning point in your life that made you decide to lose weight?

Good morning all. I have been sleeping in these days and not doing much of anything before it's time to leave for work. Well, this morning I decided to get my butt out of here a bit earlier and walk some again. That had been helping and it stops me thinking of a fat slob, which is what my current image of myself has become and that is hurting me more than ever. Last night, when I went to bed, I started doing a couple crunches and I thought, this is fun, it feels good, and I realized that it wasn't the exercise I was hating, it was the not exercising. They say with yoga that the best thing about it is that you get back in touch with your body and I think that's what I want. I want to be in touch with my body again, haven't been for a few months now, actually longer. The sitting at the computer, the riding, these do not put me in touch with my body. It's strange, but riding is about keeping your body still, which though it does use muscle tone incredibly, I think causes you to lose touch with your body. You have to be like turning into a statue in order to become one with the horse. Anyhow, if I can catch up here, well, whether I do or not! I'm going to get out and walk before work. Yesterday I hooked on the pedometer and did 15,000 steps, which is a fair amount. My pack was heavy and I hate that anymore because my feet are hurting and going numb but I got off the train a stop early and walked. I would have made it two but there were too many people in front of me and the door and the decision was too slow and the doors closed.

shanberg -- thanks for your concern. you're always so sweet to comment on things i write, the rants and the whines, the moans and the groans. The strike was fun actually, and I was doing some important talking to the others. We had a good crowd, must have been most of the workers. Of course it doesn't hurt the company at this stage, only us, but we were hoping to do this as a show of goodwill, a warning before we escalated. The management, well, the guys in those positions, not that they do anything that even vaguely resembles "managing," don't have a clue. I urged a meeting to tell it to them straight that we have options and we are going to choose one or all, so they better give us an offer. You know, I am always amazed at how people will participate but will really do very little on their own, won't talk, won't come up with ideas. Well, I guess there are leaders and there are followers and together we form a working whole.

shan, driving to the park to walk is not weird. If it means you'll be walking as opposed to not walking, then by all means, do it. It's no different from driving to a mall or a gym or a pool. Do it! But yes, in the rain, is no fun. And you have to take care of yourself. Hope you get better soon and that this stuffy nose doesn't get worse. Could it be hay fever? That is very big here this time of year, from the cedar trees.

princess (i realized this was a better way to shorten you name than "sub!" sorry ) -- glad to hear that the weather is becoming a bit more conducive to exercise, but with snow in the forecast, that's kind of a bummer. This kind of weather makes it easy to get sick so take care of yourself! You are doing great with the walk and strength training. It doesn't sound at all crazy to me, not one bit. Who would think it's crazy, maybe some people who NEED to be doing it! Yes, I would think it would work, especially if you are keeping your eating in check. And hurrah for the loose size 14s! Doesn't that feel great?! I'm so happy for you! Don't concern yourself with the scale. That's not what it's about, well, there are more things that it's about and you're on the right path! Keep it up. I, too, have decided to get walking back into my life. I used to do so much but because I have less and less time I haven't been walking. So, I'm going to just schedule it into to my day and make sure I do it. I guess I used to do so much unconscious exercising and then I was unconsciously NOT doing it and thus I gained a ton of fat! But, now, I'm going to make a conscious effort to put the exercise back in my day and get this stuff OFF of me! Good question about the turning point and losing weight! I lost weight so much and so often and gained it back so much that I can't say if there was a real turning point but I suppose it was when I first came to Japan, over 20 years ago. There was a small gym near where I lived, a bodybuilding real little hardcore place. I started going there, don't ask me what brought me into it! and the trainer, and that was all free, was so nice and encouraging. He walked me through everything and since I had loads of time on my hands I started going every day. It wasn't hard, it was something to do and I started seeing a change in my body. I suppose it was that, seeing that yes, it could be done, it gave me hope, whereas before I had become somehow paralyzed into a state of despair. So, that's what I'm trying to do now again. Focusing on what I did that was good for me and moved me toward my goals is helping to give me hope again.

Okay so I have been lurking for the last week regularly and I am now FINALLY ready to get back on that "weight loss horse" and try to ride another round until I fall off again and the horse walks over me.
Tomorrow morning I start anew again! I will make time for this board and I will make time for exercise. I will stop eating crap that makes me feel bad. I have convinced myself I have no time so I am not making time to do what I need to! Just wanted to get that out.
Besides that realization- I am currently sitting in my living room and it is full of boxes of books for the big move in May. Still no job and no idea where I am going but that is just the way it goes. I am going to try to look at it as an adventure and get over the drama. I just get so discouraged because I have not heard from people I have put resume in with and it has been 2 weeks. Everyone keep telling me to chill out but of course that doesn't help. Anyway- can't control that so not going to try to. I will just keep putting resumes in everyday until something works.

Sorry I have missed so much on the board. I will try to keep up from this point forward. I am not going to go back and read so I may ask some stupid questions for awhile until I fully catch up. C'est la vie!
I hope you are all doing well! I am so happy you all stayed on and kept things going. My heart felt thanks!

On a bad note- I found out today that a woman I use to work with who retired almost exactly a year ago has lung cancer. It was so depressing! I hate that for her. What a thing to deal with in retirement.

Okay- I am rambling because I am exhausted. Let me know how you guys are doing and what's going on , would you? How is work Red? What about this program that you are having such success on princess- how does it work?
Shan- how are you??

I must get some sleep so I will signoff for now. I will get on tomorrow and Sunday we will get a new board. I will also try to get the "question of the day" going again although I will tell you - it will not be everyday.

I missed you guys!

Crime girl wrote: [I am now FINALLY ready to get back on that "weight loss horse" and try to ride another round until I fall off again and the horse walks over me.]

OUCH, Crime girl!! More than ouch. We can't have any horses walking over you, OK?!

Good to have you back! I missed you too! Try, try again! It is so good you are showing the courage to try again. Tell me about the no time! I have been the same but I am sick of it, absolutely sick of it and what's more, my legs are going numb and I think it's from poor circulation because I'm also sitting and working. Besides, it's simply not healthy sitting all the time. So, for the past two days I have hooked on the pedometer. Today I had over 22,000 steps! Hurrah! At times there were days there where I had barely registered 3,000 and I think they were NOT rare. Enough! I can always make time to walk. I don't know about you CG but maybe you can do something too.

I'm so very sorry to hear about your co-worker, or ex-co-worker. How horrible. Does she have any hope of recovery, I wonder. My mother died of cancer so I know what it's like to be with someone with cancer. There is so much more hope these days though. Don't give up yet.

As for work, much of the same. It's pathetic, really. I ignore all of management and am quite disrespectful to my immediate bosses. Only the other foreigners, who treat others like a member of a team, which we are, get my respect, though it's done (by everyone) with lots of joking around. I have gotten other work from a publisher and the usual bits and pieces from elsewhere but I think I am still earning less than I spend. I don't even know. Must get my head out of the sand.

I ride and riding is my everything really. I think I had a breakthrough last week (last lesson) and I am excited about this. Heidi-chan, what a tough little mare!

Well, got to go. Hope to see you in here regularly. Maybe your coming back will bring back some of our old regulars. Maybe you could PM them and get them in here, grasshopper, stormy, they never show up anymore, although stormy stayed longer. NBK has been scarce but still with us. Shan, doinmybest, subpreme and myself have stuck around the most I think. Sorry if I missed anyone. Please come in and chat!

Hi everyone!! It is a nice cool and windy day in Florida today! I love when it cools off here and I can finally breathe again!

Red-
Thanks for the encouragement- I am trying to be realistic and realize I can't be perfect all the time with weight loss. I think I get in my head it is all or nothing and that is not true. I need to teach myself that every little bit I do helps. If I fall- get back up and get back on the program.
Sounds like you are doing great with walking. I have a pedometer and never use it. I think I will strap it on today and see if I can get to 10,000 steps. You are doing twice that so BRAVO! Great job! Keep that up!
I know what you mean about your legs feeling tired- I feel like that all over because I don't get enough exercise. I get sick easily and feel rundown all the time. I am really sick of that! I can be so stupid sometimes- I know exercise will help but I still skip it in my day thinking I dont have time. The funny thing is that I crash at some point in the day and lose time dragging around feeling bad. If I would just exercise I could skip this step in the day and gain time. Must put exercise mantra in my head!
I am so happy things are going good with Heidi. You always sound so happy and optomisitic when you talk about riding and even though the cost is great to you- I think Heidi is a great thing. Have you been learning new moves on her? Is your instructor seeing your progress?
As for you jobs- I am sorry you are still having a hard time of it. You are trooping on and that is what will count in the end. Are you staying in at nights more? or still going out with the boys?
By the way- I will take your advice and PM grass and stormy and see if I can get them to come back. I feel so responsible for them leaving. It was like I gave up so they did too. I will miss them if they don't come back!

Okay- well I better go! I need to eat some lunch and get writing on my paper. I am glad to be back! I have missed all of you!

Here are a few facts that I found on the American Obesity Association's website. I think that they will keep you motivated. The National Weight Control Registry keeps a database of people that have lost 30 pounds or more and have kept it off. Here are just a few of the responses given by participants in a survey.

• 91 percent had tried to lose weight before
• 92 percent exercised at home, 40.3 percent exercised regularly with a friend, and 31.3 percent exercised regularly with a group
• 89 percent changed their diets and increased physical activity (10 percent used diet modification only and one percent used activity only)
• 77 percent said a medical or emotional event triggered weight loss
• 42.7 percent described losing weight as hard, 31.4 percent as moderately hard, and 25.7 percent as easy
• 44.2 percent limited the quantities of food they ate
• 87.6 percent limited some type or class of food (especially high-fat and high-calorie foods)

We are not alone in our struggles others have been where we are and sucessfully achieved their goals. I know that we can too I think that the hardest part is just being consistent. Many times I have fallen off the exercise wagon, but somehow I manage to get back on You guys are all a big help when I am feeling down and out and wallowing in self pity Remember, it is easy to exercise and hour a day than to try and control your appetite the whole day! Hope this post helped.

Crimegirl-- Good to see you back, don't worry about responses to your resume. A month's waiting time would be a dream here.The economy is so bad here it takes most people between one and three years to find the job that they want...the majority of my friends have moved out of state.

Red- Don't be so hard on yourself. You are by no means lazy-- look at how hard you work and the hours you put in. I think that you need a day of pampering, or at the very least schedule a day for you at least one a month to recharge and do whatever YOU want

Heh guys, thanks for writing. Gotta run here. Morning and I have an earlier than usual lesson.
Pope watch at work these past few days. Sad, isn't it?

Crime girl -- yes, you can do this and you ARE doing it. Just being in here again is part of it too you know. Our challenges are all like germinating seeds. Just because there is nothing showing above ground doesn't mean very important things aren't going on. Weight loss is the same. It's about mind changes really, where it has to start if you want to make REAL, LASTING change. And that you can't see, not usually. So, good intentions and such are crucial.

Princess -- thanks for your words. I know, I guess I'm not lazy, but still, I am in certain aspects of my life. It's hard getting it ALL together. But I have to if i want to see progress, right? I am learning to forget the failures and praise the success, HOWEVER small!

Gotta run. Hope to hear from more of you!!

Howdy everyone!!
The new thread is at :
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...855#post811855

Enjoy!