Jeepers hunny .. youre almost half my size lol ,, cripes I feel like a giant now rofl.

And yes .. I remember when I was a size 16 thinking omg .. thats awful .. now Im aimin to get into a 16 rofl ..

Huggies

Just wanted to say I am watching a rerun of a Beverly Hills 90210 Christmas episode and it totally has me in the spirit. Remember, it really doesn't matter where you are it's about the direction you are going, because the direction is going to totally determine where you end up at Christmas and down the road......besides, how you feel is most important and all of us should feel great for taking steps to be in control and on the right path!

I found this on another site. It was encouraging to me and I thought I would pass it around.

To all beginning dieters, from someone who has been there...
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For some reason you chose today to lose weight. Maybe it was because it is a new year, or because you saw a picture of yourself, or because the doctor told you too. Whatever the reason, you have found this site, and you are starting out, and you feel like quitting. Don't do that until you read on.

You see, I too once had to lose weight. Never mind my reasons, like you, I needed to lose. In my case, 58 pounds.

Let me share a little of my journey for it will be good for me to leave it here, and it will be good for you to walk in my shoes.

There were days, when the diet (counting calories for me) was so easy, that I couldn't believe anyone had ever managed to mess this up. Food just seemed to be fuel and nothing more.

There were days, when I thought I would starve to death, and the calories were gone shortly before lunch.

There were days, when I lost weight even though I felt like I had really messed up the week before.

There were days, when I gained weight despite being totally OP every day.

There were days, when exercise came easily.

There were days, when I was too exhausted or too busy to move at all.

There were days, when I just wanted to quit and accept that I was JUST FAT.

There were days, when I would wake myself up crunching my stomach muscles.

There were days, when everyone noticed that I had lost weight and compliments flowed like wine.

There were days, when no one noticed.

There were days, when I thought I had to starve to lose.

There were days, when I thought I could eat anything and I would lose despite it.

There were days, when I just wanted to be done.

There were days, when I thought I could continue forever.

There were days, when I felt fat, and the scales would be lower.

There were days, when I felt thin, and the scales would be higher.

There were days, when I wished someone would notice.

There were days, when I wished no one would notice again.

You see, they were just days. And if you tackle each day, one at a time, the next day, you get a different day. So for today, don't give up. Tomorrow will bring a loss, if you do what you are supposed too. I promise. And then,

There were days, when I realized, that I am not dieting anymore. This is totally normal, and I can't imagine eating any other way.

Those are the days my friend. You'll wish they would never end.

GoingGoal~~ Loved the poem/story! Wonderful of you to share that with us as the dreaded weekend begins! Good Luck Today!

NightKatt~~ THank you so much for taking the time to share that recipe that was very thoughtful of you Next time something that doesn't include spinach Reading about how excited you are for your TJ to come, makes me even more excited about getting my excersize room together! CHEER FOR US!

JennyDee25 *rollseyes* another runner, I will fight against your jogging ways!!! hehehehe just kidding, who knows maybe when I lose quite a bit of weight I might try jogging...I'll stick to the FIRM for now...I wouldn't want to scare the neighbors hehehehehe again just kidding, but I can't help but cringe a running! Good Luck Girl with your 20lbs till Christmas!

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Saturday~ House cleaning day! Of what fun! Laundry, dusting, vaccumeing, bathroom cleaning, linens cleaning! And setting up my excersize room!

Story behind the excersize room. Over 2 years ago my mother inlaw was redoing her entire house, so she said we could have her old guest bedroom set, so we could have a place for her to sleep when she came up. 2 years later, she is 'renting" out her house for 2,500 a week (no one is interested) and she needs the bed room set back! And me and her son loaded it on a uhaul and drove it 400miles down to her house, unloaded it and PUT IT BACK TOGETHER!! (I need to breathe,,,,Breathe....) Ok so turning lemons into lemonade I'm turning my EMPTY GUEST BEDROOM!!!!!!!!! into a walk in closet and excersize room! GO me and my positive thinking!!!!

does this fake smile work?

Ok I'm done MIL bashes for now....Loves and Hugs to you all!

Tree

The first week is almost over, and it went well. I'm really proud of me so far, and really grateful to you all. Just reading all your posts keeps me motivated, because you are so determined to make this work.
I lost 6 pounds so far, and although I was planning to make my official weight in and report day on Monday, I couldn't wait....

Anyone else on South Beach in this challenge?

And a couple of things about myself: I live in Salt Lake City, I'm 35 years old, married but no kids so far, and going to school.

Congrat Ivy!!! Nice to here from you. I waiting till monday aswell for the offical week 1 weight loss, but so far 3lbs!!!!! CHEER!

6lbs is AMAZING GOOD JOB! Keep up the great work!

We are all ROCKING!!!



Tree

Thank you Tree...
I feel really good about it, but in the back of my mind I try to prepare for those fluctuations that I know will happen, when the weight will go a couple of pounds up...
I'm so glad I will have you guys to support me when I will need it most...

I guess I still can't believe I'm doing this! I though about losing weight for a long time, I've been depressed about it, got a gym membership that went to waste, etc. But I'm finally doing it!

My goodness goinggoal I so loved your inspirational poem! Thank-You for SHARING

IVY~wow 6 lbs in one week! you rock! I was like that my first weigh in ever on weight watchers...it feels so so so so tremendously good!

Tree~ I do not like to run but the more I'm doing it the more I feel better! I know it works well and I am doing it for the body I want! Awesome cardio and great work for the lower body where I need targetting on...I have a big bum!!!!lol & hips &&&&&& thighs so it will work for me!

keep up the great work everyone!

Princess - your welcome .. Im not a fan of Spinach either ... I dont mind Silverbeet tho. But instead of that you could exchange it for something else I do .. if you have something you can shred (not grate .. they need to be the length of the carrot, like julienne but longer so they are like noodles) carrot, do the same with lettuce, cabbage and cucumber. Also a lovely sauce that we get over here is Sweet Chilli Sauce, I use that instead of mayonnaise or tomato sauce on my foods for extra flavour now rofl.

Sooo ... spaghetti julienned Carrot, Cabbage, Cucumber and Lettuce, heat it through slightly so its a little wilted but still crunchy. crumble in the egg yolk, thinly sliced beef (or other meat) in and toss them together, you could chop a little tomato for some extra colour and maybe use a little lemon/lime juice for zing if you like

I wrote a cook book one Xmas for my family (was making up baskets for everyone of home made things - cookbook, demo cd of my music, truffles, home-made strawberry wine, home-made candles and soaps, bought a few hand towels to line the baskets with too) ... but my speciality has always been desserts rofl ... so I have been on a learning curve trying to remember everything I learnt from Chef in the kitchens I worked in to come up with mains and entrees etc.

Today I am being naugty ... I didnt have breakfast yesterday OR this morning ... its just so hard to eat in the morning rofl .. and this morning I reallllly slept in ... but I make up for it at lunch time and eat a lot happier and dont walk away stuffed as I feel through the week cos I have my breakfast. Its like on the weekends I waver but then through the week Im back on track again and it seems to work out ok still as well

Great news for those that have lost weight this week .. and for keeping on target ... Goinggoal you have posted a wonderful inspirational essay which if its ok with you I would like to print up so that I can stick it up on my fridge?

Huggies all!

I had a not so good week and a not so bad week. The old me would have said I failed. The new me knows better. I'll explain.

I didn't do as well with my calories this week (though I didn't just totally blow it). I wasn't in the range to lose. That's the downside. Did I fail? NOPE! Why do I feel that way you ask? Because I celebrate the NSV (non scale victories). The last 2 days will show that my lifestyle is becoming a habit. It's changing. It's marvelous.

Yesterday I was invited to a last minute party to say goodbye to a friend who is leaving on TUESDAY! That is in a HURRY! WOW! Anyways, I brought some grapes and some bite size brownies (small amount) to this potluck party. In the past I would have grazed and grazed and grazed. This time I fixed 1 plate (and not a heaping full) with a little bit from every food I was interested in but I did not refill and I did not graze. I was busy all night (for 5 hours) talking and enjoying mysef. Thanks to Princess here, I did not stop at even subway. I was full. I just wanted something to munch on. I went home and ate an apple.

Fast forward to today. I waited till 3pm to eat lunch. Not catastrophic if I'm alone, but my son was with me. We stopped at subway. We waited for 15 min. The line was terrible. There was a tour bus. So I went outside and discovered a chinese restuarant next to me. On any other time I would have drove around (I was out of town) to find something else). I didn't. To make matters worse, it was a buffet. I ate a plate (not a heaping one) and part of it was fruit and I didn't go back! The old me would have told myself to get my money's worth with the buffet. The new me knows I'm not hungry and don't need it.

The bottom line is my food choices were not in the losing range, but I maintained and I learned that I can do this for life.

One more quick story. My son offered me his pepperoni treat. The first one I took. The second one I gently asked if I could see the package. I looked at the nutrition comment and in my head I said I will only have 1 serving and I did! (Keep in mind we were hungry). It has become habit to look. I love it! It's not hard!

DeafinlySmart!! That is wonderful that you are making the all important diet to lifestyle change! Thank you for saying I helped you, but you deserve all the props for driving away

Good for you! I can't wait till this doesn't feel like torture, and it isn't always in the front of my mind. If this makes sense I want to feel "normal". Going throughout my life eating healthy and excersizing and not even thinking that I'm deprived or that I hate my life....This might be to much info but I'd also liek to have sex at the drop of a hat like me and my hubby use to, and I'd love to feel SEXY! Ok enough about me, Good Job everyone keep going strong!!!!



Tree

Princess I know what you mean .. that is something I have been thinking about too rofl .. and I know my hunny has! He has even bought me some sexy lingerie which I told him to take back and get a smaller size cos I wouldnt wear it until I could fit into a smaller size so that is what he did .... and then he smiled cos he knows he will get lucky when I wear it .. ROFLMAO

There are definitely some GREAT NSV moments there Def ... what a great thing to realise isnt it??? I know I have caught myself looking at the back of things now too to see what the kj per serving is ... I havent got the nerve to test my will at places like subway or restaurants yet .. but Im sure that is something that will come .. I have never been able to eat much at those buffet places anyway lol .. I always feel terrible thinking that Im not getting my moneys worth but when I was with my partner there he would eat enough to make up for my shortfall rofl ..

Is it just me .. or do you find those NSV moments are better than the scales dropping?? I know its great to loose a pound or 6 ... but that is such a fluctuating thing .. its those NSV moments that seem to hit me more ... like walking on my own one afternoon (I get panic attacks on my own when I go out) .. or going up town with my partner and I didnt have to use my sticks the whole time and we didnt park in the disabled park too!

Yep .. definitely enjoy the NSV moments more than the scale ones lol ..

Worked OT this morning. Came in 3:00 am. It is hard working Sunday morning. My regular job is 7:30- 4:30. The pay is good tho.

I have been great with food, but exercise has been minimal to none. I did cut the grass (push mower) that took me about 1 or more, sweated like a dog. SHu weee.

Hope everyone has an OP day.

(((HUGS)))

Annie

Well, I just had to report in.

I hit 199.5 this morning! I may be reporting prematurely, you know how things can go south in a hurry, but I am so excited. I have not seen a number that starts with a 1 on the scale in about 20 years! Hip Hip Hooray for me!! Woo and a Hoo! Kick ***!

I just started to run and I guess it is paying off.

I am just pumped up!!

NSV would be good except I've been up 2.5lbs in 3 days. 3 days usually means not a flunctuating thing. I'll give a few days of clean living to see if it drops. I keep thinking I'm gonna get my TOM soon cuz I'm due for it. I'm okay though cuz I know I'm in this for the long haul. I know I'm committed. I know I'm learning and I'm loving the journey.