Good morning! Wow, it was tough to get to the gym this morning after the time change, which is probably why it was so deserted. My weekend was spent doing taxes, but I'm not even close to done.

Lily, I want to send you a big this morning. You're handling all the stress in your life so well and not letting it derail your maintenance. Don't sweat the pizza ... your calories for yesterday were perfect. Just think how bad it could have been! You're a strong, tough, and determined woman and you'll survive this nightmare without turning to comfort food.

I watched the TLC show about the supermorbidly obese people yesterday - I Eat 33,000 Calories A Day or something like that. It was heartbreaking. And I kept thinking that was me, to a lesser degree. I really understand the whole food as a drug thing and zoning out while eating. Next time I'm tempted to go off-plan, all I need to do is pull that out and watch it again.

So what's everyone up to this week? Is it spring yet where you are?

Thanks Meg, I feel more in control now after having yesterday back totally on program and exercising. A really weird thing that I have noticed is that I actually to some degree like my body better at 146 than I do at 141. I don't know how 5 lbs. can make that big of difference. But at 141 my stomach is "hangy" and at 146 it isn't. Does that make sense? It's like I can look in the mirror and tell what my wt. is before ever stepping on the scale. I think maybe deep down I rebel when my stomach is "hangy".

Meg, I also could see myself in the people on that show. It was definitely heartbreaking. It made me want to help the 2 women so much. I just wished I could cook for them and teach them how to eat and what a portion looked like and such. I feel so bad for them because I felt like they had no idea how to gain any sense of control. It's like they have no idea that 2 whole wheat pancakes with SF syrup is just as filling or more so than a big bag of cookies and won't skyrocket the blood sugar and leave them hungry an hr. later. Much of what they don't know, I didn't know either.

I saw this show 3 times. My DH couldn't watch it, said it made him sick.

My DH has always been slender and eats whatever he wants. Last night he said "honey, do I look like I've put on a few lbs?" This is so strange coming from him. Yes, he has went up from 175 to 182 and has a little tummy pudge that wasn't there before. I suggested he might want to eat a healthy breakfast instead of his daily huge cinnamon roll with butter that he picks up on his way to work. Or maybe if he'd just start going for walks with me, he'd take off those few extra lbs.

My DH brought up last night the possibility of having SD's kids come live with us until the court battle is over with. I told him that we couldn't do this without a judge's order for temporary custody . Since the DH of the kids isn't in any trouble, I don't think any judge would give them to us. Not to be mean, (maybe a little selfish) I don't want to raise small kids again. I've been there and done that and it's hard enough when they are your own. I do love the kids but feel that at my age and level of health that I can't handle them full-time. Plus I feel if the kids were here, there would be constant fighting of both parents trying to see the kids and this would stress me out even more. Sometimes I just want to run away til this is all over with.

The time change made the morning miserable- that and the incident yesterday morning involving the cat, the alarm clock/radio, and dh's coffee. This morning the radio went on 3 times between 4am and 6am when I actually had to get out of bed. I was NOT a happy camper. The other device that didn't get properly reset was our electronic thermostat, so it was FREEZING when I got out of bed. Dark, freezing...sounds a lot like winter to me! DS barely made the bus, and I scooted out the door a few minutes later with a huge spillproof mug of coffee. I may need another to get through the rest of the day.

Lily, you absolutely shouldn't feel guilty about not wanting to raise your SD's children! From the sounds of it, their father is capable and wants them. Feel good about what you have done for them, and continue to maintain ties as Grandma, but you know the limits of your health and sanity.

I haven't watched the TLC show. I need to see if it's on again and record it, although I'm not sure I want to watch...I understand the zoning out with food sensation all too well.

On plan and back to real workouts this week. Did legs this morning- more conservatively than last week so I don't kill myself again!

Mel

The time change didn't do too much for us--DH and I managed to change all the clocks in the house before ten o'clock! I did a lot of shopping in the morning and was amazed at how vacant Costco was--not a normal thing here. Even the grocery store and Trader Joe's were less busy than normal--but the traffic was worse. I wonder where everyone was going. This morning, it was darker but the only one who had a problem getting out of bed was our black lab, Chico! Poor baby--he usually watches me get ready in the morning. Not today! He went back to bed with DH.

Lily~I hear you about not wanting to raise SD's children. I wouldn't want the burden either. Don't think you are being selfish. I don't think you are. Besides, their father is fully capable.

Mel~I didn't read your other post, so I'll have to go back and look for it. Sounds like these time changes really throw you for a loop.

Meg~DH and I watched that show last week. All DH could say was "where do they get the money for all that food?" I kept thinking that the families were enablers.

Meg-Ah, taxes, mine are still hanging half done.

Lily-Just remain a good grandma. Their dad will do fine and you will be able to stay out of the tug of war. What a nightmare.

Mel-All my kids were grumpy this morning. Stupid time change.

I haven't seen the TLC show but dd and I watched a CNN show yesterday about binge eating, obese children, anorexia, etc. It was heart breaking. Even 14yo dd was a little teary eyed for these people. She actually said thanks for making sure we have healthy stuff at our house. I'll savor that small moment of progress the next time she tells me a milkshake is a perfectly acceptable dinner.

Morning all! Time change didn't seem to bother us, thank goodness, though I keep finding clocks that aren't changed! I did remember to change the ones on our programmable thermostats so I wasn't freezing like Mel.

Spring break is this week here, so I'm hoping we have a quiet week at the library, esp as several of the staff are off all or part of the week.

Lily - Oh gosh, stand strong that you're not going to raise your grandchildren! Sounds like their dad is willing and capable. I feel badly about your SD. Hope she sees the light soon! (One of my employees ended up raising 2 grandkids when their parents died. The younger one is graduating this year. So last month, she ended up with custody of her son's 8 year old since his mom is an alcoholic and the dad just finished rehab. The state (rightly) feels that grandma is a better option! At least he's legally in state custody and she gets some financial help - but talk about starting over yet again!)

Lisa - a milkshake is not an acceptable dinner??? I spent my high school years having tomato soup for breakfast. Oh, and OJ. My mom would come into my room with a big glass of cold OJ and wake me up and put it in my hand. No way can you go back to sleep that way.

I got about 80% of our taxes done this weekend. We will, as I knew, have to pay a bunch. Sigh. And the lovely government makes you make your first estimated payment on the same day. Grrrrr.

Eating was pretty good for the weekend, lots of fruit and veggies. I made a pot of lentil soup on Sat which should serve us for lunches most of the week. My plan is to walk with a co-worker at lunch (at the indoor track of the ice arena) and then do some HIIT on the gym treadmill after work.

I'm still only weighing at the gym.

I learned of 3FC 2 weeks ago and have been posting over on the Featherweights with Allison because I still have a pound to go. (I could lose 5 more to get rid of saddlebags, but I'm just going to let it happen if it does)

So I've been lurking on the Maintenance board trying to pick up tips for how to maintain my healthy weight now that I've nearly reached it.

It took me 4 years on one medicine to gain 50 lbs and 14 months on a new medicine to lose the 50 lbs. These two are anti-psychotics to minimize the visions and voices I have from a form of bipolar disorder. Through medication, I am able to lead a very stable and productive life. So, while the new one has truly been a 'magic pill' for me, I wouldn't recommend having the illness that requires it!

The first medicine made me constantly hungry and carve carbs and sweets the second med drastically reduced my appetite and made me prefer vegetables and makes sweets taste wrong. The weight came of on its own.

Yesterday, I read through Meg's wonderful post "Some Answers About Genes, Environment, Obesity and Maintenance" and found it very interesting.

I know from my own exeprience with these two drugs that brain chemistry also plays a roll in appetite and cravings. My doctor tells me that not only have my hunger pains changed, but my metabolism rate has increased (or at least returned to a normal level after being suppressed on the old med). I have written to Pfizer and told them about the wonderful 'side effect' I've experience.

It would be great if they could isolate the component of the drug that has changed my appetite and metabolism so that they could help obese become 'reduced obese'. That might solve the 15-20% inefficiency that 'reduced obese' people have in regards to calories and exercise. (Please see Meg's excellent post that explains what I'm referencing.)

Now I've finally added exercising to my healthy eating lifestyle with the plan of getting stronger and toning up my muscles. I've been very fortunate not to have a problem with excess skin from the large weight gain I had. Again, thanks to Meg and all the courageous people who have explained in detail about excess skin and the surgical realities of removing it.

My question to all of you as a newbie to this particular forum, is what have been your 'secrets', techniques, tips, or what ever you want to call it to keeping the weight off?

Hey everyone! Just wanted to pop in to say hello. I've strayed from my posting habit again. This usually means I'm way off track and have gained 10 lbs. But, this time (thankfully), I'm still in my maintenance range. Shocker, I know! Attending my free Lifetime Weight Watchers meetings every Saturday has really helped me stay focused.

I'm approaching my 40th birthday and have decided to go big on the celebration. Not celebrating, I guess... I just wanted to make this year super special. I'm going to do the Susan G. Komen 3-day walk (60 miles!) in November. My MIL died of breast cancer one month before my youngest was born so it's a cause that's very close to my heart.

Meg... my taxes are done. I've just been putting off the painful part - writing those checks.

I was heavy because I ate too much of the wrong foods and didn't exercise. To lose weight, I started eating nutritionally powerful foods (lean protein, low fat dairy, complex carbs, fruits, vegetables and healthy fat) and severely restricted nutritionally vacant foods (packaged baked goods, fried foods, booze, sugary foods, sugary soda). To keep the weight off, I do exactly what I did to lose weight - I just allow myself more calories every day. The extra calories are made up of the same healthy foods I eat every day.

My tips:

1. Plan healthy meals, it's hard to eat healthy by accident.
2. Pack lunches
3. Stay accountable - I still food journal and weigh once a week. I still count calories, but it's more of a ballpark estimate these days.
4. Plan as much as possible, but forgive myself if I occasionally eat off plan. Life is messy and complicated and offplan eating will happen. Just get right back on track with the next meal! (no restricting to "make up" for it).
5. Find healthy foods I love to eat. I don't miss apple danishes so much when I get to eat great stuff like fresh raspberries and whole grain toast with natural peanut butter.

Hi everyone! This week promises to be super-busy at work (I already worked half an hour of OT today and have been told I will have to work multiple hours of OT over the next two days -- too bad I'm salaried and not hourly!).

I am in quite a state as a result of that and the stress of house hunting. We found some pretty nice places when we went yesterday with our realtor but nothing perfect. House #1 felt the most "homey" and had a nice exterior (brick bottom all the way around, brand new Hardi-plan siding on top). It also had really nice doors and doorframes and such inside, plus new floors, carpets, and paint, and lots of natural light. OTOH it's a bit small (1900 sq ft), the third bedroom is 10'x10' (by the decor we know the previous tenant used it as a nursery, which is about all you can fit in it), and there is no basement, and I could probably never convert the kitchen to use a gas range/oven. And there is no bathtub in the master bath.

House #2 looked totally run-down. Oh well!

House #3 was nice and spacious inside (2200 sq ft), with a nice floorplan and larger bedrooms. It had a large basement as well, and a landscaped yard including a very nice deck. Also a nice big tub in the master bath and walk-in closets! Plus lots of counter space in the kitchen. OTOH it just had its defective original wood siding replaced with even more defective vinyl siding (the ad says "new siding!" but it is already falling off), so we would be out about $20,000 to replace the siding with Hardi-Plank. It is also only brick on the front, and one side of the house has only two windows. Also there might be a crack in the foundation, and the neighboring house has three dogs that barked like crazy when we went out in the backyard.

We looked at a whole bunch more houses, including some new construction (we're not really into the new construction though) and one community that had the perfect kitchen. OMG. Gas range, double gas oven, huge amounts of counter space, gorgeous cabinets. But their prices for new homes start just at the top of our budget and only have two bedrooms, a teensy yard, and are basically designed more for empty-nesters than for young families.

Anyway houses 1 and 3 are our top contenders so far. They are both in the same neighborhood, which appears to be full of young families with children and dogs (which is what we hope to be in a few years). It's right next to a walking/jogging/bike trail and a 25-minute walk from the area's little "downtown." Plus it's only a couple minutes walk to the supermarket or the post office from there too.

I made Cooking Light's "lemon-scented blueberry cupcakes" for a bake sale at work today. I will admit to eating two last night, plus another one a few minutes ago from the leftovers. I'm trying to stop myself from devouring all six that are left. They were ok, not as great as I was hoping. Anyway maybe this is why despite all my calorie counting I am not losing weight. :P I'm really frustrated with myself. I feel like I'm sabotaging myself every weekend and undoing the good I do during the week. It's hard because I had a cheat meal on the weekends when I was losing the first time too, so I can't bring myself to give it up, but nowadays I am eating 1600-1900 calories on weekdays instead of 1300-1500 like I was then. I've tried to cut more but I just get hungry. I can't wait until it is summer and I only want to eat salads.

Sorry for the "me me me!" post! I am so out of it right now all I can think about is the cupcakes sitting next to me. I'm ready to go home from work, but of course as soon as I was ready to go my fiance got called back to do some OT work to fix something and we carpool so I'm stuck here. Somehow I get the feeling we won't make it to the gym tonight since it's so late. At least we have FitTV though!

Jessica~don't fret too much about the muffins--they were from Cooking Light after all! Just get back with the program now and FORGET about the remaining 6 muffins!!!

Lucky you--house hunting. #1 sounds very nice to me. Kind of like my first house (although it was 1800 sq. ft. on two levels). My next home was closer to 1500 sq. ft. with 3 beds and 2 baths. The kitchen was TEENY but workable--we lived there 11 years and all that with raising 2 kids and 2 large dogs. Remember that you probably won't find THE perfect house, but if you can get one that has the most for your buck, you'll do just fine. You can always add what it doesn't have in a few years. And if there are some major things wrong, skip it (liked #2 and #3). After putting money down and all the hassle of going through escrow, the last thing you'll want to do is spend more money to fix a problem with it.

Man, oh man.
I wrote in this forum on Saturday night about an overindulgence in maple sugar coated mixed nuts that I brought to a party I went to that evening. Well, it seems that the episode triggered more overindulgence yesterday. Some of you may remember my "Battle with Peanut Butter" thread in the support section in October. It's been 4 or 5 months since I ate peanut butter from the jar (despite the fact that I eat it in moderation daily for lunch) -- a result of pledging on that forum that I was going to give up the habit of jar eating. Well, after the nut episode on Sat night, I ended up eating PB straight from the jar on Sunday. It seems that I need to renew my pledge...the effects must have worn off after the last few months.

So...here and now, I pledge to all of you that I WILL NO LONGER EAT PB STRAIGHT FROM THE JAR! I AM GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.

I'm catching this earlier than I did last time, so I think it will be easier to overcome before it turns from an episode into a habit. The pledge thing worked amazingly last time.

I PLEDGE THIS TO YOU ALL!

Oh God -- I also eat peanut butter straight from the jar -- when I let myself get too hungry. I'm glad I'm not the only one, but I am going to try your pledge too -- NO PB OUT OF THE JAR, EVER. I pledge to limit myself to one serving and to eat it on a piece of bread, fruit or in some other measured and moderate way. It's very satisfying... I don't need more than a tablespoon!

Holly

clvquilts, welcome to the forum. As for advice, I'll refrain right now as I'm a fairly new maintainer and am struggling quite a bit.

Jessica, that first house sounds really nice.

Thanks everyone for the support on the SD situation. I find out more each day about her situation and it is truly sad. As for me, I told DH I'm unwilling and unable to take over custody of his grandkids. He was sad, but he agreed. They need to be with their mom or dad, not grandparents. DH's mother is the one trying to get me and DH to fight for custody. She just can't accept the fact that this wouldn't be in the children's best interest. I'm 47 this month and no way do I want to have to raise a 2 1/2 yr. old and 8 month old. It's just not going to happen. Plus SD looks at least 5 or 6 months pregnant right now, although she is still denying it.

Tara, I'm having to rethink my PB usage too. My TBSP has taken to over-flowing.

karynlee, that 60 mile walk sounds great. I'd like to do something like that. I can't do a lot of other exercise, but I'm pretty adept at walking now.

Lily, good for you for standing up for yourself. I don't have kids, but I know that they're not something you take on unless you feel like you have the time and energy. The kids are their parents' responsibility. You can love them as a grandparent, but the parents should get their lives on track so that their kids are well taken care of. You hear so many stories of grandparents raising kids these days, and in some cases having that safety net enables the parents to not take care of their responsibilities to their kids. I wish you the best in this situation, no matter how it turns out in the end.