We are a group of people who are working together to lose our excess weight.
We are on different plans and are of different sizes.
We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We recently started a Topic of the Day.

Monday........Motivation Monday
Tuesday.......Tuesday Tips
Wednesday.....Wednesday Weigh ins
Thursday......Thankful Thursday
Friday........Friday Facials, Fingernails and Fun
Saturday.......Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Sunday.........Soup and Salad Sunday - recipes

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We have found them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears...joys and celebrations.

Please feel free to jump right in with us.

Hi everyone! Figures I would drop in just in time to start a new thread! I just can't stay away from all of you. I miss you terribly. This is where I started. I have just gotten too busy to try and keep up with 3 threads so I dropped off the site altogether and that hasn't worked well for me either. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

I'm sorry that I cannot possibly catch up on all I have missed. I hope you will forgive me and just let me come back anyway. I have been waaaaay offfffff prooooogram lately. I am working on getting it back together. Some of you are doing so well, I can't help but think that it will be good to hang around here some.

Welcome to everyone I have not formally met. Congrats to everyone who is doing so well. I will try to get back as often as I can.

"I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by."

Hi everyone!

I'm sooo sorry to have been so absent, I think of you every day.

Things have been so busy, that it's hard to find time to sit down and post.

It looks like we're moving again, which is just what we need right now, but we're left with little choice. So if we weren't busy enough before, now we really are!!!

So I think I'm going to have to become a silent partner. I will try and come in and post, but there's only 6 weeks until the wedding, we're moving in 2 weeks, and then after the wedding we're off on holidays for about 5 weeks! So we'll be back 21st Jan. So I'm going to be very busy, and then away. I think of you guys all the time, and miss coming in here every day, but when we get back I'll have more time!!!

I've stopped WW because I'm too busy, and have to save all our money. I was also only going there to weigh in, and it seemed crazy to spend $16 a week to step on some scales! So I'm just keeping an eye on it at home. I'm not following my program either, but just making sure to try and balance my meals each day. Basically I've decided that the pressure of trying to lose great whopping amounts of weight before the wedding was too much. I'm not going to make any huge changes in that short amount of time, so I decided to be kind on myself and let up on the pressure. I will fully focus on it when we get back, but in the meantime just try and stay healthy and active. I've learnt to accept how I am, so I'm happy to be that way for now, and will change it when we get back. It certainly makes life a little easier that's for sure!

I'm going to be hard pressed to catch up you all individually, so keep it up, be strong and happy, and I look forward to catching up with everyone properly when I get back!!!

I will keep an eye on the posts, but just might not have time to reply. Love to you all, and thanks for being here!

Lynne

PS If any of you want to email me my address is [email protected]

Byyeee!

Just checking in before I head for bed. Although I am not sleepy in any way. I have a messed up sleeping pattern.

Thinthinker.... we are sooooo happy to have you back. WE LOVE YOU TOO !!!!!
I also had to give up two other groups. It is too time consuming trying to keep up with them all. Plus I just like to read a little everywhere now and then too. I have kept us and one other group in a different site. I am closest to all of you. And the other site is much less personal... but very encouraging and informative.
Just jump right back in and don't worry about making up all you missed. I think you should get a new avatar for your new beginning. Although the little devil is cute... I think you should go back to a positive role model. LOL LOL
We are just sooooo happy to have you home again. {{{ HUGS }}}

SYN... Yes the weather here is beautiful !!!! I wish I had the energy to have a garage sale before it turns cold. I have sooo much junk. I think I am just going to donate it and be rid of it at the end of the month if I never find the time for a sale. I want my garage clean again.
Did you make it all day today?? I have eatten those frozen grapes before... but I never had frozen cantalope. I once made the BEST fruit salad with frozen fruit...Mmmmm good. Glad you are posting with us again. Remember... Progress not perfection.

Lynne... you definitely sound busy. You have a lot of pans on the fire. I hope you find time to just say hi now and then. I am a little worried about you .... it is sooo easy to slip back to old ways. You are giving up a lot of stuff that helps keep you focused on a new healthy lifestyle. I know it is probably necessary... but if you find yourself slipping.... GET YOUR BUTT BACK IN HERE. We care very much about you and don't want you back sliding.
Be sure to post some pictures of your wedding. We all want to see them.

Well... today the food wasn't bad... but... I "feel" FAT.
I don't like that feeling. I have to remind myself that feelings are not facts.
That sounds pretty stupid coming from a fat lady. But I think you know what I mean.
I weigh a minimum of 15 lbs less than I was a month ago... and two days ago I almost felt skinny. LOL Now today.. I feel fat.
So .... you can see.... we can't trust our feelings. We know by counting our points or calories, or whatever we count if we are within our program. Don't let our moods influence our food choices. Follow the plan. WE CAN DO IT

This picture kind of represents my feelings about my weight today... am I fat to thin...or thin to fat...LOL.
I think I choose fat to THIN.

Boy, am I having an awareness moment now.

I am REALLY feeling the "need" to weigh myself so I can have that visual confirmation that I am losing weight. I mean I really "NEED" it. LOL
I want to drive to Missouri so I can weigh on the same scale and get that approval I so desperately am desiring.
But ... then I think ... what if the scale doesn't show a loss??? What if I am retaining water because I ate some foods high in sodium???. What if I don't get that reassurance from the scale.???
Does that mean I am now a failure? Does it mean all that "on program" eating was in vain? Does it mean I am now "justified" in cheating?????!!!!!!

Of course not. All that it means is that on this given day, at this given time, possibly for some unknown reason ... the scale doesn't show a loss. It does not mean I didn't deserve a loss ... it only means I didn't get a loss. I certainly have had losses that I didn't deserve before too. I don't complain about those undeserving moments. LOL

Now what if I DO have a loss. Is it going to be BIG enough to make me happy???
What if I only lost one pound and felt like I deserved 3-5lbs ??? Was I cheated?? Since I was cheated ... do I now deserve to cheat? NO.

Okay ... so I lose 3-5 lbs. WOW...that would be great. Now was staying on program worth it??? Of course. ( I can be so shallow..LOL)
BUT.... it is still the same program. Was it not worth it for just a maintain?? What about a gain. It is still the same program???

We can put so much emphasis on what the scale says to give us approval of our efforts.
When it should be emphasis on just following the program no matter what the scale says.
Following the program whether we "feel" like it or not.

I had to be willing to go through a grieving period for my "beloved" favorite foods. What is sooo ironic is.... we can usually still eat most of them.... just in moderation.
M-o-d-e-r-a-t-i-o-n ....such an ugly word when you want it ALL.

Well, ... if you couldn't tell ... it is Weigh-in Wednesday.
Weighing is a wonderful tool to help us record our progress. Just don't fall into the trap of letting it have too much power in your life. If the scale doesn't say what you want to hear today ... just keep following your program and eventually it will.

I didn't get to weigh today. But even if I had.... it doesn't change the way I need to eat on a daily basis. It doesn't determine if I have been good or bad. It doesn't change my need for a more active lifestyle. It only records what you weighed at a given time, on a given day. And that could change in an hour.

Sooooo... decide what program is best for you.... and then follow it to the best of your ability on each given day.... DAILY... no matter what the scale says.

I think I need to find a picture of me on a soap box.
I apologize... I get a little preachy when I start needing to hear stuff for myself.

Hi everyone,

I made it through my sister's birthday dinner last night. Whew. She acted like nothing happened and was very quiet. Which was odd. I confess to going off plan. Today, I ate salad for lunch and fruits. About 8 glasses water so far. I should have weighed myself today, stepped on it yesterday. looks like I lost about 3lbs. Tomorrow, I'll weigh and measure myself. Life's okay right now.

It's so cozy this evening. We had storm clouds move in and it's cool.I love this kind of weather. Almost fool myself into thinking it's Christmas.

Take care,
Malia

In honor of Christmas,

Hey there!

Wanted to pop in and let ya know I didn't fall off the planet, as much as I would have liked to. I have been SUPER MEGA stressed out, tired, and depressed. I'm getting down to the final days in filing a bankruptcy and there is soooo much paperwork and records to dig up, plus my hubby has been testing for the army to fly helicopters and it looks as though he will be joining. I'm pretty scared about that considering the state of the world today. AND both of my kids had the flu this week. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!! My eating had been terrible. I've been back on track the past couple of days though. Sorry I am such a flake about posting, but I may be that way for a while longer until things settle down. One good thing though....even if my DH goes into the military, I know I can always come here. You guys are the friends I won't have to leave behind. If I have a phone line where ever I go, I can be here. Anyhoo, much to do, gotta go.
WB to TT!! 2Cute and prism, I'm glad to hear you guys are doing well. Talk to ya later,
Jen

Good morning everyone!!

I didn't get to post yesterday because I was so busy...and the boss lady was up my rear all day long! I think I will change my name! She was soooo cranky too! When she left and said I will be back I said thanks for the warning!!!

I am having a great week...so far I banked 12, 14 and 15 points for the past three days. WHat the heck is going on here? LOL We are going to dinner with John's dad tonight and his girlfriend...Dick and June....fancy smancy restaurant as usual...and as usual I plan to eat healthy...fish, salad, veggies but I know me...NO SELF CONTROL...I am doing sooo good though and I don't want to undermine all my hard work so just maybe I will behave!!

I didn't get to the gym last night but we did go to the mall and walking the mall with John is like walking with my own personal trainer...the guy walks so darn fast and I can hardly keep up with him! I tried my darnedest though! I was huffing and puffing by the time we finally got back to the car!!

2Cute....you can stay up on the soapbox...we all need to here just what you said. THis isn't a temporary change...this is a permanent change...the way we eat while we are losing is going to be for the most part the way we eat for the rest of our lives if we want to stay slim and healthy. And we do put too much emphasis on the scale...as long as we are eating healthy we shouldn't worry about the scale. Eventually the weight will come off as long as we continue on....I'm glad you are posting here...you are inspiration!!!

Jen...you sure have your hands full these days!! Keep your spirits up and do the best you can during these trying times. I don't know what I would do if John decided he wanted to join the military right now...I would be scared silly! I was raised as a Navy brat but back then things were pretty quiet! Today is so different...glad to see you posting...sometimes just being here helps distract from the crisis we are going through for at least a few minutes!! Keep coming back...we are here for you!

Malia...you did the smart thing getting back on track. Sometimes we just need the deviate from the program and get it out of our system so we don't feel deprived all the time.

Lynne...just keep us in the back of your mind...we will be watching you!! LOL We want you to stay and check in occassionally...we are here for you too!!

Thin glad to see you back here...we need you too! Just keep looking forward...things will work out!! Never look back!!

Well its time to get some work done....I've gotten booted off the internet twice while typing this...that may be a hint huh? Have a great day...I will be checking in as usual so come out and play!!

Michelle K

Thankful Thursday always makes me think of Andria. She always said it was her favorite day to post.
This is hard for me today for some reason. And when you are not thankful...that is a WARNING sign.
I am walking on shakey ground. So I better start thinking of something I am thankful for.

Okay..okay...I got it !!!!! I am thankful for the health and safety of my family. I am thankful for the financial situation I am in. (not rich, but not poor either..I would rather be rich. ) I am thankful for this beautiful weather we are having.

I just realized I did not say my food plan. I had better be thankful for that or I will lose it. One thing I have learned in life is... if you are not thankful for what you have you not only don't enjoy life as much... you chance losing what you have.
Hmmm.. why am I not feeling that thankfulness today for my food plan.??
Maybe because I have been s-t-r-e-t-c-h-ing it to it's limits.
Staying within the plan... but only barely.

Well ladies... I AM thankful for my progress. I just needed to sit for a minute and remember what it USED to be like. My food is MUCH better than what it used to be like.
Oh... I just figured it out !!!! (Writing for me is sometimes like peeling an onion. You remove one layer and there is another. Remove it and there is another. )

Well... I have NOT been doing my swimming this week. That is my problem. I feel "guilty." I am so full of guilt that it leaves little room for gratitude.
SOooooo, I am going to have to get rid of the guilt. (light bulb moment)

First I have to apologize to myself for not taking care of me.
Then I have to "accept" that apology. I have to say to myself...."that is okay"
Next I have to "forgive" myself.
And last but not least I have to "change" my behavoir.
I have to either get myself to the pool today... or do some other physical activity. I need to take care of my body.

Okay... the same applys to my food. Apologize, accept, forgive, change. Gee... I am feeling happier already.

Thanks for listening to me talk to myself. LOL.
Some say it is a sign of "INSANITY"!!!!!! LOL LOL
Well.. I admit it. I am a little insane when it comes to this weight problem. LOL But I am "Thankful" that I am getting better, slowly but surely.

I will respond to everybody later today. I can't wait to read what all of you are thankful for today.
Gee.. I really do feel better.

My thought for today...

Happines is not found from getting everything you want....
Happiness is found from appreciating everything you have."

I don't have perfection.. but I do have progress.

I DID IT !!!!

I got off of this computer this morning and went and put on my swimsuit. I drove over there and was determined to do my swimming.
But once I got there I hit a brick wall. There was a class of "normal" size adults MEN doing physically therapy in the pool. Not only that ... there were more "normal" size adults sitting in the seating area watching them. It stopped me DEAD IN MY TRACKS.

I stood at the door. My hand on the door knob. Do I go in?? Can I do this??? It was soooooooo defeating. I was high and ready to go before I saw them. They were all facing the steps ... all looking at me.

I had a decision to make. Do I swallow my pride and say to h*** with them??? Or..... Do I leave and come back in an hour?? Oh what a dilemma I was in. I knew if I left I wouldn't come back.

Well,... I blocked them out of my mind. Put my towel down and headed down the pool steps ... knowing they were all fixed on me. I kept reinforcing to myself.... " My recovery is more important than what those people are thinking. My recovery is the MOST IMPORTANT thing in my life today. "
I walked down the steps ... swam to the other end of the pool and I never looked at any of them again. I just did my thing. IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE!!!!!!! I still don't know how I did it. I only know that my recovery has become the most important thing in my life today.... thanks to all of you willing to listen to me ramble in here.

Not only did I conquer the worst fear in my life.... I then came home and cooked me "grilled fish" and a plate of green beans for lunch.

Well, friends... I now have a lot to be thankful for today. I have replaced that guilt with humility. I have chosen to embrace humility instead of humiliation. I refuse to be ashamed for trying to improve myself. I am PROUD of my accomplishment today. More important than being proud... I am GRATEFUL !!!!!!!

2cute, that was the sweetest, most honest thing I have read in a long while. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!! I'm blinking back tears as hard and fast as I can right now so they don't spill over. I am just stunned by your bravery and determination.

Thankful Thursday really is my favorite day to post. Sometimes it takes a lot of digging to find something to be thankful for, but by the time the post is written, I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy.

Right now, I'm in such a flux, it is hard to tell if my life is moving forward or dumping itself into the toilet. My husband's job ended very suddenly, but he found another within two days. He is also taking a CNA course right now (he found a job at the care facility teaching the course) so he can begin nursing school. I should be thrilled about this, but it is hard getting past the immediate financial necessities staring me in the face. Things are so tight right now, even the shorter hours for training him are going to hurt a lot. The hours at his last job had been dancing around a bit as well, so his final paycheck isn't going to be pretty. But he has work! I'm thankful he has a job, believe me. Am I sad about the hours they want him to work? You betcha. I miss my husband. I'm tired of parenting on my own most of the week.

My job just passed the 90 day mark, so I receive my pay raise on the next paycheck. This is a good thing! My boss also offered me another 5 hours a week, so I'll be almost full time. I'll even have insurance! Of course, the insurance will cost enough to nullify my raise... I'm trying to not think about this part. I am so thankful to have a good job, working with good people who care about each other.

My knee is improving. I'm starting to have hope of a full recovery. DH contacted a friend who is an orthopaedic specialist and he is seeing me next Tuesday. The doctor knows my insurance hasn't kicked in yet, but he is willing to work with us. I couldn't believe he got me in so fast. This is something to be thankful for! Worrying about the cost isn't going to do me any good. It is necessary.

I think I've only put back on a couple of pounds. I'm extremely thankful for this! Considering the lack of activity and the temptation to stuff my guilt and frustration down with lots of food, I'm thrilled!

I'm going to try really hard starting with dinner tonight to stick to two parts of my program. I'm going to drink two more glasses of water, despite the extra trips to the bathroom (really a consideration on crutches!). I've asked DH to make a nice veggie soup for dinner. Low on fat, low on calories, big on my favorites list. After eating dinner, I'm going to journal my food for the day. Tomorrow I'll work at the same. I would love 24 hours of even that much success.

Enough about me. I've been at the computer an awfully long time now, and it is time to get my knee elevated. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Take care!

Andria

Hi everyone,

I'm truly thankful I watched my eating for a week and ate vegetables every day. I'm thankful for life, family, job, and good friends to talk to like yourselves. The turkey display is up at work. We thought Thanksgiving would be a better holiday to celebrate than Halloween. Although we were the decorations by dressing up.

2cute, you're courageous. Knowing exactly what you need to do and doing it. Gold star for you today. An amazing fact of getting older is I pride myself in walking in any situation and do what I have to do. It took me a long time to get to this point, but it's great to be independent and not dependent on what others think of you.

I'm also thankful for being off from work tomorrow. Although I have to have my teeth cleaned, it's the first break I had since my dad died in the summer. We're going to upcountry (to the dentist office) and smell the sweet fresh air. Life's great.

Keep on moving,
Malia

2cute, hat's off to you

I am thankful for having two loving children, having a roof over my head, and finally coming to terms with my problem with food. I am thankful to the person on another thread (can't remember their name ) who suggested to me that I keep a food diary, it opened my eyes to all things I was eating, and gave me the vital few seconds before eating something to ask myself if I was really hungry, as I didn't want to look back on the day and see that I had written lots of foods high in sugar etc It is really helping me to stay on track.

Will post again later




Brenda

Well here I am again. I am wondering when does this committment to exercise get easier??? I faced the worst obstacle ever yesterday and overcame. You would think that today would be easy. NOT !!!!! It was just as hard to force myself to go today. I procrastinated till the last hour. I FINALLY said to myself... "This is non-negotiable. There are no decisions to make. YOU MUST GO....PERIOD." Who would have thought that President Bush would help in my weight loss journey... LOL This is non-negotiable.
Well.. to make a long story short... I went !!!! And I was the only person there today.

Today is Fun Friday. I am going to the show, then enjoy have the house to myself for a change. My husband is out of town and I don't think I am going to answer the phone all day. Does anyone else ever get tired of pleasing everybody else?? Cook what they like, clean for them, watch their favorite shows? I have always been a people pleaser and today I am pleasing JUST ME. That should be fun for a change.

Hello...its been a busy busy day!

2Cute...gotta say...YOU GO GIRL! I was in the same perdicament a few weeks ago. There were actually people in the pool and people sitting at the pool...with these legs I too stood there with my hand on the door know and nose pressed against the glass saying do I or don't I! LOL...good for you for going...I did too...figured I would probably never see these people again anyway! And you know what...who the heck cares if they want to stare..I start staring back now!! Makes them a little uncomfortable! But hey...what goes around comes around!! As I was reading your post I was laughing and saying to myself...I know she went I know she went!! I am proud of you!!

Well I am off to make the deposits and cash my check..have to pay the sitter today....and I am going to Barnes and NOble to pick up a book for my brother-in-law. He wanted 2 books he couldn't find and I found one at B&N and the other at Borders which I picked up last night...then I am off to Kmart...he likes those flannel pj bottoms with the drawstrings and they sell them there and they are 40% off this week. So, I will go pick him up a couple of those and package them up real nice and that will be his Christmas present. I already have my dads and I wrapped it too! John ordered his dad's gift, we are just waiting for it to arrive. I only have my sister, nephew and mother to do along with John but I think we are going to skip it this year and get our wedding bands instead. Money is lean these days! Ok I babbled enough for now...have a great weekend everyone!

Michelle K