W E L C O M E ! wave:

We are a friendly group doing our best to lose weight the Weight Watchers way. We all stop by to chat and provide encouragement for each other during this long journey. You'll find hints on food, exercise and point-friendly recipes, right here. Feel free to join in !!

WHEW! This was my first attempt at starting a brand new thread. Too bad I forgot the first : on my waving smiley . Oh well, live and learn to proof read.

So far so good this weekend. ate at the high end of my range yesterday so today I'm shooting for the lowest end (28 pts). I'll really have to keep busy and out of the kitchen between lunch and dinner.

It's a lovely day here in central NY. Think I'll take a walk later.

Have a superb OP day ladies.

ttys

It's been a tough weekend for me so far. They always do me in. I am trying to be better today. When I came home from work on friday I stopped at the gym, unfortunately they have been remodeling for the last several months. Well, on friday the cardio machines were closed until today I think. So, I didn't get to the gym yet this weekend. I am off tomorrow so I am going to try and go then. Today I want to go through some recipes and food menus to figure out what I want to eat this week. Maybe I will find some good ideas.

Glad to hear that the plateaus are being broken. Also glad to see new faces joining us.
Have a good day!!

Melissa

Today I'm trying to make up for my Chinese food binge last night. I have a pot of Turkey Chile on the stove for dinner. I want to eat below my points for a few days to try to get back on track.
Wish I could summon up some inspiration to exercise. Need a boot in the backside I guess.
Why do I always have big plans at night but they fizzle away in the light of day? I'm filled with admiration for you Chicks who are moving into fat burning mode.
Have a nice Sunday evening.
LindaBC

Well, I woke up this morning and decided that if I didn't just drag my family out and into the mountains, we'd never get back to hiking! Sooooo... we did a 5.6 mile trail which leads up and around Richland Mountain near the Sugarlands entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Totally kicked my butt -- but we all made it! According to the WW site, my three hours of hiking equals 23 points earned (though, the rules I think say only 4 of 'em count towards todays food).

I'm really tired now, so I'm gonna go take a rest and watch the Simpson's while knitting or something equally non-taxing.

I was off today because of the holiday, but I have been good so far, point wise. I also made it to the gym which I really needed to do. After that I went grocery shopping and got some good snacks for this coming week. Hopefully I can get my butt back into gear. I am planning on going back to my kickboxing class again tomorrow. Last week it killed me, butI modified it and stuck with it for the hour. The next day I said to myself that I wanted to go back this week. I have a meeting at work, but hopefully I will get there in time for the class. I hope everyone had a great weekend and that they have a good day.

Bunny - sounds like you had a nice time. Good for you, you deserved it.

Melissa

Hi everyone- I am just dropping in for some help and inspiration, and there is plenty here...!! I weigh in tonight so I am hoping to be back down to pre holiday levels. I have been pretty much op although I did lose it last night and have 3 unsceduled pancakes at 2 pts each, so I went over by about 6points for the day. I am making it up today easily though. Interestingly, yesterday I skipped lunch (too busy) and that was what messed up supper as I was so hungry I ate and ate and ate. silly me.
I have been walking this week, so that is really good. I also found a photo of myself at about my lowest ever weight ( around 140lbs, maybe 135), and that was quite inspiring. I was young at the time (15 years ago). I think I could be there again by easter 2003 which is a very exciting thought. Although not young again of course - I will have to remember that.... . I wonder what I will wear when I am thinner? I know how to dress a big (short) body well, but a small body? I cant remember the last time I wore a skirt...what shoes do you wear with a skirt???!! This is all so very complicated.
The study is now nearly finished in its new theme.......'heaven'!! I have white walls, pink shelves, a blue ceiling and a white desk. I have bought a white and gold floaty paper lampshade (completely inpractical - it only takes a max 25watt bulb), and I have bought a load of white organisers for all my paperwork and stationary and so on. I am having someone round to measure for curtains in the week. Not sure whether I will go for floaty curtains....I might just go for a blind. It is a lovely room now! And the insurers have agreed to send me a check for the computer, so I am hoping that I will go shopping for a new pc this weekend! Then I can get back in to the flow of talking to you all every day.
Right - I need to make some soup and some bread before going out, and I also have a tricky work thing to sort out and need to do some research on the internet, so bysey bye for now to all and good luck and happy healthy eating.
love, Lilac

Hi all,

I tried WW123 about 14 months ago on my own, went way off track when I had to take the prescription drug Prednisone for a while (it made me RAVENOUS), and never really went back OP. To make a long story short, much has changed since then (new city, new life plan, etc etc), and I finally feel ready to start again, this time including going to meetings.

I had my first weigh-in last night and was a little dissappointed at "only" losing 1 pound, since that first week is often a big one. Still, I know I'm retaining water in preparation for my FAVORITE time of the month, and I also know I stayed OP all week, so I'm not getting too discouraged!

One of the first things I did when I started going to WW last week, was to log back on here. It was such a wealth of support last time (although not enough for me without the meetings, too). I've been lurking for several days and finally decided today that I should jump in somewhere. This thread appeals a great deal to me because you guys are so real and fun! The one thing that used to bother me about the boards here at 3FC was an underlying witchiness that would creep up here and there from some people. Sure, it keeps things spicy sometimes, but that kind of stuff can really lead to people not being comfortable to post. I've only seen a very few of those kinds of posts in my week-long lurk fest, and none with you guys, so I'm hoping you won't mind my babblings in the future.

The "skinny" (HA) on me is that I'm currently at my all time highest weight (303 including that GIGANTIC pound I lost this week), and I'm really ready to do this. I started working in medical billing for a cardiologist office, and that was a true wake-up call. There are so many people with awful heart conditions who will die from them eventually, and the overwhelming point they have in common is, of course, being overweight. I also found out that at my current weight, if I did have a heart problem, most cardiologists wouldn't operate if it was needed. That's scary! Not that I'm all gung-ho for open heart surgery, but you get the point. Enough's enough. I like me better all ready, what with the journalling and doing something healthy for myself.

Anyway, I think if you're still reading, it's a miracle, so I'll sthu now! Next time, if anyone's interested, I'll tell the tale of the HORRIBLE REFRIED BEAN EXPERIENCE. It's highly dramatic.

You guys are a true inspiration! (I love these new crazy smiley heads)

- Sarah

A big, warm welcome to our newest member, Sarah.
We have something in common, Sarah. I also started at just over 300 lb. That was last June and, while my progress has been excrutiatinly SLOW I try not to get discouraged because I'm older and slower than I was in the days when I could drop 20 lb in a couple of weeks. (Honest, I did that many moons ago. Bet some of you did too)
You've also got me exceedingly curious about the refried beans. If it's anything at all like my recent Great Chile Blow-out, I think I have a clue what you're talking about. Honestly, I've been eating turkey & bean Chile for three days now and at the swimming pool I learned what it was like to be jet propelled.

I have to confess that my Chinese food binge on Saturday night has translated into three days of intense carbo cravings. That stuff is disaster to staying OP. Yesterday, instead of having a healthy snack before dinner of yogurt and fruit, I found a box of Wheat Thins and ate half the box with light cream cheese and salsa. Must have been about 40 points worth there. So far today I've managed to stay on track. I'd sure hate to gain back all my Xmas pounds again.
Lilac, what a wonderful treat to look forward to. A new Easter outfit with stylish strappy sandals! Get something really sexy, girl. Show off that new bod! BTW, your new study sounds truly divine. Enjoy.

Bunny, good for you for doing the hiking thing. Now, come and kick MY butt.

Melissa, I can't imagine ever doing the Chuck Norris thing myself but congratulations to you on your determination. I'm still procrastinating about exercise. I managed to drag my tired old body to the pool yesterday and worked pretty hard for 45 min. Then, I did a couple of minutes on my aero-glider at home but it makes me HURT. Don't like to hurt.

Today I've been cleaning out my curio display cabinet. The hardest part is getting out the three glass shelves and then replacing them after they've been polished up. Man, I nearly dropped them! Now I have all my crystal and David Winters cottages waiting to be put back. This is a job I should have done before Christmas but put it off until too late. Now I have three new lovely pieces of crystal to display and was too ashamed to put them into that dusty cabinet.
Have a nice Tuesday.
LindaBC

Linda, I am also having some glass shelves made for my house. Ihave an alcove in the dining room with halogen downlighting in so I thought I would get some glass shelves and display my glass stuff. I dont have much glass, although I picked up a beautiful blue vase in Tunisia a few years ago, and I have a lovely alabasta bowl as well. I am hoping to get some nice chrystal glasses one day (my spelling is all over the place today - sorry about that!)
Welcome to you Sarah. I know it can be discouraging to lose less in a week than you think you deserve. I only lost a half a pound this week, which was not as much as I had hoped. but at least it is the right direction, and that is what counts.
I have the morning to myself. It is cold and overcast. I dont much feel like going to the park or anything, so I am just going to potter around the house, getting my new room straight and generally moving things along. This afternoon I have clients to see and then this evening it is college (until 10.15 which is a bit much really, but that is the committment.....).
What to eat today? I had special k with red berries for breakfast with a splash of soya milk. (2.5pts) and if I can be bothered I will make a pot of soup for lunch, and then I could have it tomorrow as well. I have some shop bought potatoe gnocci (eek my spelling is bananas today) for tea, but I am not sure of the points of it yet - probably around 10 for the portion I want with the sauce I want. That leaves me quite a lot of points. I might make a plum crumble with those aging plums in the fruit bowl......lots of points but lots of credit with the consumers...... and I can make myself a small one which I point up.
Love to everyone
Lilac

I'm still dyin' after our walk earlier this week; we definitely overdid it.

Melissa -- you make me wanna take up kickboxing.

Lilac -- I can't wait for your new computer to be at your home so we'll hear from you more often!!!

Sarah -- No fair teasing. Tell all about the refried bean incident.

Linda -- I'd kick your butt, but I can't even lift my leg. I'm hoping to be back to normal and ready to hike on Friday again.

Now I have to go continue to prepare for the free listing day on Yahoo!Auctions tomorrow.

Night, ladies!

Thanks for the warm welcome! It's been a hard day, points-wise and it was great to read your posts.

I only have a second, but it's enough to explain the horrible refried beans incident...

First, a short bit of background. I just moved to Michigan from Chicago with my boyfriend. We both quit our good jobs there so we could go to school fulltime here. This semester we're actually living with his parents while we save up money for the Fall, and taking courses at the local community college. So, in a nutshell, we decided to voluntarily become poor so I can finally finish my degree in Education (I'm 26 now). It was just too expensive in Chicago to take classes during the day, and you have to do that with my major...

Anyway, it all started last Wednesday morning, when I mentioned to my boyfriend's mom that refried beans are a great points value and it would be wonderful to make some bean burritos for lunch that day. She said "OO good! You can finish up those refried beans I have in the fridge." And I said "Hmm, when did we eat refried beans last?" We'd only been there a few weeks, but I didn't remember eating any in that time period... And she says "Oh, I made something with them last week." And it sounded kind of vague to me, but I decided to just believe her. Maybe I just wasn't there when these mysterious beans were eaten. So, I made the aforementioned burritos and took them to work.

Lunch time rolled around, and I heated up the burritos. I personally thought they smelled sort of weird, but decided they were probably fine. The also tasted kind of funny. But, I was really freaking hungry by then, and I finished them off. I won't go into vivid details, but they had a strange odor even after the fact, if you know what beans do to a person.

Anyway, an hour goes by and I'm suddenly overcome by a horrible, gut-wrenching stomach cramp, and my mouth fills up with the unmistakable taste of knowing what's gone in is soon to come out. Very soon. So, in a nutshell, I was violently ill for about a half hour, and decided these beans were obviously no longer good when I ate them. This should have been obvious before, but well, you know. I was REALLY HUNGRY.

It gets worse. Later, I mention (ever so politely) to my boyfriend's mom that she nearly killed me, what with her noxious beans and all, and she's like "Oh, well maybe they tasted weird because of the sausage." And I'm like "WHAT SAUSAGE??" She says "Um, these were refried beans with sausage. They're from Old El Paso." So, at that point I realize the beans were not only food-poisoned but probably filled with points!! Sure enough, I tracked down a label and they have like THIRTEEN grams of fat and 200 calories per HALF CUP. I had an entire cup. I guess it's a good thing they were rotten?? I just don't know even know. Finally, I called it six points (since most of them left the building, so to speak) and sulked for a while. Best solution I could come up with, hehe.

So, there's the story of the refried beans incident. It wasn't pretty, but it's um, a story... My stories are always weird. Maybe this is why I can't find real life friends!

WHEW! Finally got off that plateau. Weighed in yesterday and was DOWN 4 LBS!!!

What a relief. I was really getting worried there for a while. Even tho I was journaling, exercising and drinking my water nothing was happening. Phew! I'm so glad I was able to stick this out and not "depression-binge" myself into a BIG problem. Having this great group to talk too has helped me sooo much mentally I can't believe it. YOU LADIES ARE GRRRREAT!

WELCOME SARAH: As you can see I started out at over 300 lbs. too. I've been lucky to have lost very well the first few months. It was great incentive to remain on program (OP) as I saw a lot of success quickly. Since December it's been slow but as you can see the weight is still coming off. Remember: YOU CAN DO THIS. Just take it day by day, meal by meal. I haven't even set any kind of big goal yet. I shoot for 5 or 10lbs. or maybe a weght that I cn remember feeling good at. Then when I get there set a new goal. The frequent small successes help me stay with it.
OMG your refried bean story made me laugh (at your expense of course.) You've gotta watch that stuff in the fridge. It will get you every time. BTW, Does your boyfriend's Mom LIKE you? To be truthful I have a friend who keeps things too long then has these clean up days. Her family all tries to be away for dinner on that day but, ever economic, Pru actually eats stuff with
green on it AND she doesn't get sick. (Amazing!)
Glad you've joined us. Come ack often!


HI LINDA: WHOA, That Chinese sounds great. It'll get you every time tho, and you said you get "the carbs" for days afterwards. Wow! Sounds like you'll have to map out your whole week before you do the Chinese thing again.

MELISSA: Good for you for getting back to the gym. I really envy you doing kickboxing. I think that if I tried it right now they'd be carrying me out on a stretcher. Hang in here.

HI LILAC: How'd your WI go? You are really getting good at managing your points. I'm impressed. Your Easter 2003 goal is a great idea.
Your study sounds lovely. Wish I could see it. What a good idea to make a small crumble just for you, while the rest of the house can thank you for such a nice dessert for them.
I'm amazed at how you manage school, work, redecorating, exercise and cooking. You're our official whirlwind!


BUNNY YOU ARE HOPPING! Really, Jen, you've been out there hiking and in the gym. You must be making muscle there gal! Bet you've been typing your fingers off with all those auction items.

OK, I think I've caught up with the most recent posts Going to get lunch then clean the family room and kennel area. Then I'll be pooped (literally and figuratively!). Stay OP and have a healthy day.

Hi all,
I'm new to this group,but I hope I can find new encouragement in here. after the holidays and missing 3 meetings I actually lost 2 1/2 lbs. I was satisfied,but the next week I stayed OP and gained 2 back, this week I only lost 1/2 lb. I guess I'm used to bigger numbers. I did go shopping and decided to buy pants(elastic waist) that I could shrink into...I started 13 months ago as a 26/28, I just wanted to see if I was close so I tried the new pants on....they fit and they were 18/20's . I am shocked. Maybe I'm loosing inches faster than pounds right now...what do you think?

starting weight: 344-currant 282-goal 200 and beyond...
Sue

Well, the good news is that I maintained this week! LOL! I actually am pleased 'cause after our hike we were soooo slug-like that its not even funny. Ah, well. Next week: exercise city!

Sarah -- omigod!! Bwahahaha! This is why I never eat anything that even sorta looks leftover from someone else's refrigerator. I have enough problems with my own cooking makin' me sick without adding to the issue!

J-Ann -- CONGRATS on leaving your plateau!

Sue -- Glad to have ya here. I can tell you my own experience is that I'm typically "slimming" even when I'm not losing pounds. Indeed, I've lost very few pounds in the last two months but I've definitely lost an entire clothing size anyway! Bravo on you fittin' into your new slimmer pants!!

Tomorrow is a walking-shopping day for us. We'll be in South Carolina in the morning and then back in NC for the afternoon. Leaving the kids at home 'cause I need some alone time with the hubster, ya know?

Hope your weekend is great!!