Looking for "COUNTDOWN TO 250 AND BEYOND" ? Well you've found it.

Drum roll please ..... WELCOME TO "IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN". It's our new name but the same group of losers (In the very best sense of the word).

We're still the same bunch of folks who started with more than 100 lbs to lose and are doing our best to attain healthy bodies through weight loss and exercise.

Most of us are using Weight Watchers to help us along this road but we welcome anyone who is trying to successfully change to a healthy lifestyle.

Got a lot to lose? Pull up your keyboard and join us for fun, support,advice and just plain talk. We love to "see" new faces so jump right in.

j-ann

Hi Ladies,

Just wanted to start the 1st thread under our new name. (And I was so excited I forgot to date it or number it!)

I'm still OP and doing great.

Gotta get to work. I'll catch up later.

WELCOME TO IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN #1

Love the new name.

Thanks for starting the new thread J-Ann. Very catchy intro too!

I'll start the "Long Run Challenge" thread tonight. Anyone is welcome to join me. I'll be doing a weekly thread even if its just for myself. I will also be starting them on Friday's because the weekend is where I lose all my focus and need the most help.

I've been thinking about the thread name and that it is the long run as this journey will be lifelong. I've changed my numbers to reflect when I first joined this website and started making the effort to focus on WW. Its been a two year effort to have lost 18 lbs but at least I'm on the down side of my highest.

I've running late for work so I better get going. Have a great OP day!

Morning, ladies!

Yesterday - after a long, long hiaitus - we returned to hiking!



Yea!!! I'm not even sore today - which is great 'cause that means more hiking today. The kids are in NYC visiting their aunt and uncle so we're on our own - no kids to complain because they hate the heat, or the hiking, or why can't we sit, or why aren't we there yet, or why isn't there a waterfall, or what have you...

I'll look for the challenge thread. My challenge this week is to walk more.

I'm still here ... completed my first week on Herbalife and lost NINE POUNDS!!!! I walked 30-45 minutes 6X this week and feel good .

I'm looking forward to another great week -- talk atcha later!
Donna

Hi, Long Haulers. Love the new name.

I should introduce myself, since I haven't posted with you all before.

I live in Michigan, currently work as a freelance writer, have a wonderful DH and two fur-babies (cats).

I started WW a little more than four years ago (which is another reason why I love the name of this group! talk about a long haul). I weighed 274, my all-time highest. I basically got tired of being tired. I was only in my 30s, but I got tired walking up steps, could barely walk around the block. My knees hurt; my hips hurt; my feet hurt. I had no energy. I felt like an old lady before my time.

I had tried diets in the past, even lost lots of weight on them. I once lost 100 pounds within a year on the horrible Diet Center plan. (Now, THERE'S a restrictive diet!) But I gained it all back plus more, as usual.

I noticed something, though -- I gained it back gradually, over a period of about 12 years. I gained at a rate of about a pound a month. That doesn't sound like much -- but it added up to well over a hundred pounds! Just by eating a little bit too much every day -- about the equivalent of an extra banana a day.

So it occurred to me that maybe that was the way to take it off, too -- by making small lifestyle changes that I could live with forever, rather than big dramatic changes that I couldn't sustain. I decided I would never diet again, by which I meant that I would never follow a plan I couldn't stick to FOREVER. That meant I had to make peace with all foods, learn to eat everything in moderation. No "forbidden" foods this time.

Finding the WW 1-2-3 program was a Godsend. That was exactly what I was looking for. Over the past four years I've gradually lost weight, had some gains, caught the gains and turned them around, lost some more. About a year and a half ago, I incorporated exercise into my life.

Today I'm 91 pounds down from where I started. That's an average of just 20 pounds per year, but it's staying off. I'm thrilled. My knees, hips, and feet don't hurt, and I have so much more energy. I've gone from a size 30 to a size 16 (misses) jeans. I fit into restaurant booths and airplane seats! Those of you who started with lots to lose know how that feels.

Looking forward to getting to know you all better, too.

Oh, I post regularly over in the Turtle Club and have done so for years. That's another group of people who believe in being in this for the long haul. You'll find us under "Other Clubs and Groups" in the WW section of 3FC.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/183/179 by Labor Day

Hey gang,

Okay, the first challenge is officially underway - check out the new thread. I'm still very OP - actually have 15 banked points.

Lauren - welcome to the group. I've actually lurked over on the Buncha Loser's thread so I've been following your journey down the scale. You're an inspiration to keep at it no matter how slow.

Bunny - Love the photo. Good for you for getting back into hiking. I can't hardly wait to get the dog walking again. I feel naked without him! Enjoy your time "kidless"

I better get on the spinner so I can get a few points of exercise time in before dinner. Have a great Friday night!

Mornin Ladies,

It's a beautiful morning here in central N.Y. I offered to take a friend to the airport this morning so I have to skip my aquajogging class. I guess I'll have to go for a walk instead.

So far the week's been good for me. Stll OP. This weekend will be a challenge for me. I'm home alone. No one to see what I'm eating. I've planned out my meals and I went to Terri's Challenge thread to commit to no fast food for the next week. That's a habit I'm trying to ingrain. If only I could teach the car no to turn into fast food driveways!

STEPH: Welcome to a great group. Glad you joined. Us.

BUNNY: Love the pic. Bet you miss the kids. How are the sweaters doing?

LAUREN: Welcome to you. Thanks for posting here. We need to hear from folks who can "kEEP IT OFF". Come back often and share your secrets and ideas.

I know the best way to look at WW is as a NEW WAY OF LIFE with a new WAY OF EATING. Those of us with a life history of overeating have to teach ourselves how to eat, exercise and live life as someone who doesn't depend on food for support, or a crutch in times of stress, or something to do when they are bored. We should eat when the body, NOT THE MIND, needs food. In my case the mind and body need something to do ...not something to eat!

TERRI: THANKS for starting the Challenges. What a great idea!

DONNA: Good for you! 9 lbs. gone. I don't know anything about herballife except the signs that are posted all over. Is it something you take to just to lose or something that will become a life long habit? Be really careful if it's pills. I worry because so many of the weight loss pills turn out causing more harm than good. (Please take that last sentence as it's meant, not as a criticism but as a friend with concerns.) You're certainly having a GREAT start! Keep us posted.

BTW LINDABC would you please check in. I'm worred about you and I want to congratulate you. Ladies, our LINDA is one of 3FC's TOP TEN POSTERS! WE MISS YOU!

Time to get moving. I'll probably check back later. Humor for the day: "How long a minute is depends on which side of the bathroom door you're on."

Hi ladies!

How's everyone's Saturday? Ours was fairly quiet. DH and I went out for breakfast. I ordered lite sausage and pancakes - only ate half the order and promptly put my napkin over the food. Its kind of hard to move the napkin off and keep eating! We both found it very filling which means we're slowly adjusting our meal sizes down; and that is a very good thing. We didn't eat lunch and had steak and salad for dinner. We got our beef that we had bought and butchered so of course DH had to have his steak. OH my goodness, it was the best T-Bone I've had in a long time. But I've counted all the points (a lot) and am done for the day. If I go take a walk I'll be at the top of my point range for the day. If I don't I still will have 12 banked points for tomorrow. Woohoo it feels good to work the plan like its designed.

I'm glad I started getting into the challenge mindset this past week. You know ladies, the plan won't work if we don't focus and work the plan EVERY DAY. Not just a day here and there. Just got to keep the momentum.

Well I'm off to read a bit and try to remember to go walk before laying up for the night.

Have a good rest of the weekend. And J-Ann - STAY AWAY FROM FAST FOOD!!

I am staying away from the Fast Food places. I really am!

I've officially changed the name of that Golden Arches place in the village to ICED TEA - ONLY ICED TEA - NOTHING BUT ICED TEA and that's what I bought when I stopped yesterday. No burger, no fish sandwich and especially NO FRIES! GOOD FOR ME!

It's pretty warm here today. I got most of my chores done yesterday, including bathing the dog so today I'm just vegging out watching the gray squirrels empty the birdfeeders.

Yesterday, In a $1 store I found adorable dragon flies and butterflies made of beads and copper wire mounted on a stick to put in the garden. Last time I saw them they were in a landscapers shop for $10 or $15 a piece. I was thrilled to get 4 for $4.00. They look adorable in the perennial beds.

Think I'll find a good book and read this afternoon.

Bye for now,

Hi ladies,

I love the new name. It's 93 here today. I'm getting ready to go in the pool. I have been doing a lot of garden work. My tomatoes are all coming in at the same time. My mom and I have canned 21 quarts. I love using them all year long. I have also fixed 10 dozen ears of corn. I put them in a big freezer for winter.

j-ann, thank you for getting the new thread going. Thank you for letting us know about the outage. Congratulations on doing so well in the fast food drive. I know how hard it can be.

terri, I think your doing great. 18 pounds is a nice weight loss. Keep up the good work. Congrats for doing so well OP.

bunny, very nice picture. Congrats on hiking. Enjoy the wonderful weather.

Donna, Congratulations on you 9 pound loss.

Lauren, welcome to the group. Wow you have done a wonderful job. I loved reading your post. Congratulations on you 91 pound loss. Keep up the good work.

Enjoy the rest of you weekend. Take care and God Bless. Cathy

Yahoo for Monday!

Its Yahoo because I made it through the weekend with points in the bank. I journalled, I finagled what to eat, I exercised, I drank water. I FINALLY DID IT!!

J-Ann - Yahoo for you too for making it through without the fast food. Very good! !

Cathy- Your tomatoes definitely provided more for canning than ours did!! But we've enjoyed a ton a grape tomatoes and had some very nice regular ones too. Next year, more plants.

I have been thinking about the weekends and my problems with them and being stuck at the same point on the scale. I have recognized some truths about those things and what that means. I'll be posting that on the challenge thread later on because I want to work out the behavioral changes I need to make. This can't be a lifelong journey if I don't make more effort with changing patterns.

Have a great evening!

Am I Happy?....You bet I am!{\

Just got back from WI. I'm down another 1.5 lbs. that's 8.5 lbs in TWO weeks!

It feels so great to be back in control. 2 wks. OP and still journaling, and avoiding those fast food devils.


CATHY: I'm not a canner. But then I'm not a great cook either. I know how. I just hate to spend all that time in the kitchen when 20 minute after it hits the table all there is left is dirty dishes and more work cleaning up. One of my housemates will spend EVERY snowy day in the kitchen from the time she gets up til it's time for bed. I'd go NUTS. Id rather read or even clean closets than do that. I do appreciate the work that you folks who "put things by" do but I'd starve before I stood over a hot canning kettle in the middle of a heat wave.

TERRI: We were posting at the same time. HURRAY FOR YOU! The CHALLENGE THREAD was a great idea. It sure is helping me concentrate on my problem areas with success. You're doin GRRREAT!

OKAY, Where's everybody hiding, STEPH, BUNNY, DONNA, LAUREN, ROZZIE, LINDA, PAT ... come on out and celebrate with me.

IT"S TIME TO GET UP LADIES!

Another hot one's on the way so get that exercise in early OR, very late today.

Just stopped in to say Hi! Go to get to work right now. You all have a great O.P. day.

see ya later,