This is a wonderful group of people striving to get at or below 200 in the year 2001 . We don't bully or belittle , so join on in .
Kathy

Hey ya'll , I'm able to get to the computer today . Still don't know when mine will be fixed .
My week has been so so with the plan . But the weather here has been beautiful . Yeah !
Dora , I love pineapple , too . I love alot of fruits & vegetables . But mostly I love men with dark tans & little swim trunks . Maybe , when i'm snorkling , one will sweep me off my fins & we'll surf away into the sunset . Whaddya think ? Dora you're absolutely withering away to nothing .
I just don't seem to be able stick to the plan lately . Thank god spring is here . I got a new lawn mower , with big wheels , on the back . I deliberately didn't get the self propelled one . #1 I need the exercise . #2 The self propelled kind weigh more . I love it ! Isn't it crazy what we get excited about ?
Welcome to all you newcomers & those returning .
TTFN Kathy

Howdy all,

Kathy, I hear you on being excited about new home appliances. A mower with big wheels! Great choice. One thing I have learned in life, is to spend the money on a good mower if you intend to have a house with a yard. We bought an el cheapo with our first house. It lasted 2 years. Then, we got a Toro self-propelled (we had a hilly yard) and it has lasted 15 or 16 years and still going strong. It is really heavy, though. I have to watch out for soft dirt unless I want ruts everywhere.

You are so kind to say I am doing good. Here I've been aggravated over dealing with the same 3 pounds for the last two months! Been trying to get that 60 lb star forever. Course, I'm my own worst enemy.

Our meeting was great. Had lots of losers meeting their 10%, 25 lb, and lifetime or goal. Wow, how inspiring is that.
A lady came up and hugged me afterward. She said I was the reason she didn't just give up when the numbers didn't budge, and now she was losing. Shucks, ma'am. All I did was mention that she and her son kept coming in and yet I had never heard a peep from either one. She was discouraged about not losing, yet she was losing inches and her clothes were falling off. And, she hadn't journaled at all. Well, I certainly sympathized with the journaling attitude, and pointed out that the scale is merely a tool, not the whole world. Basic stuff that we say to each other here. It's good to know she was encouraged and kept at it. That's what it's all about.

Expecting a visit from TOM this week. Usually I lose pretty big, but last month I got cocky and ate over. Here's for a completely OP week!!!

Hi ladies...just thought I'd join in...I have been posting under countdown to 225 and no one goes there much so I thought I'd join in here...I WI on Thursdays and last week I hit 81.5 total!!! yippeee!!! I just had to share with someone!!! I am having a hard time staying op this weekend tho...but sometimes I guess it doesn't hurt once in awhile(just as long as I am mostly good that is!)...I just feel bad when I don't Anyway I have done this since June and even tho I stayed at 75lbs lost for almost a month I think I am back on a roll.... Take care ladies...


Patty
waving in Michigan

303/221.5/185

Hey girls!

It's been tough finding time to check in. Well, I did go to WW to rejoin. My starting weight is 258.2 and I couldn't be more sick about it. I have really had a hard time over the weekend. I'm really hungry! I know I will get used to it again so I'm not really too worried about it yet.

I'm a little bummed about the new points finder. Those high fiber foods really did get me through some of the hard times but I'm sure I'll get adjusted to that too. Carrots really did save me alot too. I can't believe I'll have to count them too!

Does anyone know if the boxes on the frozen meals have been updated to account for the new points finder? I haven't been grocery shopping yet. Also is the old points finder still accurate just as long as you don't exceed 4 Fibers? I didn't think to ask that at the meeting the other day.

But on to the positive. I just finished my TOM so at least I won't have to worry about those horrible cravings for a while! That usually gets me if I'm not strong and careful.

Patrice, great job on your loss. It's very satisfying (almost as much as chocolate!) to pass a plateau without losing your mind.

Kathleen, I give you alot of credit for being willing to cut the grass, I absolutely hate it. We have one of those crappy mowers but most of the time we just pay a neighbor kid to do it.

Dora, Dora, Dora, the explorer! My kids love that show and I think about you everytime I hear the song! I've been kinda lurking and reading the threads from time to time. You are awesome! You are doing so great and you are such a sweet girl that it doesn't surprise me a bit that you inspire your WW buddies. You sure do inspire me. Seeing how well you were doing is a big part of why I rejoined. I've really missed you guys.

If any of you have some pearls of wisdom, I'd sure love to hear them. I know there must be other things that differ about last year's program that I don't know about yet. Please feel free to clue me in. Someone mentioned something about extra points and exercise and it sounded a little different from before. She didn't mention anything about it when she was going over the plan so I wasn't sure if you don't get that option until you reach 10% like before.

I did buy the new dining out guide so I'm trying to check up on my favorite take out stuff to see how much the points have changed. It looks like bean burritos have an extra point which is a drag to find out for a Catholic girl like me looking for meatless alternatives on Fridays during lent. I'm going to have to look things over carefully so I don't mess up!

I'll check up with you gals later. Oh by the way, I love the pictures although I have to say that Dora looks very different from when I saw her over the summer. Is that what weight loss does to you!?!

Ruby
258.2/258.2/144

Patty, welcome! Where in Michigan do you live? I'm in the Plymouth/Ann Arbor area. Your progress has been awe-inspiring! Way to go!

Ruby, good for you in going back and weighing in. We've all been there, that's for sure. As for the new program ... your old point slider will continue to work fine; just count only up to 4 grams of fiber. I continue to eat very high-fiber foods because they do keep me from getting hungry. I just count them as 4 grams of fiber (instead of 10 or 12 or whatever). I don't count carrots, but I don't eat a lot of them.

You earn points for exercise now, right away. That is, if I do 45 minutes of moderate exercise, I earn 3 points. That's how you earn back the points that we lost on the new plan. In my case, though, it doesn't help for me to eat those points. I just don't lose as well when I do that. Everyone's different, though. (WW will give you a new exercise points calculator at some point.)

Kathy, you cracked me up with the "men with dark tans" comment! Love it!

TOM has finally gone by the wayside; we'll see if I lost anything. I haven't lost anything yet this month, but that's not atypical for me. Some days I handle my slow losses better than others. I sure would love to hit that 60-pound mark, too, Dora. I'm just a couple pounds away!

Off to do my "Donna-Mite" exercise video ...

Lauren
274/216/down

Well, I seem to be finally past all that February "I don't wanna". Got another bookmark Thursday & hit 66.something.

Ruby Ellen, I hear that the frozen dinners have not been updated yet. They're still using the old point range. I also hear that using the old point finder is not really accurate for the new point set-up, but if you don't have the new one I'm sure it will be close enough.

Welcome aboard, Patrice!

Hello everyone...thanks for the welcomes!

Lauren: I live downriver in Wyandotte...nice quaint little town but I absolutly love Plymouth. My DH and I try to attend their art fair every year...Wyandotte has one too but I think Plymouth's is by far the best...I know everyone thinks Ann Arbor's is the best but to me Plymouth's is just right...You actually need a few days to see all of Ann Arbor's I think and who has time for that???

Have any of you ladies tried the No Pudge brownies yet? I love the 2 point brownie snack. You take 2 T. of browning mix and 1 T. of vanilla ff yogurt and mix it together in a custard dish and microwave for 1 min and you have a instant brownie for 2 points. You can order the mix on-line at this site: http://www.nopudge.com/
They are wonderful!!!

I still count the old points on the frozen dinners..so far it hasn't hurt! Till later..have a great OP week!

Patty

303/221.5/185

Patty, Wyandotte is wonderful! We used to go there often when DH was doing his residency in Lincoln Park. I love the little park on the water. I always enjoyed the two coffee shops there, too.

I just bought No Pudge mix last night (regular and mint) and am looking forward to trying it. Have you ever made it using applesauce rather than yogurt? I love yogurt, but we're not eating animal products until after Lent. Maybe I'll give it a try with applesauce tonight. I especially love the idea of making just one brownie at a time.

Gizzi, glad you've gotten past the "don't wannas." You're doing great.

I did my workout again this morning, and for some reason it actually *energized* me to some absurd degree. I've been full of energy all day! This is new for me. I wonder if I'm finally getting into shape or something.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/215/down

Hello everyone! I'm still around, just busy. Had a good time on the camping trip. Went for a 3 hour hike one day. Had enough energy at the end to run up a hill and across a field to get back to the cabin. I guess the exercise is paying off. I can't help thinking back to this time last year when I huffed and puffed my way up Stone Mountain. Now that's progress!

Been mostly OP lately. Just trying to make it more a lifestyle. I guess that's my way of saying I'm not as gung-ho, but I am still moving downward slowly.

I'm going to the U2 concert on Friday (my first concert in over 20 years!). I'm more excited about the fact that DH & I are staying in a fancy hotel downtown overnight. The friend who's watching the kids said to stay until check-out on Saturday, which we're planning to do.

Kathy - Hawaii...I'm jealous! I've never been. One of these days, I hope. Have an extra good time.

Dora - I know what you mean about being your own worst enemy. Seems to be the same for me lately, but the important thing is we keep at it. Persistance not perfection. I tell myself that 100 times a day.

Patrice - A belated welcome! Congrats on beating the plateau! Don't beat yourself up when you're having a rough time. They're all learning experiences, and that's a good thing. I was just thinking the other day how I always tell my kids stuff like this and they moan and groan. Now that it applies to me, I see why. These are hard lessons to learn!

Ruby - Welcome back. You know you're doing the right thing. It's hard in the beginning, but this too shall pass, and you'll be back on track. You can do it!

Gizzi - How'd you get past the "I don't wannas"? I sure could use some help in that department. Congrats on the star. You're doing great.

Lauren - Keep it up with those workouts. They definitely make a difference. Just being able to do that hike and not collapse meant so much to me. I love it when my workouts energize me. It doesn't happen all the time, but its a great feeling. Enjoy it. You earned it!

Later,
Michele

Michele, enjoy the concert. Sounds fun! WOW! A three-hour hike? I'm very impressed.

This morning I "walked" two miles in 30 minutes, which is a brisk pace for me. (I did Leslie Sansome's walk video.) I wasn't particularly winded, though I did work up a nice stinky sweat. (Which is more than you wanted to know.) I really am grooving on all this energy right now. Gee, did that sound retro-hippie or what?

Yes, these are tough lessons to learn. We want things to change RIGHT NOW. I want to be thin RIGHT NOW. I don't want to lose just a quarter pound a week. I don't want to have to write everything down that I eat. I don't want to have to exercise in order to be healthy. I don't wanna, don't wanna, don't wanna, DON'T WANNA.

On the other hand, I DO want to learn lessons that will last a lifetime. I DO want to weigh less than I do now -- 10 years from now. 20 years from now. I DO want to have energy and stamina and flexibility and power. I DO want to live a life where I am in control, not food. I DO want to live a full, healthy life, unconstrained by my size. So those are the positive things I focus on right now, especially when I'm disappointed by the slow weight loss.

Lauren
274/215/down

Lauren - Words of wisdom! At meeting the other day, the topic was up-side down thinking in regards to weight-loss. Everyone was focusing in on the behaviors that sabotage their efforts. With me, it's more attitude than behavior (although the bad attitude leads to the bad behavior). Your outlook is exactly the one I'm trying to cultivate. Focusing on the positive changes I want to achieve instead of the 'negative' (only in the way I look at them) steps I have to take to get there.

Thanks for the reality check.

Michele

Howdy, Howdy, Howdy!!!
I don't know about the weatherman, but I officially declare our five-year drought to be over!! We are near drowning here. Which will make tubing and Schlitterbahn that much better this year.

Patty - The good news is I know I've met the 60lb mark, but I won't be at my meeting this week. Pooh! Maybe I can even get to the 65 star by next week. Dreams CAN come true.

Ruby doll, don't get too worked up about the program. Just remember that if it worked before, it will work today. If carrots keep you on program, by all means eat them. I sure do hope you can use the program for actual cooking, too. My whole family eats OP or they don't eat. It's that simple. But I do buy ice cream and other things to "round out" the program. In fact, I've found that Blue Bunny makes a lovely triple coffee ice cream that only comes up to three points for a half cup. When I put that much in a small (one point) sugar cone, it's quite delightful. Liked it better than those 2 point Skinny cows that get me in so much trouble. (mine moo from the freezer, pleading for release )

Lauren -you go girl! You will be the next exercise queen!!

Michelle -way to go on that hiking! Isn't is cool to see the difference a year can make?! As far as getting over the "don'wannas", my best bet is to pretend I are a new member and go all the way with reading the original materials, measuring and weighing with a keen eye, using the slide rule more often, journaling religiously. It really helps. Sometimes I get more exercise climbing back onto the wagon than walking! Another member pointed out that brushing one's teeth is not exactly sexy or exciting. We do it cause it's necessary. And so is this new lifestyle.

While I won't get to weigh-in this week, I just KNOW I've kicked butt in my walking team. So far I've logged 31.5 miles with Friday and Saturday to go. Yeah for the old chick! Course, if I had tiny children like so many of the others, I probably wouldn't have been able to do this much exercise.

My DD has reached a point in her weight that really scares me. while not trying to drastically change her eating habits, I did rather forcefully state that we would be taking exercise action. So far we have been swimming and took a long walk today to photograph flowers. Man, this is a part of my life that needs help. She's 9yoa and reached measurements in some areas that rival an adult. And she's been teased at school about her lack of athletic ability. Sad, especially when she is so very bright. Loves to read. Too bad it doesn't turn into aerobic exercise. Any ideas on keeping exercise fun would be appreciated.

Gotta go ladies. Y'all keep on the wagon, it's so much easier than trying to crawl back up!!

Hey ladies,

I'm just trying to hang in there! I know that I have lost a couple of pounds this week but couldn't get in to get weighed today since hubby is out of town. I just couldn't fit it in. Maybe I will get a chance to do it Saturday before soccer and such. Wish me luck.

Dora, thanks for the encouragement. You are doing so great! If I had been able to hang in there with you we'd be borrowing clothes from each other!....It has been a trying year for my son in school too. As you know, weight isn't his issue but we ended up getting our 9 year old contacts and a new haircut. Kids can be so cruel. We have had a conference with the principal and teacher. We've also been forced to make phone calls to parents. Parenthood can really be hard, it's tough thinking someone is hurting your child. Your daughter is a lovely girl and I know you are very proud of her. Believe me, I feel your pain. We are going to start Jonathan in martial arts over the summer when our schedule isn't such a mess. It offers exercise, self-discipline, confidence, and if necessary, the ability to defend yourself against punks! You might want to consider that for her too, some parents even do it with their kids.

I expected a better week but I'm already finding it tough to stay OP. I really need to do this!

Ruby

Hey everybody . My computers still broke . Last week I gained 4.5 pounds . This week I thought i'd do better . I did sort of . I lost 1/2 pound . Thats better than gaining .
Patrice & Ruby , welcome .
Dora , you are doing wonderful . I've only lost about 15 pounds in the last year . I've been yo-yoing . I'm definately a stress eater . My 22 year old has been really screwing up his life . My mom might have breast cancer again . She had 3 biopsies thursday , & will find out next thursday . She had cancer 7 years ago .
On a brighter note : My G.I. boy , who's currently in Korea , is going to be stationed to Arizona . That'll be in 8 1/2 more months . That'll be great . since there aren't any openings in Washington state . More traveling for me . Yeah !
Gotta go TTFN , Kathy