Well, I started my diet on March 16 and I have sucessfully as of todays date lost 8 lb. Next week I believe I will make my 10lb loss mark and I will reward myself and start my next 10lb. I am so happy that I made it this far.

My plan is to get to know the food, calories, and fat. Yes, I am calorie counting. I'm not shy to take down one can of Slim Fast and I am not even on the Slim Fast diet. I just simply think drinking a can of Slim Fast is much better then drinking a shake from a fast food restaurants.

Forget candies. When you got things like Cliff bars and Luna bars, slim fast bars. Who needs the candy near the check out stand. Yuck!

Fruit for snacking, counting my calories all the way around and feel fufilled. I have been taking Metabalite energy wise but I even cut back on takeing them eventually they will be completely cut out.

I take my 30 min walks in the morning and Train dogs in the evening (My other 30 min walk)

So far I have went from 257 lb to 249. Hurrah rah rah! Next week I should be sitting at 247.

I reward myself with Jewlery and key chains on the way for every 10 lb I'll lose. For every 20 lb I lose I will take a picture and add it to my journal.

All I can say is I feel great so far!

I really like your keychain idea!

I'm going to start doing that. I already owe myself a token! LOL!

Congrats on your great start.

I was going to reward myself with new clothes at 20 pounds but now I am holding back on that one because I know that I can lose 20 more. So I think that I am going to get in on your trinket reward. I would love a new bracelet or something. Thanks for the idea.

...I would also add to that -

When you get to small for your 'fat clothes' GET RID OF THEM - if they're just too nice to get rid of, get thee to a tailor or seamstress ASAP and have them taken in!!!

To me, having a cache of 'fat clothes' means that you're telling yourself that you may have to wear them again someday...

Another thing to do with those 'just too nice' fat clothes is to give them to a worthy charity such as Dress for Success. The local branch of this organization has a clothes drive annually where they leave a barrel at local businesses for employees to donate good-condition work (i.e. interview) clothes.

And I do believe that rewarding yourself with (smaller sized) clothes is definitely a morale booster as well...

Hi there! I just thought I would stop and check out your thread. Mrs.Jim, I just looked at your web page. It is very nice! You are not 247 now,are you??? You don't look it. I love to cycle too. I am just now getting into it. I used to some about 15yrs ago. I jsut had my second baby, so I said I was going to ride again after he was born. I can't wait. I noticed on your photo page there was a picture of you,your sister and mother in WV? that is where I live! My baby is almost 9months old and I really havent been at this site since before I got pregnant. I lost 30lbs to get pregnant and in 94 I had lost 50lbs to get pregnant with my oldest. I need to lose again,so I am back here. Good Luck to you all! Tracie

My mom was born and raised in W. Va. - I haven't been there since I was a kid (i.e. when Mom and Dad were paying the airfare!) but I keep telling Jim we need to go there to visit. Grandma and Grandpa still live in Fayette County, where that 4-H camp was.

Cycling is great fun - not to mention terrific exercise! W.Va happens to be one of the 'hot spots' for mountain biking in the East Coast as well. A great investment when your new little one is big enough (sounds like (s)he's almost there!) would be one of those Burley trailers. They're expensive (you may want to check eBay and around the 'Net for good deals) but well worth it - after baby gets too big to fit in the trailer, it's great to use to go grocery shopping on your bike (you can put a LOT of bags back there and they're protected from the elements!) or you can always sell or give it to another new parent to use - with proper care, a well-made baby trailer can last YEARS.

I love watching cyclists passing by with their kids in those trailers. We have a popular bike path out here in the Bay Area (Sawyer Camp Trail in case you're ever in the area) and you see quite a few of those yellow trailers being pulled - the kids are either content at watching the passing scenery go by, or they're fast asleep!

Whew! Another one of my tangents...

Take care!

FeistyFilly, great post! Congratulations! I just lost some weight on my own...but I want the support of a weekly meeting, so I'm joining WW again this week. I'm nervous, but excited...I weigh more now than when I did when I joined a year ago, but I won't let that make me feel silly. Because of your post, I decided to take pics at every 20lbs too!...the first pic is coming up soon! I'm really excited to do them, and I'll keep the pics forever!

Mrs. Jim, you alway have such nice comments and advice. I have an unrelated question for you, so I'm going to PM you so as not to change the subject!

Girlie