G'day all,

We are already '21' today. It was only yesterday we started at #0 again

Glenda You are right once I made up my mind that is it I do feel heaps better and really feel this time the penny has dropped and there will be no more mucking around.....but as you say it is so easy to stray again but NOT THIS TIME
The person who said I was too pretty to be on my own in Manila, had poor eyesight but was able to spot my blond hair (thank you L'Oreal ) which is a little unusual in Manila.

I recently had some friends for lunch (only 2 couples) and I also wondered how I ever fitted in full time work, running around to sporting fields, sewing, cleaning, cooking etc. etc.
My sister (the pain) recently joined WW (3 months ago) she now is way below her goal weight and just cannot understand why she is still loosing.....the fact that she eats half her points doesn't seem to occur to her that this may well be the reason. She insists she is not hungry so 'why should I eat more'!
My other sister is worried that she maybe becoming anorexic. My sister (the pain) once said that she would like to have lived in communist Russia, you would not have to think, you would just be told what to do and you did it and you always had food on the table.
I think the same applies with her and WW, she is not one to 'tweek' the menus but sticks rigidly to what the WW's book says and of course looses weight.

I am off to play with my new toy!
You may remember that I decided to do 2 days of sewing and the rest of the time spend behind my computer. Well I made a great looking jacket but when I came to use my overlocker (I think you refer to them as 'sergers') mine had packed up. I went to get it fixed, then went to Singapore etc. and only found out 2 weeks ago that it can not be fixed.
I was reluctant to pay for a brand new one, yesterday I came across a Bernette (made for Bernina) at the right price and bought it.
It is as though it is brand new, instruction book etc are with it. My old one was a 3 thread machine and this one is a 4 thread, I believe there are quite a few things I can do on this one that I could not do on my 3 thread machine.

Have a great day all......

Cheers
Maria

Morning,

Maria your new toy sounds like fun. I have never used a serger. I wish I had just a little of your sister's[the pain] discipline when it comes to WW.

I tried the Go Active Meal from McD's. My pedometer didn't measure correctly either. I have about 3 pedometers but I have to check out Slavika's. Always looking for the perfect one. I bought some gel heel pads for my shoes yesterday hoping it will help my sore heel. Keep hoping it will get better so I won't have to see a dr.

Going to be another gorgeous day-not hot and humid. Have some yard work to catch up on that I missed doing while the cicada invasion was here.

Hi Everybody

Gosh Maria your weather is nicer then ours and you are just starting into your warm season.
I have a 4 thread serger. Two threads sort of do the stitching part and the other two the overlock part. It's really nice, as seams are finished off so nicely.
Glenda I am one of those gals who does NOT like to walk. Even when we are in Maui, DH loves to walk while we are there and I much prefer to sit in a comfortable chair on our lanai and WATCH the other people walking by. That's why I always come home heavier then when I left. I guess that plan isn't working too well. Other then the first day, I have managed to log on over 10,000 steps every day. My booklet says that 10,000 steps is approx. 5 miles. I know that my 1/2 walk in the morning on the treadmill logs on almost 4000 steps...so that's a good start to the day. Of course the 1/2 hr walk doesn't have to be on the treadmill, it could be a walk outside. I am pleased with my progress at WW and know for sure that the walking helps.
We have a very cool nasty day today. It sure doesn't feel like summer. I bought some fresh raspberries at the supermarket today, and are they every good. I had a few and I think for dessert tonight I will have more with some vanilla yogurt. I guess our Ann has not found a spot to send us a note from. I miss her posts. Talk to you all later.

G'day all,

My 'new' overlocker (serger) is great, took me a while to thread it but first go there was no need to adjust tensions or anything, I am very happy with my purchase.

One door down the road from me is a very large complex for disabled people. It is sort of in a park like setting. Every morning we walk past and notice a bill board for personal training. Yesterday I rang and have signed up!
It is a bit pricey ($95 per month) but for that I receive very personal attention. This morning I went for my first session, there were 4 women (various ages) and the instructor.
Here is a link to the organisation and a picture of my trainer
http://www.efm.net.au/itempage/27993.html

I really enjoyed going this morning, I did a variety of things, bike riding, weights, sit ups with one of those balls etc. etc.
I will no longer go to WW. Last week when I went (and had my great loss!) I was really annoyed with the lecturer, she is very patronising and a bit twitty.
In the back of the room the person who does the weighing and another person who takes the money were both training new people and were so loud that I could hardly here what was being said at the meeting.
One lady complained that she has been 1 lb short of her goal weight the last 3 weeks, the leader flippantly said, 'try wearing lighter clothes next week'.
I had thought of going to another venue with a different leader but have now decided that paying for this training AND for WW is just getting a bit much.
I have made a deal with dh that he will weigh me every Monday morning, I will continue using the WW plan and more importantly JOURNAL EVERYTHING I PUT IN MY MOUTH.
I have never shared my weight with even my dh, so this is something very major, and I have made him swear not to share it with anyone or else!!!!
I see the gym as a permanent thing in my life, not something to stop after I get to my goal weight.....and it is so convenient for me, a less than 5 minute walk.
I would be interested to hear what you think of my decision and understand why I did it.

I have also wondered how Ann is going, hope she is enjoying herself.

I must be off to see Dr. Phil....

Cheers
Maria

[Maria You have surprised me! You were doing so well with WW, don't you think that being with other people who are trying to lose weight is good motivation? I never do well on my own. I know that I am lucky to have Slavika to go with, but that is where I met her eons ago. From just the two of us sitting in our familiar spots, we now have 6 people to share ideas with. It is easy to strike up a conversation while waiting for the meeting to start. Exchanging recipies, different food choices, successful weigh-ins and even the times things don't go just as we would like them to makes it all worthwhile.
My DH knows that I go on the scale, but he will never see me on it or know how much I weigh. When we had to fill out the application for our passports, there was a spot for my weight. I didn't fill it in until a second before I had to hand it over.
Joing a gym is a good idea. Some of us do well at home, walking on treadmills, but I like going to aerobic, and different classes. It took some getting used to setting aside time during the day to go, but it has become part of my life and when I don't go, it doesn't seem right. I pay $43.00/month CAN.. I don't know how that compares to AUS $$. I have the full membership, there is a cheaper one that is around $30.00. With that one the hours are restricted to 10:00am - 3:00pm and no weekends.
I went to see a surgeon today. I have a small 1 cm cyst on my scalp and he will remove it in August. I asked him he will have to shave the area. He explained it this way. Surgery on the scalp is like a helicopter trying to land in a forest. He will have to cut down a few "trees" so the "helicopter"/scalpel can land.. He seems like a nice doctor.
Talk to you all later... bye...

I'm back again.
Maria I forgot to ask what you think of Dr. Phil's guests ... the family he has been counseling? The ones with the 2 teenage daughters, 1 has a baby. I think they are just plain nuts. How can people go on nationwide television and make such fools of themselves?

Hi Everybody

Lily hi there, hope you pop by this weekend. How are you doing? I miss you.

Peggy I don't know if we have the "Go Active Meal", is that one of the salads. I think even with the fact that I have grandchildren that I have only been at a McDonalds about a handful of times. I remember on about three occassions we picked up stuff for our grandchildren and a couple of times we took them into the restaurant to eat and the place was like a ZOO and I never went back. I have never been to a Wendy's either although I "think" DH picked up hamburgers for us there once. Boy I lead a sheltered life. A couple of the gals at WW said those pedometers from me McD's don't work too well.

Maria I am surprised too that you would decide to leave WW when you were doing so well. I think joining a gym is a good idea if that is where you would like to exercise but I think I would have chosen one that cost MUCH less and continued going to the WW meetings. The WW meetings are much more then a place to simply get weighed in. I have always gone to WW at least a 1/2 hour before the meeting starts just so that I can talk to the other gals, get support from them and find out if they have come across any new WW friendly products, or recipes or just to make new friends. Speaking for myself, I know that if I do not attend the WW meetings I do not lose weight. I have tried to do it on my own (as you know) but if I do not have to face that scale every Tuesday at WW, then I do not lose weight.
I think that a sensible exercise program and the WW meetings are the key for me to continue losing weight, and keeping it off. When I quit going to meetings I start to gain.
What's that phrase that we see on some of the other boards, "If you always do, what you always did, you'll always get, what you always, got". I should really keep that one in mind.
Talk to you all later. Bye for now.

G'day,

I am about to go out and just thought I would check in.......I hear what you are both saying Slavika and Trudy and to some extent I do agree but I had to make a choice.
WW was costing me $17.00 per week, I was new to this particular group and did not know anyone though all the ladies were friendly. The gym is more like having a personal trainer, I have been a member of gyms and tend to go full bore (so unlike me ) , get an in jury and that is the end of that again.
So the personal trainer part attracted me but of course it is costing me about $24 per week.
I am now HAVING to prove to myself that I CAN do this with the gym, all my WW books etc.
I wasn't going to tell you guys what I was up to but then I am a shocker for keeping secrets and also felt I was being a bit dishonest if I continued to pretend I was attending the meetings.

I am really hoping this will work for me and I will let you know of my progress which WILL BE POSITIVE!!!!!!!

tRUDY I am with you about THAT family, I think I would have shown him the door years ago, what a jerk to tell one child they love them more than the other and to now have the world see how you are trying to patch your marriage, not for me! It is almost a bit voyeuristic watching the episodes with their trials and tribulations.

Must fly.....

Cheers
Maria

Slavika: HAd to Laugh at your alaram. I came home tonight. How many times have I turned off that alam????????? Well its been at least 10 years. I hit a wrong key, Keep trying to turn it off but it wont. Goes off get the call, feel stupid. He tells me hit these keys to clear. I go to write it on my card that i HAve. Duh.............. its there already. Feel so stupid sometimes.
Woo hooo! on your loss! You will be there!


KAren: Sure sounds like the move is in the works! Happy it is all coming together for you.


Trudie: I havent seen the young and restless. But I am a avid fan of One Life to live and General Hospital. Been watching for years! Its the tape I watch while on the theadmill. Wooooooooo Hooooooooo for you! You can do it trudie! Congrats on getting Back!

MArnie: Life goes on. It always will. Have you tried the no WI pass?

Peggy: Are you moved yet? Any bited on thr house?

MAria: Sure sounds like she is anorexic. She can only help her Self.
I had a lady come in, she lost 20# in one week. Since she has gained. I can only say she was on Diertics (?) She came back for 2 weeks after and disappeared. Some people just dont get it. I cant tell you the many times Im asked for help and I ask Are you eating your Points. Well No Im not I want to lose faster. It just doesnt work! Well sure it does for a whle but then what?
Find another meeting. I know for my self I cant do with out. When I was working so much I gained 10 #. Wasnt easy to get off either. I wasnt attending meetings. I quit went back to meetings and Im fine. I go to several meetings now. Looking for new input. You dont like the Leader, find a new one. JMHO. I dont know how easy it is there. Joiningg a gym is a good Idea, but dont let them sell you on all thier crap. Alot of it out there. Well it looks like you have decided. Hope it works for you. Is 17$ that much for health?

Off my soap box

Hi all!

DH has gone out to golf; DS stayed at his GF house; I'm alone on a beautiful Saturday and have no plans.

Lily, so nice to see your post. Will your e-mail be operative soon?

Maria, I've found, in my many years at WW, that the "discipline" of the group lies in the demeanor of the leader. Just a common courtesy of "whispering" while the lecture is going on! Duh! I'm still wavering about returning in a couple of weeks. Starting over helped, but I've got to make the plan work and I've GOT to have something sweet from time to time.

Ann, have you gotten to your destination?

Slavika, Trudy and Karen, I have a pedometer, too. Its a "SportLine." I've yet to read the instructions, but that could happen today.

Both families on Dr. Phil should be slapped up side the head. 1) Martin had an affair because his wife is such a controller. 2) Chris should make tracks to leave Stacy in the dust. Take their son and run! She says, being a Morman she is not allowed to work!!! (not true!) I can't believe Dr. Phil even bothers with some of those people, but then, here we are watching it!

Going out now to look at the birdies and have a second cup of coffee.

Glenda, you must be enjoying being below goal - I can only hope. I have 50 lbs to lose and I'd like to do it in this lifetime!

Marnie

Hi Everybody

Lily nice seeing you this morning, hee hee, you are looking great!
I think this thing with losing weight is that we do not have the patience it takes to get the weight off. I think we would all like a "magic pill" that you take at bedtime and wake up in the morning at our goal weight. I know from experience that it doesn't matter how much I walk on the treadmill, if I do not follow WW eating guidelines I do not lose weight. Healthy eating and a bit of exercise will get us all to our goal weight and keep us healthy. If I slack off the walking, then my blood sugar goes up.......that's bad, and of course my weight loss will slow down. I find that walking 1/2 hour every morning does it for me. I put on my walkman and listen to music and sometimes I even sing (you guys would not want to hear that). My treadmill is in my bedroom and I face the window when I walk so I can see what's going on out there too.
Marnie a friend of mine joined WW (again) on April 20th, the same day I went back. She had 52# to lose and was determined to do it this time. She has a very sore knee, so walking for any length of time was out of the question, so she started swimming 3 or 4 times per week for a half hour or so each time. She is a really good cook, and put some effort into making good healthy on program meals. Her husband is also over weight and he's an insulin dependent diabetic. As of last Tuesday, which was June 22nd, she is down 19.2#, and her DH a little bit more. She had been wearing the same outfit to WW each week and the week before last, I told her that her pants looked like clown pants on her they were so big. She bought some new summer things that are 2 sizes smaller then what she had been wearing.
I also have a sweet tooth, as you gals are probably aware, since all the recipes I post are "sweet" ones. I have dessert every evening after my dinner. I always have a nice treat on hand for both DH and myself. Now that all the fruit is out, I cut up a couple of days worth, and put it in baggies. I make a fruit dip from coolwhip and vanilla yogurt (sometimes I add a bit of sour cream) and that makes a good snack in the afternoon. Marnie you can do this, but I know it takes some planning. If you do not plan your meals and snacks then you will probably just grab things that are not as healthy for you (I know I do). If it helps you to "see" your points, put 35 pennies (which are your Flex points) into a jar (the bank) at the begining of the week, and 22 pennies each morning (one penny = one point) into another jar. During the course of the day as you use up your points transfer the pennies from one jar to another. The next day you start again. I did that at one time, and when you actually see your points dwindle down you begin to think, if you REALLY want that 6 point treat or not.
Well as Lily said, this is all just my humble opinion, I struggle along too.......
Good luck to all of us in getting the weight off, keeping it off, eating healthy, being healthy and looking great!
Talk to you all later. Bye now.

Lily I am glad you shared your 10 lb gain with us... as you know, I can relate. Why is it that we need the WI on that scale at WW? Something about it keeps me in line during the week, and makes me look for better choices. A couple of weeks ago I was talking to a lady at WW who was not pleased with her loss. She was my age, just had quadruple by-pass surgery that prompted her to join WW. After talking with her she mentioned that she only eats 23 points a day and doesn't use any flex points. She said her range gave her 23 points and she won't eat any more than that. I tried to explain to her that she needed to use flex points, she wasn't eating enough. I also told her to speak to the WW leader right after the meeting. Some people just don't get the fact that they have to eat to lose.
Maria A personal trainer is a good thing. I had one once and she designed a program for me that I followed for a long time. I am stronger now and have moved on to other things, but it sure helped me then.
Marnie These people who talk during the meeting should speak when the leader asks if anyone has questions, challenges, things to celebrate or any good ideas that have been working for them. This way everyone can benefit.

I had a peanut butter disaster at lunch time. My DH just loves peanut butter and will always put it on his toast. We bought the new Kraft 100% natural, no preservatives or additives. When he opened the jar it had about 1" of oil on the top that had to be stirred into the PB. Well, he tried and wasn't doing a good job... that is when I got this brilliant idea... . I used my Braun hand mixer with the whip to stir the PB. WELL, the force of the motor spun the jar right out of my hand, the whip was still turning, and PB was everywhere... on the counter, everything that was on the counter, the cupboards, the floor, the window, and me... He helped me clean up, we had to use a scraper to scoop it up because using a wet cloth just spread it around more. All that to discover that neither of us like the taste, I guess we are so used to the regular that it is too late to change. Learn from my mistake and never do dat!

Have a nice day all...

G'day all,

How good to 'see' you Lily as Slavika already mentioned, you are looking great!

You are all making me feel a bit guilty and I will now have to prove that I WILL succeed!!!

All your comments are very valid and I agree with them in so far that had I just chucked in WW and decided to do it alone......however the gym I have joined I intend to make a permanent thing in my life, like forever!
The WW leader where I went was not the best and another thing that put me off was that she expected me to pay for meetings I missed whilst I am out of the country from time to time.
I wanted to pay 3 months in advance but she said I would loose the lot if I was to not attend meetings for 4 weeks, regardless of the reason
I just thought that was so inflexible that it made me quite angry.
Another reason for doing the personal training bit is that when we are out of the country, the places we stay at have gyms and dh always uses them. I have a couple of times but I flounder a bit and then loose interest. I will now learn more as to how I should use the various machines. My instructor told me that if I am out of the country we will just go on from where we left off and he will set out a plan for me before I go.

I will be very honest with you all and will certainly let you know if it is not working like I am hoping it will.
I will even go so far that I will post my weight HERE each week
This afternoon we are buying brand new digital scales ( my old ones packed up some time ago)
Tomorrow I will post my weight and from then on each Monday morning, I will HONESTLY post my weight loss or on the rare occassion a gain

Before I go I must just say that Slavika's advice to Marnie is spot on, I MUST plan EVERYTHING or I am in big trouble and just eat whatever is handy regardless of the amount of points.
I get annoyed with myself because it is not that difficult to plan. Yesterday we went to see ds play football, it is over an hour drive, I was feeling a bit yuck but dh reminded me that if I did not take something with me I would eat rubbish. I made a salad and a point friendly snack and felt quite smug sitting at the football, having my very yummy salad (2 1/2 points) and an apple for desert for lunch.
When we got home I had a great thai stir fry dinner and a couple of glasses of red wine, no guilt feelings whatsoever, I was still 1 point under my daily allowance!
I like sweets but never feel I MUST have some, if I have sweets it is usually the WW ice ream with some fruit.
The other thing I MUST do is write everything down, that is also a big help for me.


Cheers
Maria

Maria I sure hope I didn't make you feel guilty. We all have to do whatever we think is best for ourselves.....but you asked what we thought, and I guess we told you. Nothing is written in stone and if plans don't work out how we thought, well then, we can change them. I just wanted to tell you that the information that the gal gave you at the WW meeting about paying for missed meetings is correct. I think that if you are somewhere that doesn't have WW then you might not have to pay but maybe Lily or Karen could confirm that. Since I did at one time reach my goal weight and became a lifetime member I do not have to pay for missed meetings and neither does Trudy . I pay when I go, if I am more then 2# over goal weight.....but if not, then I attend as many meeting as I want and I do not pay, but must weigh in at least once each month. Compared to some of the other weight loss programs (and some where you must purchase their food) Weight Watchers is still one of the relatively cheaper programs, but I know what you mean about paying when you are not there. Often gals just re-join when they return because it is cheaper that way. Weight Watcher's is really an inexpensive program to people who are at goal weight and life time members, because they don't have to pay anything and get all the same literature that everybody else gets.
I think we have talked more about weight loss in the last couple of days then all the rest of the time we have been together on this board. LOL LOL that might be a good thing since this is after all 3FC. Night all.

Slavika making me feel guilty is not necessarily a bad thing, it will make me even more determined!
WW is fairly similar all over the world, unfortunately I never became a life member. I know what you are saying about Jenny Craig and those type of programs.
WW is definetly the best eating type program and that is what I will be sticking to.

As I said I will be posting every week my losses so there might be more discussions about weight loss
In time I will share a 'fat' and 'not so fat' picture of myself and I will promise not to do any digital manipulations

Cheers
Maria