Hi everyone!
I'm Linda and I have a few loyal buddies who have been posting to this site for a long time. We've seen each other through "thick and thin and thinner!" and I hope we all can find each other again here. Our old "Let's Support Each Other" thread doesn't seem to be working right, or is it the web site, in general?
At any rate, we welcome newcomers and I am sure now that we are in a new year that there are many people here looking for help.
We have tried to support each other in many ways with NSVs (non-scale victory) being reported and applauded. We offer suggestions and help when times get tough.
We all have had gains, great losses and we share recipes, ideas, and report in on what is working and what is NOT working!
So, hope to find you all here with some great things to share for the new year!
Linda

Don't panick, Linda - I’m here! I just haven’t gotten the internet hooked up to my new computer at home yet. Since we will have to pay the phone co. to put in a new phone jack, I will have to run a bunch of phone line up the stairs and across the room until we can afford it. I haven’t felt like tackling that, so I’m still not online. It’s becoming more needed so I will probably put out the phone line and connectors tonight. Then, you will be fed up with hearing from me!

I am NOT looking forward to WI this week. It will be my first official since just after Thanksgiving! But, I’m really starting to look forward to getting back on track. Today, I WILL journal. I WILL eat healthy. I don’t know if I will be able to make time for exercise, but I will try. This was my first day back to work after a 4 day weekend, so I didn’t get out of bed until I had to.

DH and I are tackling some new goals this week. We are going to start turning off the television earlier to work on some nightly Bible Study and getting to bed earlier. Video/computer games have been limited. It won’t be too much of a challenge because we have hardly watched television in the past few weeks since we moved. But, with the new games I got for Christmas, we have gotten carried away. When you start playing one of those, you blink and an hour has gone by.

There are tons of exciting new things coming with the new year! We are starting a new Bible Study for young adults this Sunday. I am going to get some new materials and really get to work on the drama ministry. We are posting a chore chart to help us work as a team. We are in our new home with more room to live together, but not so much together. And, I will reach my WW goal this year (hopefully, by my birthday in May).

Hope everyone else is as excited about the new year! What do you plan to achieve?

BTW – Welcome to the new gals! Hope you are having a great start!

Sandi – My prayers are with your DH. My brother-in-law left 1/1 for training and will be joining your DH in Iraq within a few weeks. It has been hard for his wife and teenage son, but they are doing well. Bet you knock his socks off when he comes home to his slim, sexy wife! (as opposed to the more voluptuous, sexy wife you are now)

Well, as I said, this is my first day back to work this year. Better do some work! Later…

Hi everyone. I'm not really missing in action either. I have been checking in regularly, but just no real time to post properly, what with granny and now my mum too - she went in for a knee op yesterday, so she's laid up for a little while now. All my nursing skills are coming to the fore, and really, I have none of them at all, I certainly wasn't cut out to be a nurse and everyone seems to need me at the moment.

Anyone, on to all things foody. I have eaten far too much. Like you Linda, I feel as if I have hardly been able to stop myself. Lots of comfort eating going on methinks. I have been very good indeed though the last couple of days, so hopefully will limit the damage for tomorrow nights WI, but I do expect at least a 3 pound gain. Anything less will be a bonus. We will be filled in fully at tomorrow's meeting about the new WW programmes. I have most of the info I need off the WW website, but I still can't really decide whether to stick to what I know, counting points, or go down the route of 'no count' which sounds exactly like 'core' to me. I'll decide tomorrow maybe. Or maybe not.

I bought a big book to try and encourage me to do more exercise yesterday. I get quite into these things for a while but it doesn't always last. This new year resolution is more exercise and general fitness. Last year was lose lots of weight, sorted that one, almost, this year I want to be fit too. I can't afford the gym, so maybe more walking and dig out the old fitness videos will be needed. Either way, I Will do something.

Welcome to the new guys on this thread, hope you made it through new years ok, and stick to WW - once you've started, and if you keep posting on here, you just can't stop - we won't let you!

Melanie, glad you are getting settled in your new place now. Get back on track now girl, there's nothing to stop you getting to goal, we're with you every step of the way. I think we are all dreading that first WI of the year, but face it we must if we are ever to get started properly again. We'll tackle any damage done Thursday!

OK, gotta go now, Oh, Linda, hope you don't expect me to share too many of my recipes, you know what a bad cook I am!!!

Back soon. Take care all.

Hey there, may I join?

I've been on WW for about 9 weeks and doing good so far. I'm a 30 year old working college student majoring in Elementary Education. I need to lose the extra weight so that I can keep up with all the responsibilities that will be coming my way. I have been heavy my entire life and need to lose half of my current weight. I know I can do this. I just have a little problem with patience with myself.
I look forward to chatting with you all. Take care and have a good day.

Melanie, glad you are back and ok. How's the new place? I hope your weigh in goes well.
I went to my ww meeting this morning and I lost 1.2 pounds, but don't start applauding yet as last week I had a gain of 2.6 pounds (over Christmas week), so I am still not back to where I should be yet. However, I am feeling good and filled out a sheet called "Winning Outcomes" with makes you target what you want to achieve and exactly what you have to do to get there!
Anyone "game" for some winning outcomes????
I have set the following goals for the rest of January:
1. Journal every day, no matter what
2. Drink all the water I should be drinking
3. Exercise at least 5 times each week
4. Do not let others in my household sidetrack me (with chocolate especially)
5. Order sensibly when dining out
6. Do not exceed the recommended points and flexpoints each week
That is the magic formula as we all know, all too well!
Sandi, my thoughts are with you as well. You need to concentrate on yourself and keep positive and Melanie is right that you can be a "new" person for him to come home to!
Dawny, hope your granny and mom are ok. Sounds like you have your hands full. How are things with you and your husband as well? I know it was a bit rough there. Hope it's all a bit better for you, times sure have been trying. How is AJ?
Hmmmm..... the new no counting plan does sound a great deal like CORE, do let us know about that, Dawny. I might go back on CORE for a week in a couple of weeks, after I regain control of myself, post holiday. Today, I have been the best I've been in about three weeks.... so maybe I have finally broken free of the "bad" times..... why are the "best" times we have with family the "worst" times for eating? Good question!
Christina, sounds like you have a great attitude and I hope you are successful. Some of us on this thread have lost about as much as you and started at about where you are. I am sure they might have some tips!
Welcome!
Now, as for me, just wanted to report that I had a great new recipe NSV last night! http://www.3fatchicks.com/cookbook/viewrecipe/783
Everyone in the family loved this recipe!
It's called "Pasta With Roasted Tomatoes" Even my picky 16 year old son who complains whenever I make something "light" that he "hates" diet food liked it! A big success!
We're, as a family, go through a boredom phase with our dinners, I'm afraid. We're all sick of the usual foods. Time for me to get to work and figure out healthy, but interesting choices for us.
Well, so glad to see a few of our group back and posting as well as a newcomer!
Linda

Linda - the pasta recipe sounds really good. Will have to try it when DD is feeling up to eating something more substantial. She's still on soup after the surgery. Always looking for a family tested recipe! Thanks for sharing...

Tina2 in TX

Just called in this morning to catch up, can't stay though, things to do , people to see!
Welcome to Christina and Tina, good luck with your goals.

Linda, hi, I like your 'winning outcomes', I think I will pinch some of yours, I always was a copy cat, but I will also add to 'think healthy'. I think if being healthy is in my mind, it could work out something like mind over matter, and I will become healthy. It will help me overcome the 'bad' days and avoid the naughty stuff.
I feel a bit more optimistic about WI tonight, the scales looked good to me this morning. Certainly no losses this week, but a maintain, or even a small gain will be acceptable. Whatever the outcome, I will overcome it!
Oh, and Linda, DH and I seem pretty ok at the mo, we are both making an effort to stay calm and think about each other more, so hopefully.....
AJ is great as always, had a lovely Christmas, lots of Bob the builder toys (do you know him?) and a little bike, Christmas is such a magical time when little ones are in the house. He starts some new swimming lessons later today, so that will be fun. It will be the first time for him in the pool without me or DH so hopefully he will go for it! (and hopefully I won't have a nervous breakdown watching him!)
Anyway, gotta go for now, have a great day everyone, I'll pop back later.

Good morning everyone!
Tina, hope your daughter is ok.
Dawny, glad things are going better with DH and that AJ had a nice Christmas, I've seen Bob the Builder stuff, but my kids are too old now to be into that kind of thing. Our Christmas was good as well, teenagers get very expensive gifts, though, as they are into DVDs, CDS, Music and that kind of thing. Jamie got a portable DVD player with a 7" screen, it is really amazing with headphones, etc. She can watch movies in the car and she lays on her stomach on her bed (would be most uncomfortable for me) and watches The Lord of the Rings movies for the millionth time. Think she has all the lines memorized now, by the way. I don't "get it" what the attraction to those movies is, but she's "happy".
Today, I have a busy day, but I must make time to exercise. I have a morning meeting that I have to get out of the house early for and will have to squeeze in treadmill time later in the day. Hope that works out for me as I know I must do this five times a week, as I determined to keep my goal for the month.
Two days a week I can "forgive" myself and not exercise, period.
Tomorrow, we expect a snowstorm, so I think I will get plenty of exercise shovelling snow!
OK guys, what healthy things are WE eating today.... care to share????
Linda

HI, only me again. Well, the stuff I eat today won't be too bad at all, considering its WI tonight, I am eating, right now, a wholemeal pitta, with some wafer thin ham and a little half fat cheese. I love cheese. I don't care what kind of diet I'm on, I just can't live without it, and if that means having to have the low fat stuff to make that possible then so be it. yummy.
I took AJ swimming, he yelled the place down for the full half hour session, so that was fun! I think it was a mixture of a new venue, new people etc, and also not being used to me not being with him in the pool. Hopefully he'll be better next week - especially as I have paid for the full course in advance!
Linda, the 'Lord of the rings' thing, has me a bit baffled too. I have seen them all, and although I did enjoy them, sort of, they were just about an hour and a half too long each. Great effects, great actors and location, just too darn long. Maybe its just me.
Oh, did Jamie get to WI as well this week? I've been wondering how she was doing. I know you said the other day she has 'fallen off the wagon' quite a bit over Christmas, but didn't we all? Hopefully, she is starting to get back to normal now, and when back at school, maybe the old routine will kick in again.
Ok, off again now, take care.

Thanks so much for all of the kind words, everyone! It means a lot My husband emailed today from Iraq. Short & sweet email

I went to my VERY FIRST WW meeting this morning!! I was SO nervous, but I did it!!! Yeah!!! People were super friendly, and I came home with all kinds of reading materials We got the "Winning Outcome" sheet today, too. I was coming up with all kinds of brilliant ideas for min! LOL!

Did the initial WI, and it was pretty much what I thought it would be. I've stayed OP today, but I'm trying to play catch-up with my water a bit tonight... So I'm sure I'll be needing the bathroom first thing in the morning! *Smile*.

After the meeting I stopped in at Cub Foods in Eau Claire, WI. They had the WW Smart Ones frozen entrees on sale 10 for $10. Great deal!!! (Not including the carb-specific ones and the "Bistro" varieties).... Still a lot to choose from! It's an in-store coupon. Not sure if it's a regional thing or not, but certainly something to look in to. The frozen meals I don't like to rely on, but when I get in a time crunch, it's nice to have the points laid out for me, and have something ready to go.

Hope everyone is doing well this week!!

Sandi, those meals are great for those "time crunch" times, I agree. However, I have grown kind of tired of them over time. Just so you know, Lean Cuisine has ww point values on the side of their cartons as well. My WW leader said to not get too relianit on frozen prepared ww and other types of entrees as you must learn to eat properly on your own. But, I resort to them from time to time and it's so nice to have the portions under control already. I do find the average frozen meal is just not enough for me, as I am a volume eater. I make up and freeze large quantities of the ww Garden Vegetable Soup (in the week one booklet) and then microwave those to go along with a lunch, it helps to fill me up with this zero point soup!
Dawny, I hope AJ gets his act together the next time. If not, withdraw him as he's obviously not ready to be seperated in an environment like that. If you talk to the place, though, you might be able to switch off the pre-paid fees to some water/pool time for yourself? Just an idea.
Jamie gained and she was secretive and wouldn't tell me how much, which was weird. I think she's having a hard time. It wouldn't surprise me if she took a break from ww and put on all her weight again, in awhile. I would be sad, but I have "been there" and understand that the lure of the good food that you miss can be overwhelming at times. I hope she sticks with it, she's done so well.
I blew it yesterday and didn't do a work out, so that means I am going to try to double up on my exercise today (punishment?). I got really busy, it was just one of those days. I need to take time to place my needs in front of other activities, though. I need to make my continued success with weight loss more of a priority.
As a mom, I tend to put everyone else's needs ahead of mine lots of the time.
Oh yes, yesterday, eating wasn't all that good either, the meeting I went to had banana bread and fruit cake. I ate.... I still can't regain total control (not that I ever had it???) post holiday. I got used to being a "bad girl"! Yet, at least I have flex points and journalling and water is working out.
Today, I plan on making a new recipe from a new cookbook I got for Christmas. The cookbook is called "Fix it and Forget It Lightly". It's all crock pot recipes and they are Light! I hope it comes out ok. The first recipe I made from this was not a family "hit", but I can't judge them all by that one. This one uses boneless chicken breasts, marinated artichoke hearts, canned tomatoes, etc. I think everyone might like it???
Dawny, I love cheese as well. It's hard to leave it out of my life, sometimes. I do find that Laughing Cow Lite cheese wedges my saviour though! I have two pieces of lite toast spread with one wedge of this cheese for breakfast quite often, I have been having this with a half grapefruit for a lovely 3 point breakfast!
I sometimes will have it for lunch, on other days, with soup. It's creamy and doesn't taste low fat!
Linda

Hello everyone. Just a quick note since I am behind on a ton of work! I was home sick yesterday, and am starting to think I should be home now. Some sort of stomach bug that is going around. But, I had to try to come in today. If I get worse, I will go to the doc and then home.

So, I didn’t go to WI last night. But I checked the scale at home and I think I am doing okay. This sickness has definitely purged my system for me! Ew…

Dawny – hope WI went well!

Hey girls!

I'm so sorry I've been absent for so long, I'm so stupid I missed the new thread! So, a belated happy new year to everyone!

I'm not feeling well today, TOM has arrived and I'm staying home in fear of fainting again, so I've resorted to comfort eating. In fact, I just had some ice cream! I know it's not good, but I ate it.... I've been good for the past couple of days though, but my scales have broken and I haven't got them back yet so I don't know the damage from the holidays, or how much I weigh now. I'll report back with my weight status when I get them.
I'm also busy right now with uni exams and stuff, so I'll do my best to post here as soon as possible!

Sorry it's a quick post,I've read your previous ones, Linda, Mel, Dawny, I hope you're all doing well and keeping strong. Welcome to any new "losers"!!

Take care ladies, bye for now!

Can't stop, just reporting last nights WI, 1.5#gain unfortunately. Oh well, the fact I got into a size 10 skirt the other day for the first time ever kind of makes up for it!
Back later.

Hi! I'm sort of new. I've had my own small board for over a year so thats where I spend most of my time catching up with friends, but we all know when it comes down to it you NEED support from people doing the same things you are. Anyway, in my siggy you see pictures of me and you also see I've lost and gained on Low carb diets. I had a total hysterectomy and have since gained so much weight. I'm bigger in new places and so it looks worse to me than before. You see in the first picture I look bigger than I do now but thats because everything has dropped. Boobs are huge and they hang, my belly fat has also dropped. I hate the way I look and I am determined to get in shape before I turn 40. That gives me a little over 2 years. I have joined Ladies Choice gym and I also have the new XBOX Yourself Fitness Trainer game, "Game" if that's what you call it. I work out with a trainer on it 6 days a week. She keeps track of my progress etc. I've come to the conclusion exercise is the key for me, maybe the scales won't change all that much but my body is already taking shape. I look forward to getting to know you all better.