This week has been a flury of folks who are struggling. I am among them. Everyone is being very supportive, and that's great. But I wonder...what can we do, here as a group, to help out?

I don't think the monthly challenge is the answer, some people hate to count (jen - ). What if we take the thing that we are struggling with the most, and state it here and report daily on how we are doing with that one thing. Maybe that will make us accountable, yet not have to be perfect with all things?

Ok, me first...I am supposed to be counting calories, but...I am just winging it. So starting tomorrow, I WILL log all the calories of what I eat.

Anyone else?

That was my plan yesterday to post something along these lines. About how when we are struggling we tend to not want to post anything, trying instead to tough it out on our own. For whatever reason we are ashamed or embarrassed that we may be failing and not want to post it. I think that is the time we should be posting the most because I'm sure everyone has felt the way I have at some point or another.

My goal for tomorrow is to just get through the day. I won't be coming in to work and am taking the day off to build a bed, bake a cake and take some ME time to relax. We're having pizza for dinner and I'm just going to concentrate on making my brekky and lunch and snacks as healthy and get back on track Thursday.

I would say that last week I struggled with getting enough exercise. Where I had been doing WATP 3 mile every morning AND at least a 4 mile walk in the evening, last week I ONLY did the morning workout 3 days of the week and no walking. So I would like to get myself back into routine (only a little more reasonable because I think I had worn myself out). Yesterday I did my morning workout but no walk. Today I did the workout and will go on a 1 mile walk this evening and try to keep it up all week.

I'm drinking 30 oz of water before every meal and 30 oz with each snack for a grand total of 180 ozs a day (at least). This isn't hard for me because I'm a big water drinking anyway but if I make it a habit to drink it before I eat, I don't eat as much or as fast.

Okay... I'm struggling with most everything so I'll conquer it one thing at a time. I'm going to try to get all my water in first. (And as a direct result, my exercise will increase cause I'll be running to the potty more!!!!) <---- does that count as exercise, ya think?

I'm struggling with the last 15 pounds. I've been maintaining for a while with the intention of really concentrating on strength training. I wanted to see how close I could get to the body that I want and then lose whatever weight was left. The problem is that I'm lollygagging around and not really doing either one.

Certainly there is nothing wrong with staying at the weight I am but it isn't where I want to be and I know it. But I'm just happy enough not to want to do anything about it.

I'm still doing everything I always have- counting calories, measuring and weighing my food, exercising regularly. So, it isn't as if tightening the reigns is going to be a pain in the butt or anything. I'm already going through the motions.

I need to buckle down and get to goal. That means cutting my calories back to a losing level and kicking my exercise routine up a notch. I am going out of town with my oldest son this weekend. Since I won't be feeding the whole family it is the perfect time to focus on MY eating. Hopefully, I'll be able to use those three days to get the ball rolling.

Well, I joined Curves today. My goal is to GO tomorrow. I'm very excited, I think it will be a quick half an hour. (And I'm so cheap that you better believe I'll be going and getting my $40/month worth!!!)

My problem has been getting in the exercise. I have great intentions but it seems like something has always come up in the last little while that has kept me from doing it. My goal this week is to fit in 30 mins of exercise a day.

~Dee

Ok everyone!! Today is a new day...let's make a change!

210 - Mint Zone Perfect Bar

For me, it is keeping on plan and not doing side trips to the grocery store to pick up food that will make me fail (chocolate being the big one).

I am supposed to be writing down everything, planning out my meals, exercising. I haven't exercised in a week- but I am working on a gym membership possibly curves.

All I am doing is reminding myself I am going to WW to lose weight not gain. I have this weird feeling I'll have another gain this week. Maybe that will wake me up.
for now I am not going to do anything. I have a date in mind - I promised myself I wouldn't quit until at least february. I will continue until that time. I'm considering now a hiccup.

Hi everyone, reading this thread put a lump in my throat. I know how you feel, I've been there, even recently.

The first thing I do is ask "what am I willing to do today?" Some days, the answer is "nothing" some days, it's I'll drink the water, go for a walk around the block, write things down, usually I can get things going from there. My old WW leader used to say, if you're driving down the road @ 65miles/hr, you have to slow down before you turn around... it also applies to weight loss.

There are other days, when I hear myself whining, and I have to challenge myself to not listen to the committee in my head, and as Nike says "Just Do It!".

You almost have to take your weight-loss temperature before you decide how to proceed. This morning, I didn't want to go to the gym, I was too sore from working out yesteday and Monday, but I did and I felt great for doing it!

The bottom line, this is not easy, but it's definately worth it!

Have a great day everyone!

Thanks, Sandi! I love this idea.

It's funny, with this weight loss effort, sometimes I feel like I need the drill sargeant , sometimes I need the cheerleader , and sometimes the hug (ie, the weepy, pms days)

I won't be coming in to work and am taking the day off to build a bed

Wow, Dawnyal, you're building your own bed? you're a woman with many tallents.

For me, it is keeping on plan and not doing side trips to the grocery store to pick up food that will make me fail (chocolate being the big one).

I'd have to say this is probably the goal I should shoot for too. I've been doing well this week, but I definitely have a habit of falling into the chocolate zone. It's one of my biggest challenges.

That's exciting about the Curves membership, Apryl. I always hear good things about it.

Great idea Sandi. I think the 'struggle" has been expressed for awhile now. I remember similar posts earlier in Oct I think. I was wondering if it was a common theme or an unusual occurance. Dawnyal mentioned "stuggling on our own and not posting". I do post sometimes when I'm struggling, but end up feeling whiny. Some of us who posted on this thread were trying the SBD thing as of last week. I find it just doesn't work (Phase 1) with my life and I end up feeling rotten. I'm also frustrated b/c I haven't lost even tho fitday indicates I should (PMS though). I'm modifying a little to cope vs. all and out quitting. With the new resource on 3FC for calorie counts , etc I think I want to try the cal. counting option while paying attention to carbs/fats. Fitday has been a real eye opener but I often can't find what I've eaten on it. Overall - I'm doing better than I was in the earlier fall but it's a daily (or even moment by moment) decision to make the healthier choice. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. My small step for right now is to make each meal a "choice" - good or not so much so - at least it will be a conscious decision vs. mindless/panic eating.

I used to feel like you guys are feeling right now and I don't know why or how but I finally have it all figured out for me.

I drink lot's of water, including green tea which seems to take the nibbly feeling away.

I have realized that I have to get rid of what I call "the buffet mentality" I do not need to eat large volumes of food in order to get the most from my points.

I eat cooked veggies or salads as snacks and have stopped cooking for more people than we have in the house.

I eat everything I want to eat, including real potato chips and chocolate.

I pay attention to my body (listen for a big deep sigh) and stop eating when I am satisfied not full. If I have food left over I wrap it up and have it for a snack later.

I take small bites and wait for 10 seconds between each one.

I have realized that eating properly takes no more effort that eating poorly. I still have to make dinner and shop, I just do it a little differently.

I have been following the WW flex plan for 7 weeks now and have lost 24.8 pounds and have not felt like I used to when on a "diet" I don't feel the urge to eat volumes of cheetos and chips and to eat constantly and I don't feel deprived because I know I can fit the foods like that into my day whenever I want them. Strangly this seems to have made the desire to have them go away.

I am not saying that through this journey which I expect to take 2-3 years I won't stumble and fall and forget some of these things I have learned. I don't think I will but I have been wrong before.

I just wanted to share this in case it helps anyone and because I feel so good and I want you all to feel the same way.