Being off for 1+ weeks and the posts really pile up don't they? I see we have several lost sheep returning to the fold. Welcome back ladies.
I also see a ton of new members. Welcome, welcome. I hope you all will stick around with us. This is truly one great place to be to find support both through the thick and thin. Of course I find myself in the thick part of it right now but I am ready to go.

Like many of the others I took a month or two off to allow myself to pack on more pounds and am now at 287.5 (I had figured on around 285). I am attempting to forget the fact that I lost almost 70 pounds in 2004 through early 2005 and am instead treating this as the first time I lost weight and instead taking the knowledge I've learned from both losing and gaining and use it to move forward this year.

For Christmas I got Yourself Fitness which I'm enjoying even if she really works my butt and a generic Foreman grill that will help me to cook for the whole family. I'm bringing my old one to work since we have a kitchen.

Although I don't have the yippee I'm doing the dance all over the place I do feel good about what I need to accomplish and how I'm going to get there.

Here's to 2006 and it being a great year!!!!

Dawnyal,

You have a great attitude about starting new instead of thinking of it as re-losing the original weight. You've been here faithfully, through good and bad updates (I've lurked and followed everyone's stories, just didn't post myself) and I think you've kept a great attitude and you've never really given up the fight like I did so you're one step ahead right there!

Keep thinking positive because that's half the battle!

We're in the same boat, Dawnyal!

But we're ready to go, and it's gonna be great!

xoxo
Linda

Dawnyal, I like your attitude. I know you can do this!

Absolutely, you've done SO well. I always love your posts. You're funny, real and supportive. Here we go!

Hi Dawnyal,
Yes...we absolutely can do this!!!!! I'm fairly new here but already...I've felt sooooo welcomed by everyone..it's great!! I fell off the bus during the holidays and I feel bad about it but I know I can take all the dedication and knowledge I've learned losing the first 70 pounds...and apply it to the last 40 pounds!! It sounds kind of silly...but I think the upcoming summer is going to be a real motivator for me!! Last summer..I had lost some weight but I obviously wasn't anywhere near where I wanted to be.....now I think about this coming summer (which is weird because there's a couple of feet of snow on the ground right now..lol) and I can almost start visualizing myself at goal...in the cute shorts, cami's,etc...it's so exciting for me!!!! My overall goal is to be healthy....especially with my dad's recent heart problems,etc...he has gotten on the healthy wagon and is doing cardiac rehab and has lost 28 pounds already..I am so proud of him!! If he can do it, I can do it, we all can do it!!!! I am so happy that I found y'all here...I'm really looking forward to doing this with you guys.

Ok..take care...
HUGS

Good to see you Dawnyal! I'm sorry that the holiday creep caught up with you, but I'm glad to see you back!

WB Dawyal! Sometimes we need time off from this dieting/lifestyle change.. it can be all consuming! I have taken the last 3-4 weeks off from dieting, exercise, even posting, mostly due to a sickness that really knocked me on my butt. I look forward to being healthy again. I can't even remember what my normal voice sounds like! heh. You always have a great attitude tho, and like Ingrid said, it's half the battle! I feel in my bones that 2006 is going to be a big year!!

-Aimee

Welcome back, Dawnyal!!!

::raises hand:: another one in the same boat. you can do it dawnyal.

I'm with all of ya! In the same boat... Our boat's getting a little heavy now don't ya think? :hehe: Time to lose some weight so we don't sink.... K' I know i'm cheesy, but we are all in the same spot right now...and let's work at getting out of it together!

I've missed you Dawnyal...

i love reading your posts Dawnyal! no matter how crappy a mood i'm in, i always feel better after reading them.

It's good to see you back, Dawnyal. You've got such a great attitude.

I've been losing and regaining the same half dozen pounds for a while now, and it really has to stop.

I don't have that mega-enthusiasm either, but we don't really need it, do we? I mean, I don't get all excited and pumped up at the prospect of brushing my teeth, but I still do it because it needs to be done. Same with looking after my body, I guess.

2006, the Year of the Chicks (and Roosters).

Dawnyal, it's good to see you back at it. You really do have one of the best attitudes I've ever seen (and manage to be funny and real at the same time - ha!).

Just want to let you know that I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS. My only word of advice at this point is along the lines of what DishyFishy said, you can't count on the "motivation" all the time so concentrate on building the habits. Then once you start to succeed, it gets MUCH easier. I have faith in you!

Here's to a great 2006!

Dawnyal, you have been well missed! It's great to see you. We are all start fresh. We are all looking forward, not back