Hey there Challengettes...WEEK # 3 - OF THE 2ND WAVE

While there's a lot of uncertainty and fear going around, I've also found, so many who have come together sharing hope and confidence in each other and this country. Someone said to me this morning, " I just went back to remembering what I know I am... and what I know I can do... what others can do. It gave me a sense of balance and hope, and trust."

Interestingly enough, this made me think back to what prompted me to join WW and lose the weight - way back 5 years ago. To what was the Last Straw - and remember what I learned to "do", and now know I can. And to never go back, or give up!

What was your Last Straw??? What pushed you to begin losing weight?

I read one WW story - where a woman's 10-year-old son got up in the middle of the night for a glass of water and found her in front of an open refrigerator door, eating leftover spaghetti out of a bowl with her hands.

Our stories can help us with our resolve to keep at it. They’re a reminder to never lapse into that lifestyle again.

I'll post 'mine' later today or tomorrow, and can't wait to hear yours. Patch

Mine came from the insensitivity of my father in law with whom we were living with at the time. We were eating dinner and he had to get something from the cabinet behind my seat. I tend to like to sit a little bit away from the table so my FIL, who is extremely thin, had trouble going behind my chair. Instead of asking me to move in, he declared, "One of us has to lose weight and it isn't me." I was mortified. Tears came to my eyes. I barely made it through dinner. As soon as I could I ran upstairs and cried my eyes out. The very next day I joined WW and lost 55 lbs. in record time -- about 7 months. This also sped up the process of getting back to a house of our own.

I kept the weight off for 6 or 7 years but then gained it back when we moved here. My son was having extreme problems in the new school district. He was being both emotionally and physically harrassed at school. I was on the phone every day with the principal and my husband and I would rant and rave all hours of the night every night frustrated at not being able to do anything to protect our son. We even considered home schooling but realized with our work schedules that wasn't a viable option. This time the act to get back to WW wasn't so clear. I went back shortly after moving here, but wasn't all that faithfull to program. My weight continued to yo yo. Then this May something clicked. I found a supplement that helped me deal with the stress in my life better and I have been losing weight steadily. I am now down 21 lbs. and have about 30 more to go.

Hey there everyone! I took a week off from my computer. It's good to be back.

My last straw was in January of 2001. I sat looking at the pictures from the vacation my husband and I took over Christmas in the Dominican. There were only two pictures with me in them and both were terrible. Who was the chubby girl? Me? Wow. Something had to be done.

I pondered for two weeks before I finally went to my first WW meeting. That was eight months yesterday - I have gone from a size 16 to a size 8. Woo hoo! Many things have changed.

On another note - I have experimented for the last two weeks - I have stopped journally - yes, I can hear many of you gasp. Crazy? Maybe. I just cannot see myself writing everything down forever. I don't want to live my life that way.

So far it has been just fine. I have managed to maintain which is my goal. All I do each meal and day is to think before I put food in my mouth - I can do that for the rest of my life but I don't want to carry that notebook with me. The journally helped me immeasurably through my journey but I feel confined by it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

K

Kena, we each work this program in a way that goes with our personality and lifestyle. After reaching goal, I was really "good" about journaling for approx. 6 months. Then I hit a wall, and couldn't stand doing it. That lasted about 2 months, until I noticed I just couldn't stabilize and was gaining again. So periodically, I go back to writing it down either in the spiral notebook or onlne for a few months.

I'm so committed - - to losing the weight I gained last year, that I've become pretty rigorous again. Not too much of a surprise hmmmm ? I don't want to see it as "forever", but I have to tell ya right now it's the only way I can stay focused and clear.

However... you need to do what works for you. If you are feeling you need a break, then take one. The tools are always there when you need them. Even if it's just a periodic checkin.

Just starting my weekly tab... seem to be bouncing on the high end of things.

Mon - 17 (banked 6, earned 5 activity pts)
Tues - 30 - 5 (activity) = 25
Wed - 29 - 4 (banked) = 25
Thurs - 27 - 2 (last of banked) = 25
Fri ---- 23 (banked 2 pts)
Sat --- 26 - 1 banked = 25 ( 5 activity pts earned)
Sun --- 25

averaged 24 pts per day

Thanks for the support Patch - I needed that.

My last straw was 5 years ago. I was dating a guy in Oct '97 who invited me to a Halloween Party. Since I had halfheartedly joined this Marathon training group two months prior I "thought" I was getting toned and losing weight and felt healthier. We went to the party and he took photos of me and us - I thought I was 'hot'. He mailed them to me. When I saw what I really looked like, I was mortified. I looked fat, pasty, and 10 years older than I was.

It was about this time I stopped hearing from him. I'm a "closure" kind of gal so I called him and ended up hearing how he decided he wasn't attracted to me. I was devastated, crushed, and then I got angry. It was in its own way the best thing that could have happened. That following Monday I joined Weight Watchers, and started the process of losing 35 lbs.

If not for this incident I probably would have quit the Marathon training, but instead it strengthen my resolve to really prove I could do 26.2 miles (walking). Between the training and the WW program I lost the first 20 lbs and became fit. One month after I finished my first Marathon in April '98, I met my husband, fell in love reached goal in July, and got married in Nov '98 (yes - he pursued the heck out of me and did not want to wait any longer!)

It's been almost 3 1/2 years since reaching goal and although I threw out those pictures, I will never forget how I felt when I saw myself as others saw me. I will never go back to that old, whimpy, former me.

My last straw came in the fall of 1999. I was at a job that bored me to tears, so as a result extra eating "helped" me combat the lack of work I had to do. I knew I had gained more weight since starting this new job & by the fall I could feel my pants getting tighter & more snug.

I weighed myself at home right after the holidays in December 1999 & was shocked and disgusted with the number on the scale. I had gained about 15 additional pounds since starting this new job only 8 months earlier. I was already overweight by about 30-35 pounds, so I faced about a 45- 50 pound loss. It dawned on me that I was about the same weight as when I was 9 months pregnant!!

I joined WW in January 2000 determined to NEVER gain the weight back again. I got back to within 2 pounds of my goal weight in July 2000 & knew I HAD to continue to weigh in & attend meetings as a lifetime member - I hit lifetime back in the late 80s & lost 30 pounds, but never continued to weigh in & the weight came back (plus more!). I decided to work for WW as a receptionist in Aug 2000 & became a leader in Sept 2001. This keeps me accountable & on the straight & narrow.

I found a family picture from 2 years ago & I can't believe how heavy I looked. I show it to members who want to see my before picture - one person asked which one was me in the picture - to her, the old me was unrecognizable to her - quite a shock to me at first, but when I look at it, I can see how maybe she wouldn't know....

I don't ever want to go back to looking & feeling like that person from 2 years ago.

Yikes, is it week 3 already?

my last straw: buying pants about two sizes too big and they were not comfortable, realizing that my boobs were getting in the way of zipping up my pants (side zipping, for those who were getting a really strange vision) and facing the fact that at nearly 35, it wasn't getting any easier.

Well, I am still on my way to losing my weight. I was about 8 lbs away from goal and now am closer to 15. I am not discouraged, but ready to get there and faster than my current rate of .025lbs/month.

Here as I sit in my nearly fattest of my smaller pants, wondering why I am not a goal...

lala

Lala - remember... at least they are your smaller pants.

When we started the first challenge, I was 14 lbs over my ideal weight, and 8 lbs over goal - 135- (which I had set as the highest I "ever" wanted to go) - right. I felt back then (June?) pretty hopeless, until I connected with all you guys. I got down to 132.4 but with vacations, and family / work stress I have gained back up to 136.6... and have been bummed I can't seem to get back to that 132. But I know - not only have I been able to lose it before, so have all of you guys. You keep me focused on hanging in there. And remember, this is not a race... you'll get there when you get there .025/ mo or not.

My last straw was in November 1998 when we I went to the doctor and the scale registered 161...I was almost at the high weight of being pregnant (168) and had "nothing" to show for it. I felt tired, my work clothes were snug and I tried to monitor my weight loss by signing up with a group here at work that was doing weekly weigh ins and I didn't lose, just maintained so in January 1999 I took a deep breath and joined WW. I haven't looked back.

The challenge has really helped me to refocus and keep realistic although I tend to set high expectations of myself and then get on myself for not meeting them. Maintenance/Lifetime is a continuing education course for me and one I'll be enrolled in for the rest of my life

Lala: At least you're not gaining each month. My mom is dealing with the same thing--slow weight loss but the important thing is that you don't give up and you keep looking forward. You're not that far away from your goal and you will make it. Maybe you could set a "date" as to where you'd like to be at that time. Would that help?

Patch: You'll get back to where you want to be. For me it's making the commitment and sticking with it; it's so much easier to slack off and not mark things down (journaling is important in my keeping my weightloss) but it pays off in the end for me. I also find that when I do follow the program I feel better, more energized and actually crave to continue.

The weekends are the toughest for me to manage. Have a great day everyone!

Hi all-

I'm not sure that I am being a model challengette this week. Probably due to my late, but now very much present TOM! Yikes. I'm completely bloated and not very much in the mood to wi tomorrow.

I can't believe that I let myself get up this far again. I remember leaving the 130's and saying I'll never be back- and here I am. Yikes.

Melissa: I have set the goal of Dec. 1 for getting down to 8 lbs. from my goal and then April 1 for my goal. I am really frustrated, hoping that I would be close and then below. My goal weight would be great, but like the rest of the world a cushion of 5 lbs. would be even better.

I am also going to try and talk a friend of mine into starting ww, she has many health problems that have cropped up in the last few years and has gained a goodly 45 lbs. I think she is interested in joining, but probably if I go with her to meetings.

Anyways, sorry for ranting.

lala

130s. What are 130s? I can hardly remember. Here I am stuck in 160s-ville and having spent much of the past four years between 185 and 170. But I am inching down toward you.

Myra darling: I am a munchkin. I should be at 108 and stay there until I shrink down to my final height of 3'6". Unfortunately, I do not have Nancy Reagan's x-ray bone structure, because I would look great in one of her balcienga ball gowns at that weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are doing fabooo if I do say so myself.

lala

lala, have I told you lately that you crack me up. Welcome to the "Dr. Ruth" club. Shrimps of the world unite!