Good morning everyone

We drove over a hundred miles each way in the rain yesterday to go to our area rally. We all had a good time. My DIL got an award for losing the most weight during the summer in our chapter and our poster took a 3rd place ribbon. We used the phrase "Tops is the only group of friends who enjoy seeing less and less of each other" and the poster had pictures of people doing things together and exercing, etc. The theme of the rally was "Team Spirit". Most people thought of sports as team spirit.

Summer...... We wanted to do the western theme for an open house also. There is so much you can do with that. However, our fall is just too busy to have an open house. We had the rally this month to get ready for, and a garage sale planned for Oct., to earn money for SRD. So, we were thinking of having it in Jan. A lot of people are more interested in joining after the holidays. And we thought line dancing would be a good program, if we can find someone to demonstrate or teach it. Also, checkered tablecloths would fit in with the theme.
On the Christmas challenge, to edit your post, bring up your post, click on "edit" at the top of the post, update and save your changes.

Some of those articles on ediet make good motivational programs for meetings. I used one of Julia Haveys before and it went over good at the meeting. I'm going to hang on to last week's to use later. Also, there was one by Susan Schwartz on "10 ways to handle your hunger" that could be used as a program.

Hope everyone has a good Sunday. Keep trying girls. Losing weight IS worth the effort.

Nita

Hello everyone!
No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! I've been doing awful with the weight loss and I know it's because I'm unmotivated. My business is starting to get off the ground so I've been really busy with that and of course the family. Hopefully with writing this down and having people hear will put that foot in my rear! Really need a boost guys, help! I have to start to exercise again. I feel so much better when I do.
We have only been weighing in with TOPS (at a members house) because the meeting place is on base. And with everything going on, only authorized people are allowed on. I think we are going to have the meetings at my house until we find a suitable location. Not sure what will happen with that.
I hope everyone is doing well. Been thinking of each and everyone of you!
Take care!

Hi Guys,

I haven't had a chance to post but I have been reading. I haven't been doing well at all this weekend....I have to try to do better. Next weekend is Thanksgiving so.......another eating weekend.
My aunt is coming to visit so I am hoping that will help me. She eats healthier than I do and I will have less time to my own devices to just eat. I shouldn't be eating from boredom. I will be off for two weeks after tomorrow so am looking forward to that.
It is cool here this morning. It is supposed to warm up so that will be great. Took the dogs to the park yesterday and we walked for quite a bit.....it was really nice.
Nita........ Sounds like you had a good time at the rally. Congratulations to your DIL for her award and to your chapter as well.
Shelly....... I have been struggling too. I know you can do it. It has been suggested to set up an appointment to exercise like you make other appointments. I don't do that but maybe it would help you. I hope you can find a good place for your meetings. I know that helps too.......to have meetings and not just weigh in.
Eleni.......... Glad the pills are working. I know you have been struggling and I hope this helps you out a lot.
Sherri and everyone else...... Hope you are all doing well.

I better go. I have to get some things done today and tomorrow to get the house ready for my aunt coming. Hope everyone has a great day.

Bye for now.

Marie

Marie,

I know you can get back on track. You have your new group to help you through also. I hope all is going well with that. Also I hope you enjoy your visit with your aunt. I thought it was early for thanksgiving. Do you celebrate it early or is it always this time every year?

Hi shelly,

It must be hard not to be able to meet in your normal place. I am sure you will find a suitable place to meet. That is great that you are offering your house as a meeting place in the meantime. We meet in a church and I know eleni meets in a library. Maybe you could check into those kinds of places in the community. You can turn yourself around. Start exercising again. I did last week. It makes a difference.

Nita,

Sorry it had to rain on you guys. But I am glad you had great time. Was the rally really motivating for you and the others. I have never been to a rally and I am going to ours at the end of the month. We have a theme of halloween and we all have to dress up. We are going as the good food choices and the bad food choices. We are dressing up as a team. I am going to be one of the good food choices. There are going to be 7 of us going. I am excited about it. I just have to come up with a costume. I wanted to be grapes and use the balloons as the grapes and attach them all over me. But I can't figure out how to do it. So I am still thinking about what to be. I could use some suggestions if anyone has them. We also did an open house last year well this year but in the winter. I put a lot of work into it and no one came to it. I was very disappointed. But you are right I think that the best time to do it is in jan when people are ready to make that committment. We have had 5 new members in 3 weeks. So our chapter is finally growing. It is nice to have the new members. Also motivating to do better to show them that tops really works. That is another reason why I am back on track again to.

I had a great weekend food wise. I actually stayed within my points all weekend. I am so proud of myself. Tonight we didn't eat until late like 9pm. I could have just gotten mcdonalds but I didn't. I got my daughter a happy meal and had 2 nuggets out of it. Then tonight I got a 6 inch wheat sub with turkey, ham, lettuce, tomato and pickles with mustard and no cheese. That kept me under my max for the day. Plus I had a lot less fat because of the choice I made. I also had some popcorn after the 1/2 sub. I am full now. With my water and all. I have been drinking my 64 oz a day again also.

I did get depressed today and maybe it helped me stay on track tonight and get more determined I don't know. But I was putting pictures away that I just picked up today from our trip and from before that. Looking back at those pictures I was looking great in june and then I started gaining weight. I can see it in the pictures. I never noticed it that much until I looked at the pictures. So I got determined to lose this weight and not look like I do now. But it was depressing knowing and seeing how great I looked with less of me then gaining it back over the summer. I don't know why I let myself go like I did. But I have to be careful of that in the future.

So here's to a great weekend on plan for me. It is the first weekend on plan for the whole weekend for me in a very long time. So I am so proud of myself for it also. I am going to keep it up. My scale is up again 3 lbs but I am not worried because I know it is water weight I lost with the hollywood diet so I expected to put back on some of it when I started eating. As long as I don't put it all back on. Which I won't because I am making healthier choices now so I can lose. Plus I am exercising again to. So I should have a great loss this week again.

Talk to you all tomorrow and keep up the great work.

If anyone knows how to get the subscription of the ediets articles can you let me know. I know that they are very motivating. I used to get them now I don't.

Sherri