Hi all,

A friend of mine from work and I have decided to join weight watchers. Our first meeting is tomorrow. She used to belong to WW a few years back and lost 65 pounds. She's gained about 20 of it back and would like to loose it and get in shape again. I have always wanted to try WW, but didn't want to do it alone, so I think this will really work out for us. Plus, there isn't a registration fee right now, so that is another reason for joining now.

Hannah and I enjoyed the concert. She was (for the most part) an angel the whole time, and we had really good seats compared to the expo the week before. We were 11 rows from the stage, and could actually see what Josh Turner looked like. With the exception of about 2 songs she didn't know, she enjoyed all of it, and sung her little heart out when he performed "Long Black Train," "Me and God," and "Your Man." When we were leaving, we turned down a road that went behind the concert hall, and she got to see his tour bus. I joked with her that we could hang around for awhile and see if he came out. She was all for it, but I wasn't about ready to hang around a city I didn't know at 10 p.m. at night with a 7 year old. Now, when I was 18, no problem. I would of thought that was the best idea in the world. Am I just getting old? lol.

I am proud of myself today. I started off drinking water at work instead of pop, but did end up switching to pop. I had a small cup of regular Coke at lunch, then bought a diet Pepsi. And, since I got home, all I have drank is lemonade sweetened with Splenda (a generic version of Crystal Light). Might not be water, but at least it's not pop. I usually have a glass of that with me always. I don't really like diet pop, but the diet Pepsi was better than Diet Coke (I can't believe I just said that!!). I'm not a water drinker. I have never cared for water unless I'm extremely hot and thirsty. Then it has to be ice cold for me to drink. And, I don't like flavored water. They never seem to have enough flavor for me. But the lemonade I have is so good, and takes care of the sweet craving I have. No calories and no fat, so better than nothing. Maybe I will just try to increase my water intake a little each day.

My biggest problem is here at home. I do so good not to snack at work. I drink my Slim-Fast shake for breakfast, and have a Slim-Fast snack bar and milk on my first break. Then a decent lunch, but once I get home, I have a tendency to pig out at supper, then give in and have some kind of fattening snack with everyone else in the house. Tonight, I had a small amount of ice cream, but when that wasn't satisfying to me, instead of getting into the chocolate chip cookies, I had another snack bar. Now, I'm fighting of the urge for chocolate.

Well, that's it for now. I will try and post again tomorrow and let you all know how the WW meeting went.

Take care,

Kim

To all: Thanks for the welcome. You guys are very encouraging! I've been doing pretty good keeping to my diet. Exercise seems to be going OK too. I worked out 5 days of last week. If I can keep this up, I should be in good shape for my next PT test.

Sharon: I actually live in Springfield, OH and work on area B at WPAFB, which is right by Beavercreek (too funny). It's quite a drive from home, but my husband works on the north side of Columbus, so we split the commute. He drives further, but I drop one kid off right between Huber Heights and Beavercreek and one off in downtown Dayton, so it takes us about the same time to commute. I'm an operations research analyst, but right now I'm a student. The Air Force has it's own graduate school at WPAFB, (Air Force Institute of Technology). It's one of the best kept secrets in the Air Force...getting paid to go to school full time. (If only that made the studies easier...:dizzy: .)

Kim: Have you tried soda (sparkling) water? I really like that when I'm in the mood for soda. I used to drink alot of diet soda, but read a book about how bad the artificial sweeteners are for your health, so am terrified to drink those anymore. The soda water is a good alternative for me.

Jen,
Thanks for the tip about going to school while in the AF. It's nice to know
that sort of thing is possible. Another similar tip is that you can get paid
to get a grad degree in a science-engineering field if your educational
project includes being a research assistant for a professor.

What is your upcoming 'PT' test? Is it a combination of bodyweight/
bodyfat and strength/fitness, or is it simpler than that?

Kim,
Not sure if this might help you, but sometimes I go to bed really
early to avoid the evening munchy syndrome, and then I just wake
up earlier. It's not great for my social life, but at this point it's
a price I'm willing to pay to get things moving in the right direction.

Good luck everybody!

Determined,
Lisa

Lisa: The "new" (just the last 3 years or so) PT test is 100 points broken down in the following:

1.5 mile Run -- 50 pts
Ab circumference -- 30 pts
pushups -- 10 pts
sit-ups -- 10 pts

You need 70 to get a marginal, 75 to get a good, and 90 to get an excellent. Anything below 75 gets you into the "program". I did "good" in everything but the ab circumference, so officially, I failed the thing. (and the ab circumference isn't adjusted for height and I'm tall...)

The run is scaled so that you get max points at 11:54 (for a female over 30), I usually only get 40.5 points (just under 14 minutes). I usually max the sit-ups (42 in a minute) and get about 8.25 points on pushups (25 in a minute...it takes 40 to max it). The ab circumference is where I get hit badly. Last test I only got 3 points (yes, 3!). I think the person who taped me did it badly, I could feel the slack in the tape, and it was about 2 inches bigger than what I usually tape, but they counted it. In order to max it, I need a 29 inch waist! (I didn't even have that when I was 18 and skinny!) I had a practice test on Monday and I taped 1.5 inches smaller, which would have gotten me over a 70 if it had counted, but of course it didn't... Oh well, need to lose weight anyway, so being in the "program" will give me the "I'm *^&*'ed off so I'll get in shape just to prove a point" mentality I need to finally beat this thing...:p

Anyway, that's the AF PT test in a nutshell.

Jen,

Thanks for the summary. That's a bummer about the slack in your
ab measurement, but at least you get a chance to improve and retest
before they threaten your job.

I'd fail that test if I took it today, but it's a simple, general fitness
target to aim for. I'll write it down.

Lisa

Hi all,
Well I went to my Weight Watchers meeting and for the 6 weeks I was gone gained 3 1/4 lb, so that wasn't too bad considering me being gone so long, cooking for Tracy and her husband, while I was helping with the new baby, and going to Michigan for hubby's Mom's Birthday Party and everything else going on. So I will take that and try to work on getting to where I want to be this summer. :dancer:

CJ-Just don't give up, with all you have been doing the weight is sure to start coming off when your body is ready. You are a real go getter, don't think I can even do that many miles in one day. GO CJ! :cheer:

KimV-Glad you and Hannah enjoyed the concert. So you are joining Weight Watchers? I love it and you will love that program as I do. It is so easy because you can fit one of the two plans into your life style and it is a lifelong program you can live with. :broc:

Jen-Oh my gosh, that is funny that you are near Bevercreek. What is the Ab Circumference? Is that where they measure your AB's? But you say they don't adjust anything for your height and weight? That hardly seems fair. But that counts for 30 points, which is a lot I think for that. :whoo:

Lisa-That is a great idea about going to bed early so you don't snack all night. Plus you can always use the sleep too I would think. :yawn:

Well better get off here. I think I am going to Illinois on Monday to see my cute little Grandso for a few days, he is one month old now and I am missing him so much, so I want to go back again for a few days. Boy do I sound like a Grandma or what? Only thing is they say he cries ALL the time, who knows maybe colick, but I think she could use the help and a break and I can take over for a while with Tyler. Let Grandma hold the crying Grandson for a change. LOL :cry:

Well guys better get off here, take care and talk to you later. Love you, Sassy Sharon

Another trick I use to avoid night snacks is I brush, floss, and swish
with strong mouthwash after dinner and BEFORE I sit down for
TV or internet or whatever. Firstly, the lingering taste doesn't go
well with most foods. Secondly, I'll have to brush my teeth again if
I eat again, and that's a tiny extra incentive not to eat. That's not
a big incentive, but every little bit helps when I'm on the edge.

Lisa

Lisa-Good idea, I have done the same thing, brush my teeth and that way I know it is the end of the night and the end of my eating for the night too. Glad you posted about it.

Any one have any more idea's to stop the snacking for the night? Post and let us know.

Well I decided not to go to Illinois till tomorrow to see Tracy and the baby, we were painting my brother, Jerry's room, who lived with us and recently died in July, and are going to make it our computer room and turn the larger computer room into a guest room, complete with a crib for both Tyler and my other daughter, who is due in October's baby. We will paint that room this weekend, I will be back home by than, only staying a few days to help out. She is feeling very overwhelmed, Tyler is colicky all the time, cries a lot and still doesn't sleep well at night. I talked to daughter last night and she was crying and saying it is hard, she doesn't get anything done, the house is a mess and she is so tired all the time. WELCOME TO MOTHERHOOD! LOL So I will go there for a few days tomorrow to help out and do what I can. I miss the little guy, he is now13 lbs, as of when he went to his monthly check up. He eats like a little piggie Trace says and acts like he is getting his last meal on earth. I told daughter, it will get better as he grows up, but right now I think he will be an only child for a while. LOL It will be good to see the baby, he is growing so much and since they live 4 hrs away, I don't want to miss out on watching him grow.

Take care and will talk to you soon, Love you, Sharon

Sharon,

Best wishes to your daughter with her colicky baby. My first was
colicky and I was so overwhelmed and so sleep-deprived. The doctors
said my baby was perfectly healthy, but she did turn out to have some
minor health problems (muscle problem in neck, very allergic to eggs) that
turned out to be the cause of the colic, and she didn't "grow out of it"
until those problems were solved. On the other hand, she did grow
bigger and stronger and more patient and easier to handle, and that
made the problems easier to diagnose. Anyway, if you or she want
to chat about colicky babies, food allergies, etc., I'm available.

My mother lost a bit of weight successfully and she said a big thing
for her was putting some carrot sticks in ice water in the family
room at the start of the evening. For her, the crisp cold carrots
really took the edge off. Not for me, but it worked for her.

Lisa

Good morning all :

Its been a while since I have last checked in here. I have been reading the posts in my email, but just have been too busy or too tired to reply. I have not been eating well. I gave into temptation at work and ate some really bad things. I did not do it every day just a couple days when I was working evening shift and I did not take the time to prepare a lunch at home. Now that the kitchen is open it is a great temptation for me. I dont have as much will power and stamina as I thought. But I will hang in there. This is much harder than I expected.

I have been really busy lately too, and not at home so eating well has been a very hard challenge. I did weigh myself today and I guess I am stuck at 205. I am hoping to get my bike out again this week. I have determined that since I have to be at work at 7 a.m. that I may not actually bike to work for the morning shifts. It takes me 30 minutes to bike there. I am not that much of a morning person to be up early enough to bike to work, shower and then be ready to open at 7. So I figure I will try biking the evening shift and today I will try it for the first time. I am thinking that I will also improve my time once I get some more biking time in. I think that I will continue to look for a gell seat cover or at least a better seat. Who do the bike manufacturers make these seats for. It practically gets lost in my but crack :D Not at all a seat for a full figured woman.

So here I am again. Hoping to get down below that 200 pound mark. It will be a fight to the end but I am still up for it. I think I lost a couple small battles over the last couple weeks but I am still standing and ready to keep up the fight.

Cheers all.....thanks for the support. I will be thin....or at least thinner than I am now.

Dallas

Nighttime Munchies
 

When I really get the munchies at night (and can't afford to eat anymore), I sometimes walk for 20-30 minutes on my treadmill. I don't walk really fast, but the little bit of exercise takes the edge off. Doesn't always work, but sometimes....and even if I do still want a snack afterwards, I have burned a few calories... ;)

Good luck Dallas! You sound really motivated, and that will see
you through.

Some people think that padded bike shorts really help for biking.
I have no experience personally. The only bike I use (the exercise
bike at my condo's gym) has a big chair-like seat -- everything
except armrests.

Lisa

I didn't make it to weight watchers until this week. My weigh-in there was 203.4, which means I have lost about 1 1/2 pounds since my dr. visit on April 20. WW says my "healthy weight" is 117-146, so my goal there is 146. Honestly, I would like to get down to 135, but I am keeping my personal goal at 150. Don't want to get too discouraged. I can always set a new goal if and when I get to 150. I would really like to get down to 150 by next summer for my 20 year class reunion (has it really been that long??:?: ). Is that too much to expect to loose 53 pounds in a year?

Anyway, I actually enjoyed the meeting and do look foward to next week. I have chosen the point system. Unfortunatly, it seems to be a bad couple days to start as I have been over my daily points goal the last two days and had to 'break in' to my extra weekly points. Yesterday was because I was part of an "employee forum" and lunch was provided by the company. It was some kind of past salad, and a chicken wrap (which I have never tried before and actually liked!). I tried my best to figure up how much points that was and hoping maybe I actually over-estimated. As good as both of the items were, I only had one serving of each. I did give in and have a little bit of coke (which I really, really miss drinking), then switched to water.

I am doing a lot better drinking water. Actually drinking 80 ozs. a day. I have started using crystal lite on the go packets, and use that in my first two bottles of water (16 oz bottles) and then drink just plain water the last 2 bottles. WW goal for water is six 8 oz glasses of water a day, with no more than 3 being decaffinated, sugar free drinks like lemonade, etc. I figure 4 and 4 of each should be okay. I am still doing the diet pepsi thing, and drinking lemonade with splenda at home.

thanks for the advice I got from some of you regarding water. I will try that, and the advice on snacking, too.

Talk to you all later,

Kim