:carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::c arrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::car rot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot:
1kg
:carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::c arrot::carrot::carrot:
thats what we are talking about!!!!!

Ani, sounds like you've already made a decision. Sometimes just making the decision leads to a huge sigh of relief.. hope it makes things easier for you. Maybe with losing the weight as well, and "unwrapping" those layers, you are realising that you don't have to be the martyr and it's okay to do something that's good for you as well as (or instead of) the community. You've done your time by the sound of it.

Lindor, good on you for having a loss, you sound like you're cruising!

Vonni, that's awesome, well done!

Kel, I can *definitely* see a huge difference in your face and neck in the pics!

My tracking etc started again today. I weighed in and I'm back up to 95.5kg. Boohiss.

wow well done on the kilo that is alot for a week :) :carrot::carrot::carrot:

dropping weight when not at home is good too lindor :):carrot::carrot:

today my day was good 30 minutes elliptical and 30 minutes aerobics.. but i went over on my calories.

had a fight with my hubby and ate his chocolate just to be ***** and becuase i was stressed and it was calling me..... EAT ME EAT ME!!! lol :drool:

I need will power lol im on 2042 calories today the chocolate was 181 calories so with out it i would have been fine since im trying to stick to 1800-1900 cals. just shows a little of something can be too much.. lol i had 1 line of cadbury milk chocolate (6 squares )

I have to admit though i enjoyed every square lol...

amy if you are going to eat it you MAY AS WELL enjoy it!!!
i dont know how many times i used to eat the bad stuff really really fast so that i couldnt undo it! so stupid as usually i had to have more coz i had eaten so fast i missed out on the flavour!!
(now i know i can enjoy ANY food i want as long as it fits in with my days eating) (except M&Ms which i am at the moment too scared to have one as i may not be able to stop) (LINDOR are you like that with pringles?)

I'm off for a few days guys. May catch up using my sis comp but..... Happy week :D

Vonni

lol yeah i did enjoy it lol.. but I'm gonna do an extra 20 minutes on the elliptical today to burn it off lol. I usually go on about midday but today ill get on it once my breakfast has gone down and then again at mid day lol.. If i have to work it off i wont do it next time 2 days in a row is not good and i don't want to make a habit of it so ill own it instead and burn it off .. thats my theory and I'm sticking to it lol.. then ill do my aerobic at 1.30 as usual .

Vonni, have a good time...and be good! :p


Now Kel, pringles??? What are they? :p

In the last four weeks I have taught myself the art of 'moderation'. I have been able to live with a fridge full of chocolate stuffs since I received a box full just after Xmas. I have learned that the chocolate I eat today, will taste just as yummy tomorrow...so I can leave some until tomorrow.

So to test myself further, I have bought packets of funsized Picnics, Crunchies, Caramello Koalas and (AND!!!) a packet of Tim Tams!!! Everyday (give or take a few days) for a couple of weeks now, for an afternoon snack, I have treated myself to a cup of coffee with some sort of chocolate! And it has always remained in my calorie budget too!

I haven't gone for the Pringles yet...but I think that is only because I am SICK of the bloody things!!! :lol:

Other savoury snacks that I took away with me last week were treated in the same manner as the chocolate, so I'd like to think I could live with Pringles in my house too.

I received some disappointing news yesterday...normally that would have me reaching for the munchies for comfort. Not this time however!!! I have just kept myself busy with other things! So maybe I am learning things this time around? But, four weeks is really only early days!

I stuck to my goals yesterday, except the exercise bit. I really don't know what to do about the exercise, but I figure if I can lose weight without it then it isn't anything to really worry about just yet. I know my thoughts on that will have to change at some point in the future.

Ani, you appear to have weighed up all the pros and cons of your situation, and I agree that you sound as if you have already made the decision to finish up your business. There will be a grieving period with that, so take care of yourself. Are you going to take a break before taking the next job?

I have a work lunch today. I can be good right?

Have a good day all :)

Lindor I spent most of yesterday in tears, and I know I will grieve. I've given myself until Friday to make the decision officially, and I have made appointments with different people to talk through the issues. I need to be sure.

What will I do? I don't know, and while that's scary from a financial point of view, I see it as an opportunity too. The local paper wants to write a story about me if I decide to end it - and it's nice to be acknowledged for something that people think was important for its time. But I think my time has come.

I'd be very happy to do an ordinary job with a regular income for a while, and I've got some ideas for other stuff I would like to do - a weekly radio show is definitely in the front of my thinking. But we'll see.

Gen what's going on? Were you surprised that you put that weight back on? Do you have a plan, or are you still doing Weight Watchers?

Amy you crack me up :D. I'm glad you enjoyed that chocolate - I always take the attitude (when I eat off plan) that I'm going to eat it slowly and savour every bite. I learned long ago that it's dangerous to flatter food by calling it good or bad.

I'm impressed Lindor that you're incorporating those treats into your daily food. To me it's the best way to go - to live now the way you will when you reach goal!

I met my goals yesterday, and I plan to do it again today. It's really important to me that I am able to stay on plan while I am going through all these changes in my life. It's a really big test for me, and it will give me a very good indication of how much I've learned and changed in the last 18 months.

Hey I forgot to tell everyone this. When I went to the WACA on Friday I sat down next to a complete stranger who was very friendly and chatty. The first thing he said to me (after hello) was: "I'm really glad you're here today. The bloke who sat next to me yesterday was a great bloke - but he was fat and took up half my space". I didn't tell him, of course, that it's the first time I can remember fitting comfortably into one of those seats myself ;). But it was a nice moment.

:)
Ani

its funny how people can start out postive but always turn it in to a negative about other size...
oh she got a pretty face but...
it doesnt matter who you talk to they always turn anything nice said about someone bigger into a negative.. sad really..

Im sorry you are finding it so hard ani , but you know your the only one that can make a such a life changing decision dont let any one else persuade you one way or the other . :hug:for you

It's been a while since I last posted.

My mum's been in the hospital, she gave us all a bit of a scare there. She's doing a whole lot better now, thank goodness.:)

Kel. My kids are 5 and 9 and I've tried to take them walking with me but all they do is whinge about tired legs and sore feet. Definately doesn't work! Your pics definately show a difference all over, well done! :D

Amy. You've got a long way to travel to see your best friend! Mine lives in Mackay and I miss her terribly. And chocolate is evil isn't it! :p

Lindor. Good on you for having all those nice things in your fridge and not letting them beat you. From what you've posted you seem to be really focused.;)

Julia. Are you feeling a little better today? Everything ok? :hug:

Gen. You know you can do this, you've done it before. :)

Vonni. Have a nice time away. Relax, take it easy and get some me time!!:beach:

Ani. I'm sorry that you have to be going through all of this stuff at the moment. Life has a way of giving it to you all or nothing. :hug:

XX
Barb

Not sure how I've managed it but I stuck to my food and water goals today. I didn't exercise, but that's OK.

I'm really sad. Been talking to people about ending my business and many of them are sad about it too - but I'm sure now.

The challenge for me is to keep going with my healthy goals as I go through the process of winding up my business, moving house and finding a job. On one level I feel excited about it all - a whole new opportunity, a new chapter in my life about to be written, and it feels like something wonderful will come of this.

Of course it's scary having no money and no job, but you know what? I know something will happen now that I've made room in my life for new opportunities.

I have had eight and a half wonderful years as editor and publisher of a magazine, and I hope I have done some good. I think I have!

It all feels a bit surreal at the moment, but I am really determined to make positive and lasting changes, even though it scares the **** out of me.

Sorry for waffling, but this is a really significant decision for me. And I have no doubt that it will challenge my weight loss efforts. Guess we'll see how much I have really learned in the coming month or so :).

Wow, Ani what a big decision you've made. I'm sure it'll be the right thing for you and you sound really positive about the future which is great. I wish you the very best and I'm sure that everything will work out well for you :D

Kel, your pics are awesome! I can DEFINITELY see a huge change in your whole face shape. Way to go :cp:

I agree with what you all say about really enjoying it if you go off track with your diet. I had fish n chips for dinner on Monday night and I savoured every last bite :D

I took the day off work yesterday and spent the day vegging around at home. Watched the coverage of Sir Ed Hillary's funeral and am glad that I got to see that.

I'm still not feeling 100%. Feeling more mentally drained than anything and I know that it's a viscious cycle and that while I feel like resting and doing nothing, the less I do the worse I feel so back to work today and I'll go to the gym today even if it is just to walk for half an hour on the treadmill.

One thing I've done today which I'm really wrapt with is that I've paid for my share of our accommodation in New York and San Francisco for my holiday with my mum in June.

Next payday I'll pay for my international flights and from there on in all I've got to save for is my spending money. The end of working nights is in sight!


:twirly:

julia - sorry if you had no inkling for fish and chips until i went on about it! your holiday is going to be awesome!

ani - complete life change is so scary but so exciting, the possibilites are endless - i am so excited for you!!

lindor - this "time" around i have learnt to enjoy all foods and like ani said no food is good or evil so i am going to work my way towards a handful of m&ms i will try pringles on your behalf and tell you if they still taste the same....

Heath Ledger's dead :eek:? Bloody **** - he's only 28!

I got up about 20 minutes ago, and discovered that THREE of my cats had spent the night outside. This housemate's shelf-life has just significantly shortened… significantly!

Going to be on-plan today. And I intend to exercise, which I didn't do yesterday.

A couple of years ago I watched a very close friend go through similar to what I am going through. He ran the local newspaper for many years, but he didn't walk away when he got to this point. He tried to keep going, and I saw how much it hurt him physically and emotionally. He called me yesterday - and it helped clarify things for me.

We had a big giggle (in between tears) about starting up a garden centre together. Pottering in the garden has kept us both sane.

Julia don't underestimate how exhausting it is trying to work two jobs, and how much it disrupts your routine and social life.

I must go for a walk now - it's going to be 36ºC today, so if I don't go now I won't do it.

:)
Ani

i am happy eating almosy anything as long as i have got enough of what i need nutrition wise and i have the calories in my plan to spare lol.. But any food that puts me over the limit is just evil lol.... Some days that one thing is all it takes and then i feel guilty .


Omg i just scrolled down and read Heath ledger OMG:( he hung himself that is so tragic.. poeple think the actors in hollywood are so happy and lucky .. but it shows they are just like us.. such a shame..

Did you guys hear on the news about the women that killed her 7 month old baby? It is my cousin's husband sister..She went to a natrapath that put her on the Atkins diet.. this made her extreemely depressed and she was not coping at all ( before the diet she was fine) but they put it down to post natal it wasn't. she put her son ( that they had a lot of trouble and heart ache concieving ) into the car in the locked garage and tryed to kill herself and him.. he died but her huisband came home from work in time and pulled her out of the car .. :( my cousin is a mess and her kids have just lost the little cousin jacob .I dont know the lady but i feel sad for the family my cousins hubby has only got this lady as a sister.. and his parents are lovely , i cant imagine how they are all feeling my aunt and uncle know them and are very upset.

I had a good day yesturday i was watching oprah and i was realloy enjoyting it . it was about hiding vegetables from kids lol.. i had been on the elliptical for 30 minutes before lunch and decided to go back on and burn off the chocolate lol.. I was intruiged by the oprah and just kept riding lol.. in the end i did 80 minutes and 20 kms all up yesterday on the elliptical .. lol I decided half way through Oprah i was gonna keep watching it instead of going and doing the aerobics at 130 lol. My calories were good yesturday to 1647 so im happy i dont mind if they are a little under but i do mind if i go over lol

wow ani im glad you made your decision,
kiwi a bum day is good sometime especially when you are as busy as you are
barb im glad your mum is getting better:)

Saw the news about Heath Ledger - how very sad. I really feel for his family, especially his wee daughter :-(

Amy where did you see that he hung himself? Everything I've seen on the news sites says possible drug overdose .....

i looked it up and dogpile and read it now however it has chnaged the story on usa today it said the house keeper found him and he had hung himself now it says police found him naked on his bed lol stupid interent

Last I heard Heath had pneumonia - and taking sleeping pills with that is pretty dangerous. His family said it was accidental.

Just been for a 35 minute walk - couldn't do any more than that because it's just too hot out there.

i just heard about Heath, that is awful.
we had the song "cant take my eyes off you" as our walk down the aisle song at our wedding coz of how he sung it in 10 things i hate about you.....
actually i could watch any movie he was in just coz of him......
very very sad, I didnt think Matilda was even one year old

amy that is awful about the little baby that died too.... so sad when they dont have a chance at life

on a lighter note.... i bought new togs today a size smaller!!! target having huge sale so i got 2 pairs one the size smaller and one the size below that THNKING POSITVELY and benji got my old clothes out of the ceiling and the one thing i tried on fits, not game to try some of theother pants on.... will quit while i'm ahead for another week.

had a kebab for lunch today, will decide later if i have a shake or just veges for tea, if i have a shake i will have gone aobut 200calories over again and tomorrow IS weigh in day, and i'm not that hungry BUT had to get benji to stay home today as i had a huge headache and had gone to bed at 7.30pm last night then woke at 10.30ish for a couple of hours so ALL out of whack.

we have a wasp that gets stuck INSIDE the bedroom door... it is so weird.

Go Kel! That's so cool about your new swimsuit! It's a great feeling eh. I've got a pair of trousers that I brought back from the UK with me. They're a UK size 20 which is around a NZ size 18 but seem to be quite a small cut and I was thrilled to find in the weekend that they now fit me :D

I managed to drag my weary bones to the gym last night. Didn't do any cardio at all but I did do my weights. Weighed in and *drumroll please* I've lost another 900g!

:cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb:

Whoot Whoot!

I had a splitting headache all night but managed to go to work and stick it out till midnight and it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared it would be. And it's almost the weekend and we like that.

Have a good one ladies.

:twirly:

:carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot: go julia!!!! :carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot: 900grams is awesome :carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot:

:carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot: i am 82.6kg today that is 2kg since last thursday :carrot::carrot:

not sure if i will make it to the gym today, jemima is sick and even if she seems better i have a feeling she will be sleepy by the time it is time to go...
but i'll drag the dogs for a walk if that is the case.....

gotta go be a mummy now, benji going to work, i've got a headache just thinking about it....

well done on the weight loss girls.. :) i lost a pound on the 20th and have been stuck there ever since lol.. stupid slow weight loss lol..

Anyway i had a great day yesturday i watched my calories carefully because i was gonna make hubby his favourite meal . i had left about 800 calories for dinner last night (shepards pie) and lucky i did . He came home at 4 and said hunny im taking you out for dinner :) ..
you could have knocked me backwards. the last time i didnt cook dinner was my birthday in october last year lol. He took the kids with us and had a great time. We ordered the kids a fish and chips meal to share, i took the batter off the fish do Leah could eat it . chips are ok the worst thing they can have on them is the oil they are cooked in and oil doesnt have preseravtive or food colourings , so pretty safe for her , the batter however could have any combination of crap in it lol..

John got us both chicken snitzel with mushroom sauce.. yum and chips and veg. he also got me a lemon soft drink lol .. ( but i had a plan lol .. i had one mouth ful of the drink to please him thern gave the rest to Cameron lol..) i gave all but a couple of my chips to leah and i ate my veg and half th schnitzel then scrapped the crumb off the rest and shared it between Cam and Leah lol.. The snitzel was as big as the plate lol.. half would have been one chicken breast so that is what i put in fitday lol .. and when i got home and put it all in i was at 1837 for the day woohooo.. lol lucky i saved them cals lol..

I did 30 minutes elliptical and then 30 minutes hi lo workout yesturday morning so it was great day .

John is coming closer to making his mind up about work he went and passed him advanced scaffolding ticket last week and there is a job in Gove NT where they are paying 3 times the rate he gets here. they provide all meals a laundry service and fly you in and out 3 weeks on 1 week off and there is a lake near by where he can go fishing lol.

I will be fine with the kids they are both very good kids and 3 weeks isnt that long before they see him again. the only thing is the job goes all the way until october . so we will have to get used to a very different lifestyle with lots of trips to the airport.(in my car is a problem the airport is 30 minutes from my house lol)

We have one income and its enough for us to get by . but its not enough when something goes wrong. My car is on its last legs and we cant get it fixed.. It is a 1984 ford meteor, the exhaust is stuffed it leaks oil and water and the cv joints are now starting to knock , the wipers and head lights only work when the want too and the front door doesnt like to unlock , If you go anywhere longer then 20-30 minutes it over heats and spits out water lol... So i stay home worried that if i go out i will break down again with 2 kids in the car .. i would a have broken down in it over 50 times in the 3 years that i have had it lol. So if he does the work away he will buy me a newer car with less problems i want a small station wagon , but we will see lol..

So if he does go away and i loose alot of weight one week .. you know i have had to walk home carrying 2 kids from the airport lol..

Well done Julia and Kel - love your work :carrot:!

Amy I feel your pain about driving a car that needs heaps of work. I used to own an old Corolla (a really reliable car in lots of ways but it was way past it). I bought it for $500, had it for 7 years… so I can't complain. But I was never game to go too far in it :).

Good day for me yesterday - 1530 calories, 2.4L of water and a 40 minute walk. Today it's going to be really hot here so I will do a weights session in the airconditioning instead of going for a walk.

Barb what happened with your mum? Is she OK now? And what's happening with your weight loss?

Gen are you on plan this week?

Lindor are you OK?

Well done Julia and Kel!

Ani, I just noticed how close the end of your obesity is - I am *so* proud of you!

I am doing okay this week. I have zero motivation, but I'm doing it anyhow. I even got through the arrival of TTOM without buying chocolate! I have been drinking my water, and stayed within 100 cals of my target every day this week.

So did NOT feel like it today, but I had my PT appointment and now feel better. I also increased my PT appointments for next week to 1 x 30 min and 1 x 60 min. I bought a package of 10 sessions, and my move is coming up so I gotta use them up.

I have a big meet coming up in mid-April in NYC. I help to run a band's website/discussion board and a bunch of the fans from all over the world are getting together for a long weekend. I have met several of them before (some of my best friends) but a lot I haven't. That is my next target for weight loss! It's 12 weeks away, and I would like to be under 88kg (preferably nearer 85!).

Thanks Gen :). At this stage of the week I feel reasonably confident of another drop on Monday - as long as I keep sticking to my goals.

I'm glad you've got some new goals to work towards as well. YAY!

You know, if I had to rely on feeling motivated I don't think I'd lose much weight. Most of the time I do this without motivation - it's why I'm a big believer in writing down my goals every morning, and then working towards them.

A friend emailed me a photo today. It was me when I was 105kg, and I nearly fell over with shock… It's the first time I've really seen me at my biggest :o. Not nice!!!

amy - my hubby a mechanic so if we were in the same state i'd have him over there in a flash to sort your car out!!!

ani - i wish we could see your before and now photos?? maybe you could fuzzy them out like you are a criminal?? hehehehe 5 pounds to go!!

gen - all these other websites i sometimes visit have 12 weeks challenges.... are you up for it??? we should have one...... but i never look into them so i dont know what it involves.... and we all kinda help eachother all through the year anyway.... hmmmmmm maybe we have a challenge that WE ALL DRINK 2L WATER EVERYDAY hmmmmm
3 months for me would bring me close to my birthday end of april so that would be interesting especially after jemima's birthday when i am going to ease up BIG TIME on the optifast probably go to one shake a day maximum two.... or HOPEFULLY i'll be pregnant and that will be an even BIGGER challenge to keep weight off!

ps - ani - we cant show you his face coz he is a dentist, maybe you could do a after shot with your back to the camera.... hmmmm

I'm here! And still well on plan!

I just don't seem to have much to say just now...feeling kinda stuck in a rut with my life at the moment! I feel everything I say and do is boring and not to mention unhelpful.

Good to see you fighting on Gen! The US seems to be happening really fast now!! You must be getting excited!


Ani, it must have been nice once you got over the initial shock of seeing that photo and realising how far you have come? I think you have done well to get this far with all the dramas you have had hurled at you! I hope you keep that photo nearby as a reminder of all the good work you have done for YOURSELF! Well done mate :)

Tomorrow is Friday too, Ani? Are you settled on a final decision yet with regard to where you are going with your magazine and the future?


Kel and Julia, great results! Keep up the good work! :)


Amy, these fly in fly out jobs are becoming very popular! And they pay really well! And I have to admit, it would be my ideal relationship too! Good luck with it! :lol:

That's me for now, gotta hit that sack! Have a good one ladies :)

Holy crap its been AGES since I've been on here! The main reason, being that I've moved to Perth! (my computer only got here two weeks ago and I only just managed to set it up. For some reason it was behind all my other stuff. Stupid work removal company)

Still fat. Still wanting to lose weight. Have a bit more motivation, as my mum's ex best friend dropped dead in November last year, and was bigger than I am. I refuse to die at 38. I'm now going to Weight Watchers (despite the fact I've paid for SureSlim, I have to pay MORE to use them over here! Never using them again) and enjoying it. Lost around 4kg since November. It might be slow, but I'm still losing. Playing softball again (and LOVING IT! Can't believe I forgot how much I loved the game. Also playing indoor netball too, which I'm thoroughly enjoying and its quite a workout in the 40 degree heat with no air con!

Bad thing is, my back issues decided to flare up again. Consedering last time they did (or when I first got them) two years ago, I had to stop playing softball (and I was playing state league at that point) stopped going to the gym and put 20kg I'm kinda terified. It started yesterday and I couldn't work today. I've already been to the physio and I will just keep on trucking. I REFUSE to let this beat me again. I did weights tonight with my PT, even though I couldn't do back exercises. I just need to keep that up and it will come good again. (in all the fuss over moving, I've been slack with the gym, which is where I think the back pains come from) Also, why did no-one tell me about hot packs last time I had back issues? They are made of win!

Having just looked at my counter (and I'd honestly forgot what I weighed) I'd gone back up to 120kg when I went to WW (the second hotel I stayed in had no kitchen in it. So I wasn't eating breakfest and dinner was at their fat filled resteraunt every night. Did quite well to only put on 3kg) Am now 116kg.

These are my goals for '08.

I want to have lost 30kg. I want to be health and happy. I want to be able to RUN fast(er)! (I'll never be fast) I want to only wear one sports bra!

Welcome back RennySue! It's great to see you back here. Great to hear that you're re-committed to your goals and sounding positive. :cp:

Thanks for checking in Lindor. I'm sure that what you have to say is neither boring nor unhelpful so please don't run too far away! :spin:

Ani, I know what you mean about seeing a "fat photo" of yourself. I have a particularly hard time when I see my old measurements. Surely I wasn't that fat!! Er, yes, I was. I just didn't realise or accept it at the time. Great feeling though to see how far you've come.

Kel I like the sound of a 12 week challenge. Most of the gyms around town do them apart from my bloody gym! Drives me nuts as I'd love to do one. A friend did one where the trainers and nutritionists at her gym help you with your diet and with a training programme and she did really well.

Amy it sounds like you're going great guns with your workouts. Awesome stuff!

As for me, I forgot to prepare my bircher muesli last night so am sitting here starving and will go for an early morning tea/late brekky of coffee and a weight watchers muffin at 10.00. Hit the gym last night, did weights and a 20 minute run which damn near killed me but I got through it. Tonight I'll go to the gym and do a 40 minute walk.

Tomorrow night I'm going out for dinner with a friend. She had a night out on the tiles for her birthday a couple of weeks ago and I'm very proud to say that I stayed away as I didn't feel I could be around all those people drinking lots at that stage so we're having a catch up dinner instead. I'm really proud of myself for keeping out of a potentially bad situation and arranging a nice alternative. I bought a copy of Ratatouille on DVD so will watch that at some stage too. If any of you like animated movies and haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Tres cute :D

As each week passes I'm realising more and more that my diet and keeping up lots of exercise has a massive impact on keeping depression at bay. My medication does most of the work but I definitely feel a lot better when I'm exercising daily so my goal is to keep up going to the gym at least 4 times a week and perhaps go for a walk on the other days. It's worth it for my sanity!

Have a great day ladies :D


:twirly:

kiwi it great to hear the exercise is making you feel better :) we took the kids to see ratatoullie at the theatre its a great movie lol.. I will get it when it is cheap on ebay lol...

Hiya sue :) nice to meet you . Moving accross the country could not have been light work do you think it was that , that has made your back flare up?

lol lindor ,, its ok my hubby is nicer to me and appreciates me more when he does work away , he might ignore me at home but when hes away he'll ring and talk to me 2 or 3 times a day lol... sad really i know but its almost easier if he is not here when he is unhappy ans stressed and with his current job he is both of those..

lol smylie my car isnt worth fixing but thanks for the thought .

Ani. My mum had a major asthma attack. They couldn't get her oxygen saturation levels above 80. She had to stay in for three days this time and they only let her out because she wasn't sleeping. She told them if she goes home she'll be able to rest and get better, so they let her come home and she went right back to work. Doesn't seem to matter what we tell her, she still can't see that no job is worth your good health. :(

I had lost all of my motivation back there for a little while. I'd stopped taking my med's and couldn't see the positive side of anything. I felt like I was on a fast ride to...........I don't know where (or would rather not think where), but I'm back on them now and am feeling a lot more stable now.:)

I got a major shock a little over a week ago when I stepped on the scales and saw that I was a glass of water away from being triple figures again. Boy did that scare me into doing something about it! Kids are back at school from Tuesday so the walking starts again then, but for now I'm eating really well and keeping busy.

Kel when I get to 75kg I will post pics of me. Believe me, you wouldn't want to see a 'taken from behind' pic of me yet. Wait until I lose some more weight ;).

Renny Sue welcome back, and welcome to Perth! Are you north or south of the river? What made you come over here?

Barb have you thought about setting smaller goals? The only way I've managed to succeed with my weight loss was to set goals of 5kg. When I first jumped on the scales and saw 105kg I almost fainted, and I felt completely overwhelmed. I didn't believe for a minute that I could lose 35kg - but I knew that if I worked at it I could lose 5kg.

Even now, having done it five times, I still get a bit overwhelmed if I think about how much further I have to go. I'm very close to 80kg now, and when I get there I will set myself another goal; to just lose 5kg. It's the only way I have been able to realistically manage long-term weight loss.

And I have also found that the most important things I can do for myself are to:

• Plan my meals every morning;
• Drink 2L water every day;
• Count calories;
• Even when I don't exercise, to do something that makes me "move" every day. Whether it's housework, shopping, gardening - doesn't matter, as long as it makes me move;
• To be honest and stay here in these forums even when my weight goes up;
• To keep sticking to my goals even when I don't feel like it; and
• To educate myself about food and its relationship with my body.

And I think the biggest change I made in my head was to understand that this is not a diet, and that my goal was to change the way I live my life. Weight loss isn't the goal - it is the means to achieving my goal, which is to feel better, look better and be healthier… and therefore able to do more things with my life.

Lindor the decision is made. The first thing I did this morning was to write a Media Release to let everyone know that I will cease publishing - effective today. I am sad, but I am sure.

:)
Ani

OK WHO DRANK 2L OF WATER TODAY!!???
not me ! heheheh i suck and it my challenge!!
who's in

Barb - i want you to be in.... I want you to do that ONE thing before the kids go back on tuesday, i think you need to acheive one goal at a time rather than saying that on tuesday you will "start" yes eating well and keeping busy is good but did you drink 2L water??? It will be so awesome for you to lose the weight for when you get together with your sisters.....!!!!!!!!
It is just 4 x 600ml water bottles!!!

I have done 3 today i think but then had a cokezero for dinner, although the night is still young i will have another one now!!
so i take it back I will have done it!!!

lets go ONE thing at a time and when we master that one thing bring on another
so maybe we can think of 12 things, each week we master one of those things
week one WATER

i am a **** when i want to be...... sorry

I'm south of the river. Came over with work and the branch I was posted to was in the Canning Vale area, so that influenced where I live! I really need to start seeing more, I'm planning to go to Cotto this weekend and should be going to Busselton within the next two months.

:swim::swim::swim::swim::swim::swim::swim::swim::s wim::swim::swim::swim::swim::swim::coach::coach::c oach::coach::coach::coach::coach::coach::coach::co ach::coach::coach::coach:

Kel are you sure you haven't overdosed on red cordial today :p?

LOL Ani I thought the same thing exactly!

I drank heaps today, maybe 3.5L. It was so hot! I was busy at work and running around madly, so glad I took a bottle of water and drank a litre at work.

As well as work, I just got home from a 1.5hr walk along the beach and pier from Mentone down to Mordialloc - lovely breezy warm night. Worked out well - had conflict with the mother, so wanted to get out of the house anyhow. Walked it off with my ipod, it was nice. My achilles is KILLING me after work + walk though!!! Faarrrrkkkk, it's sore.

I ate chocolate and icecream today, but I think it's within my calories or just about, and it's TTOM so I will forgive myself!

I am realising lately that I really don't like myself. I don't just mean a self esteem thing, I mean that I don't like the person I've turned into. My mother is very loyal and capable, and she helps me a lot. But she is a VERY antisocial, negative and pessimistic person.. and the older I get, the more I see her in myself. I don't want to be that person. I hope it's as easy - and hard - as choosing not to be. I also don't think I'm just very nice in general, I am very prickly. This is probably the only board I've not got into an argument on! I realised the other day, out of 4 other message boards I visit, I leave the perception at all of them of being a smart *** or a *****. I hate that I have to have the last word in an argument, albeit an internet one!!

Anyhow. This year I'm planning to work on my personality. I choose to be a nicer person, and to become more interesting. By the end of the year, I'd just like to be closer to liking myself.

Gen in some ways I think it's your inner self-critic that needs a slap, because you are so much more than the sum of the negative traits you've labelled yourself with.

I think we become negative, smart-arse, argumentative, b!tchy, and other things because of things that lie deeper… not because they necessarily form the foundation of our character.

It's often because we're scared, feeling unloved, invisible, restless etc, and we develop these outward traits to push people away, so that they don't see that we're really vulnerable underneath. Or unsafe.

Give yourself some credit. In the last year you've quit smoking, moved interstate, lost a lot of weight, changed jobs, pushed through injuries and aches and pains, and now you're about to go to the US. That's a lot of change in a short amount of time.

Are you able to write a list of things you like about yourself? It might sound very basic pop-psychology, but at a very low point a few years ago I did it – and it's a really good way of reminding yourself that you are likeable, and worthwhile.

I can think of a dozen things I like about you. And I know I don't 'know' you, but I am a writer and am very good at getting a feel for someone by what they write. I can tell that you don't suffer fools, that you're fiercely intelligent, driven, funny and hungry to learn.

I think that giving up smoking raises a lot of emotional stuff, as does weight loss. You're not able to hide behind a smokescreen, or layers of fat so easily – and suddenly you're a lot more raw.

I think it's really brave to come here and be so honest about what you're going through. I thought about it for an hour after I read your post, maybe because some of it resonated with me.

I really hope you find it, whatever it is that will make you see that you ARE someone who deserves to be liked, nurtured, supported and encouraged - because you do :hug:.