Suzy-Dee said it before I had a chance. It takes 21 days to make a habit. I always try to do something at least 21 days before I give it up. It really works for me. Also, have you joined Sparkpeople? It has a great support system.
Suzy - It was hard to read your post and see you beating yourself up. You are a wonderful person and we love you and are here for you. I think we all have ups and downs and sometimes its hard to get back to where we want to be. You have had a rough time this past year and did what you had to do to get through. Its a new day. Just know we are here for you when you need us, vent, and let it out.
Shelley - I have tried to find you on sparks, what groups do you belong to? I belong to a group called JJ sisters I thinks its a private group.
Thank you all SO much for your support and kind words! I think just thinking over the past year and putting it into words here has helped. Isn't it said somewhere that just realizing the problem is half the battle? I told myself last night before going to bed that today was going to be different and I got up at 7 and got right on the treadmill (only for 15 minutes and at a beginners pace because I'm still nursing my heels) but I did it! I also went back to counting calories and even resisted the urge to bake brownies for an after school snack for the girls...celery sticks and peanut butter will be healthier for them too! Day 1 is underway...20 more days until it's the normal way of life!
Dee~It sounds like you had a wonderful trip! The next time you come in this direction you'll have to let me know ahead of time. I am just only 2 1/2 hours from Rochester!
Shelley~I understand what you mean about still seeing a fat person when you look in the mirror. Even when I was down to 145 and people were telling me that I was too skinny I still saw the 175 pound me when I looked in the mirror. I remember commenting that I understood then how people could be anorexic. I think there's a very fine line there, that we need to be careful not to cross and we need to find a healthy number and not go above or below it.
I'll look into SP, but honestly I'm happy here. I enjoy our small group...it's comfortable.
I'm glad you've "found" your soul after some searching, but I truly believe you are being so harsh on yourself. You have been through a lot this past year- and-a-half or so and you shouldn't negate any of that in your way of thinking. Our brains are like our bodies--we need time to recover from traumatic events. It sounds like you've reached the point in the grieving process where you are ready to reclaim your life--don't let that feeling lead you into a guilt trap, it is OK for you to let go of some of your hurt.
You have two beautiful grandchildren to look forward to and enjoy. Travis will send you a ton of pictures, I'm sure.
We love you and we want you to be happy and healthy. Remember that we are always here for you.
MENOPAUSE SUCKS!! I have not had a period in over a year. I do have sweats, hot flashes, etc. My Mom died at 44 of breast cancer so I refuse to take hormone replacement therapy. I take black cohosh and red clover, they help. Just venting.
I think I am pre-menopausal just by different things going on with my body/mind. With all of this fun, I can't wait until menopause! FUN, FUN!
Cheryl, see what excitment you have to look forward to? :-)
Suzy, I am right there sister! I start out the day great, but by midday, I have a stinky attitude. My day depends on what is happening at the time. It's hard for me to say motivated when I am surrounded with illness, death and family issues regarding siblings. All I want to do when I get off work is swing by and pickup a bottle of wine or some fast food. Really healthy for me, huh? I am having a hard time getting my act together. I wish I had the displine I see here with some of our friends regarding healthy choices, excercising etc. Don't be so hard on yourself, you are one of the persons I just described, you can always stay so in check with things once you set your mind to it. {{{HUGS}}}
Gayle {{{HUGS}}} to you this morning. What we all need to remember is that our ideal goal isn't to look model sexy, it is to be healthy and live long so that we can be with our love ones. We can make smart choices is little ways that will improve our overall health. After the 21 days it is a habit then you can pick another thing you need to work on. There is no hurray, this is a life time battle.
I challenge you to choose something that you would like to work on in the next 21 days.
Cheryl ~ Go ahead and laugh! You have the terrible twos, tweens and teens to go through and THEN you hit menopause! They way I look at it, I figure I'm more than half way home!
It's funny Gayle...I had the same conversation with my sister yesterday afternoon. She also works in a nursing home and called in tears yesterday. They have lost 7 residents since the beginning of the month. Normally she handles it ok, but the one who passed yesterday was a favorite and it all caught up to her. I told her pretty much the same things that she had told me the other day when I was unloading on her. So my point is...what it all comes down to is that we all need to take our own advice and just do what we know has to be done.
Dee's challenge is a good one! Let's all pick something to work on (big or small) for the next 21 days...just 21 days and see if it makes a difference. It's only three weeks...a lot of us give something we love up for Lent and that's 40 days...21 days should be a piece of cake. Ok, let's not say piece of cake, but you know what I mean! By the last day of September we should all have a new habit firmly in place!
My 21 day challenge is to get my eating in check! I won't say "no sugar", but I will say that I will limit my sugar and keep my calories around the 1200-1500 mark per day.
I've got a jump on you all though because I started yesterday and I stayed on track all day. I even limited myself to one small cookie at a quilt meeting last night!
Okay Suzy - you said it right on for me - CAKE - I love cake! Lately I have been buying 1/2 cakes and eating the whole thing myself in one day. I especially like birthday cake. then carrot cake, then black forest cake and so on and so on. When are we starting this 21 day challenge? Cake it will be for me. Or maybe I should say sweets in general what do you girls think?
I am a sweetaholic.
Remember it doesn't have to be a big change. If you choose something that is to hard you will give up. It is better to make little changes than taking big leaps and not making it.
I will think about it and post when I have decided.
Suzy, this must be a bad month at nursing homes! I have visited the funeral homes more then I desire too! They were so busy the other day, I was doing hair out in the hallway.
Cheryl!! HA! HA! Suzy gotcha! I forgot you have terrible 2's to get thru...3's are worse in my opinion. Regardless, I will take menopause anyday!!! Ha, ha, ha!!!
Ok.....I'm with you girls on a challenge...I just thought of what Suzie mentioned this morning about how some of us give stuff up for lent...I'm thinking, I'm thinking.... WINE! I will give wine up for 21 days! I hope the car can steer clear of a liquor store for the next month. If I don't buy it, I'm fine. It's just getting past the desire to buy it and then if I have it at home, I drink it.
Hey Gayle you still buying wine? I thought that you made your wine. Maybe it is a good thing if you haven't been making it lately or you would have to much temptation!
If you are really honest you don't want to give it up forever but maybe you can allow yourself wine on saturday.
Same with you Janice. You know that you don't want to give up sweets totally so why not pick a day that you can have one piece of dessert and not the whole cake!
Janice ~ I know what you are saying...I ate a bag of Milano cookies by myself at one sitting the other day. That's when it came to me that I really needed to make some changes!
I would just be setting myself up for failure if I said "no sugar", so like Dee suggested, I'm just going to limit my sugar and monitor my calories. I know I can't give up sugar totally, but I sure don't need to be eating a whole bag of cookies at one sitting!
Dee, sad to say, if I have a bottle of wine in the house, I will keep sipping it until it is gone. I like a certain box wine, so all of a sudden instead of a bottle, I have a 3L box in the fridge! I have a kit ready to make but we have been way too busy.
I am going to add somthing to my goal also. Each day I am going to post something I am thankful for. Feel free to join in!
Today I am thankful for having the ability to have net acess. All of a sudden, my small world became huge and I have gained so many friendships I would of never had otherwise.
That's when it came to me that I really needed to make some changes!