Brandy...thanks for your support! I'm the same when it comes to Fits and Starts, I just wish I'd start and keep going!

When I lost my weight the first time, I was nursing, so it was a bit easier, but you'd think my appetitie would slow down now that I am very much NOT nursing. I can't figure it out.

Lorraine

Brandy, EXCELLENT LOSS this week, congratulations! :bravo: Keep going girl, you can do ... I KNOW you can!! :)

Lorraine, you've done brilliantly to get to where you are ... 30lbs gone already!! :cp: Ok, so you say it's been in fits and starts ... so what!! ... You've lost it, it's GONE. You should be proud of what you've already achieved ... Would you rather have the 30lbs back? ... I think not. So, forget about how long it's taken and think about how well you've done.

Losing weight is hard, I'm afraid I don't believe anyone who says it's easy ... perhaps they just don't have a life! Ok, maybe I'm being a little unfair to some of the people out there who find dieting a breeze, but for the majority of us it's a struggle. All we can do when we've had a bad day, or a bad week, or even a bad month or two :^: is to start over and don't give up on our dream. ANYONE can lose weight if they really try ... this is what I keep telling myself. The only thing that stops us, is US! So come on girls, let's just do it ... if we follow the plan we can do it ... can't we?

Ok, now I'm scared ... weigh-in tonight! I feel like I've been pretty good all week, but for some reason, whenever I feel like I've had a good week, I don't lose anything (or I even gain!), and when I feel like I've had a bad week, I lose! :dizzy: So, not looking forward to going tonight, but whatever the outcome, I'll keep going until I get to goal. There's no way that I'm giving up this time ... especially after pre-paying for 20 weeks ... Nick would throw me off the balcony if I did!! :lol: I'll let you know how I get on tomorrow.

Nichola

Weigh-in went well last night ... another 1.5lbs gone :) ... phew!! So I'm feeling very motivated and determined to have another good week. :)

Hope things are going well for everyone else?????????

Nichola

Yeah Nichola! GO YOU! That's soooo great! I'm like hopping up and down for ya!

And thanks for the pep talk!

Lorraine - Nichola is right, fits and starts are better than nothing. I will take losing in fits and starts over gaining (and gaining and gaining - as is my habit) any day!

If I don't check in for a while, it's because we're out of town. Send me good staying-on-my-diet vibes please!

B

Brandy, you're welcome :) Have a good trip ... the vibes are coming your way ...... :goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes

Nichola

Hi Girls ... is there anyone out there?????? :?:

Brandy, are you back from your trip yet? ... Hope it went well and you managed to stay OP :)

I've not been posting for a while as hubby was taken to hospital last week and had to have an operation to repair a ruptured achilles tendon. He now has his leg in plaster for 4 weeks!! He's hoping to go back to work tomorrow because it's driving him crazy being at home all day ... Me too!!!! :crazy: I've spent the last few days playing nurse maid ... can't wait for him to go back to work so that I can have a rest!! Do I sound wicked?? :lol:

Anyway, just to let you know that I managed to slip out last night to go for my weigh-in ... lost another 2.5lbs which I'm really happy about :D

Speak soon,
Nichola

Nichola - thanks for the vibes! They worked. I didn't track, I just used my common sense and kept busy. I don't know that I lost but I certainly didn't gain which on vacation is GREAT as far as I can see. Esp as we had Mother's Day, a wedding, and a whole bunch of other stuff in there!

So sorry about your hubby - they are just helpless when sick or injured, aren't they? Good healing vibes to him! AND CONGRATS ON YOUR 2.5!!!!!! That's SO exciting! Happy dance in your honor!!!

B

Hello?

Hi Brandy,

I'm here :wave: ... can't imagine what's happened to everyone else though :?:

We're having problems with our computer at the moment so it's hit and miss as to whether or not it's working!! So apologies if I fail to reply to your posts straight away.

Glad to hear that you managed to stay on track whilst you were away ... especailly with all the temptations there must have been ... good girl :)

Unfortunately, I had my first bad week this week ... WI last night and I gained 1lb. I know the reason why though, so I'm not going to beat myself up about it ... my little diet scales broke last week and I haven't been able to weigh my food, and also I stupidly didn't bother to write anything down, which I have been doing religiously ever since I started WW. It's taught me a lesson!! I'm now back to writing everything down and I'm going shopping tomorrow in search of diet scales ... this might present me with a bit of a problem in 'skinny' Hong Kong ... can't imagine that there's much call for diet scales in the shops here. WW were out of stock and don't expect them in for 2-3 weeks, and I definitely can't trust myself to 'guesstimate' for that long!! ... Not with my track record on portion control anyway!! :o

Have a good week! :D

Nichola

Hi Nichola! We keep having computer issues too (I have managed to pick up the same worm like four times!) so I TOTALLY understand.

Sorry about the WI but hey, you LEARNED from it and that's what counts. Journaling helps SO much!

I've never really weighed food, but I do measure a lot of things - my mental image of what "one cup" looks like is - well, let's just say it's slightly inflated!

I need to change my sig since that little challenge has passed.

Hope everyone else drops in SOON!

Brandy

ETA: C'mon guys, I'm still trying to reach that darn 10% goal! PRESSURE ME! It's sooooo close!

Hey! We're on the second page! Where is everyone?

Hi Brandy,

I'm still here :wave: Looks like it's just the two of us these days ... can't imagine where the others are, it's been such a long time since anyone else posted ... funny how they all disappeared together ... is it something we said :lol: I'm sure they'll drift back sooner or later.

How are you doing? I was going to be good this week, but still haven't managed to get any scales, and I haven't been keeping track properley :mad: Went out for a meal last night for Nick's birthday with a group of friends, and had way too much to eat (and drink :o ) so not doing too well so far!! Also, TOM has arrived and I've had a chocolate craving ... the first for a long time, so I guess it's going to be another bad week!

Hope you have a good weekend.

Nichola

We must offend! If we apologize and beg, maybe they will all come back?

Sorry about the TOM thing. That can really put a bump in your diet plans! Do as well as you can - even a few bad days don't have to mean a bad week. Just maybe a so-so week!

Things are going ok for me. I'm journaling and staying within my points + flex (I use the flex, I lose. I don't lose the flex, I don't lose - so I use the flex!) so I'm hoping hoping HOPING to be at my blasted 10% soon!

B

Just wanted to post my w/i. I'm 242 this am. I need to update my sig. Oh hey, that means I lost like four pounds. Not too shabby!

B

Brandy, 4 pounds ... what a brilliant loss!! :bravo: Well done to you!! Keep it up :)

I'm off work today with earache ... and I've gone deaf in my right ear which is driving me insane!!!! :crazy: I feel like pulling my ear off!! It's like being underwater all the time, and I'm feeling all unbalanced! :( Off to the docs later to try and get it sorted. Supposed to go to my WI tonight, but docs appointment isn't until 4pm and WI is at 6pm, so depends on what time I get home ... don't really feel up to going tonight anyway, so perhaps I won't.

Good luck for the rest of the week.

Nichola

Nichola, poor you! I have had that stopped up underwater ear feeling and it's so weird - and just miserable! Feel better!

B

Hi Brandy,

Didn't get to my WI on Tuesday ... too late by the time I got home from the docs ... and didn't feel like rushing to get there :( Doc gave me some ear drops ... worked quite well on Wednesday ... was able to manipulate my ear so that I could hear better. However, by Wednesday night I was totally deaf in both ears!! Got up this morning to go to work, but ended up crying in frustration as I can't hear a darn thing!! Back to the docs today to get them syringed ... he wouldn't do it on Tuesday as I'd got earache. This is one of the most awful sensations that I've ever had in my life. It will be such a relief to get them done!

Nichola

Hello Ladies!

Sorry I've dropped off the face of the planet...I went to a Weight Loss Conference on the weekend and had a fantastic time. It was through DWLZ.com and I had nothing but fun. To make matters even better, I'm re-motivated and ready to lose. Today is day 2 OP and I'm heading for day 3. One day at a time right? It sounds like you gals are on the right track! Nichola...only 3 more pounds to get into the 160s! Go girl! Brandy...3 for you to get to 230 too! Go us! I'm going to be weighing in as soon as I find a meeting that will work for me. I'll keep you posted!

Lots of hugs,
Lorraine

Lorraine,

Great to have you back on board again ... we've missed you! ... In fact, Brandy & I seem to be missing everyone! ... Can't imagine what we've done wrong ... they just seemed to disappear :?:

Nichola

Hi Guys!
 

I'm back! I thought you all were gone because I wasn't getting notification of posts.

I'm back on the wagon and have changed my signature to reflect me start weight and loss. Still doing weight watchers and going to OA.

How's everyone else doing?

Yay! :cb: PEOPLE! While I was certainly enjoying Nichola's company I did have to wonder what we'd done to run you all off :p oh well, long as you're all trickling back!

Nichola - I had the same ear business a few years ago for my class reunion so I spent the whole time not hearing a thing. I'm sure my former classmates wonder when I got so quiet. Hope you're better soon! It's SOOOO frustrating! :bomb: Always makes me want to scream!!!

Lorraine, the confrence sounds like so much fun :flow1: I've used dwlz so much since starting WW...that place seems loaded with success stories! Glad you're feeling re-motivated and ready to go :dance: YAY!

Raff, still WWing myself. Had a great week last week, this week the scale seems to be at a stand still. Oh well, can't have a big woosh every week! Welcome back :hat:

B

Hey Raff ... Welcome back!! Glad to hear you're on track :) I've let things slip a little over the past week or two after having a good start at WW, but I will persevere and get back on track asap! :)

Brandy, the ears are sorted ... got them syringed yesterday ... now everything is SOOOOOOO LOUD!! :lol: ... It's such a relief!!

Hope you all have a great weekend :)

Nichola

Yay! You can hear again!

As for me, I have made no progress on the weight front this week - I am the same this week as last, which is better than gaining, I guess.

I think I need to take pics of thin people in swimsuits and paste them to the fridge and computer so I can remember that I have to get into one of those in a few months. Nothing like fear and humiliation to motivate a girl!

B

Help Girls ... I desperately need some motivation! Don't know what's been the matter with me, but I've had a terrible couple of weeks. The week before last I gained a pound (excuse was the broken scales and not writing anything down!), and last week I didn't go to my WI because I wasn't well ... which of course gave me the excuse to overeat ... which I've done big time for the past week :mad: I'm so angry with myself ... why do I do this?

I had a really good start at WW for the first 3 or 4 weeks, and felt very confident that I'd finally got myself under control ... I felt really good about myself ... now I'm feeling like crap!! I know I've gained several pounds since my last WI ... I can tell by my clothes. I hate the thought of having to go there tomorrow, but I know I have to otherwise I'd probably never go again.

How do some people keep themselves motivated for months on end? I seem to do well for a few weeks, then get really fed-up with having to weigh and calculate everything that goes into my mouth, it becomes such a chore! It's not that I don't want to do this ... I want to lose weight more than anything in the world ... so why the **** can't I stick to the plan?!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Ok, I know that no one else can give me all the answers ... it's up to me to do it for myself ... I just wish that I could find the motivation and willpower to do it!!

Thanks for listening. WI is tomorrow night, and the beginning of a whole new week.

Nichola

Nichola...you must go to your meeting! Staying on track even when you don't want to is the key to losing I think. Can you mix up your routine a bit, or maybe pre-weigh a bunch of things so that you aren't always measuring etc? I think you have done SPLENDIDLY so far. Remember that this is a journey...there will be gains and losses along the way, and there will also be LIFE. Being able to find a balance of all those things will help you CONTINUE to succeed.

Hugs,
Lorraine

Hiya!

It's a restart week for me (last week I slacked so this week I weigh the same) so we can restart together.

One thing that helps me - make it as easy on yourself as possible. It may mean sitting down for a half hour once a week to plan, but at least you don't have to go through the whole process three or four times a day. Have you ever visited www.dwlz.com for suggestions? One of the tips there - after you do your shopping, write the point values on everything as you're putting stuff away. This has helped me SO much. I keep a sharpie in the kitchen so every time I figure the points for something, I write it on the container - so I don't have to do it over and over. For things that don't have containers or for recipes, I have a list that I'm always updating and I keep it on the fridge. I'd rather just figure this stuff out ONE time, than have to do it over and over. She even suggests that for snacky things (pretzles or whatever) divide them into serving sizes so you can just take a baggie and go instead of counting it out. I don't do that, but I do measure out my serving and then put everything away. It also helps me to just shut off the light and stay out of the kitchen after I'm done with my last planned food for the day. I put my journal away (so I'd have to dig it out if I ate anything else), shut off the light, and get involved in something else.

Hope any of that helps.

Brandy

Thanks so much for the encouragement girls :) I went to my WI tonight, and you're never going to believe this, but I lost!!!! :D ... Only half a pound, but when I was seriously expecting a gain of at least 3lbs, it sure felt good to be told I'd lost!! Can't imagine how that's happened but I'm not complaining. I even asked if they wanted to re-weigh me just to double check, but they didn't, and when I got home I checked on my own scales and they showed the same half pound loss ... I've checked each week on my own scales and they've always been exactly the same as the WW scales, so I know it's not a mistake. Needless to say, this has given me a bit of a boost, and I'm feeling happy and positive about the whole 'diet' thing once again :D

It was such a different story earlier today ... I'm going out tomorrow night for a friends birthday (Oh no, not another meal!!! :rolleyes: ) and went shopping today to try to find something to wear ... I know I've told you all this before ... that Marks and Spencer is the only place that has clothes to fit ... Well, I must have tried on just about every outfit in the store and couldn't find anything suitable that fit me properly!! ... I was so depressed :( On top of that, I had an argument with Nick this morning, all about my weight, because I told him I thought I'd gained, and he's basically getting p****d o** with me for not having any willpower ... I ended up in tears, not because of what he said to me, but because I'm angry with myself, and I'm the only one to blame. Anyway, decided I had to buy something to make me feel better, so bought loads of expensive sexy undies to cheer me up ... not that I LOOK particularly sexy in them, in fact I'd prefer not to LOOK at all ... but it made me feel better! :D ... Now I have two surprises for Nick ... a weight loss ... and the undies!! :smug:

So glad I went to my meeting ... I hope I've learned my lesson!!

Have a great week everyone! :)

Nichola

First, congrats on your loss! FAB!

Also, I understand so much about the clothes thing - I have just broken down and wailed in more dressing rooms than I care to admit. Ironic that tho there are few plus sized clothes we'd want to wear, there are absolute heaps of frilly undies? Oh well, at least the bottom layer is pretty!

Last - why on earth is your husband making you feel bad about your weight?

Hi guys!

I totally hear you on the clothes thing. Nichola, I'd be more than happy to send you some stuff from here if you'd like. Or you could order from some online catalogues, have them sent here, then I could send them on to you if you'd like. Nothing picks you up like something new to wear. I always say "I'm not buying anything new until I lose 25 pounds, but then I feel like crap about the way I look and get all depressed and in the dumps and then eat eat eat." So I've bought some new things lately, am feeling pretty good about myself, and am starting to get back on track. We can do this!

Lots of hugs,
Lorraine

Hi Girls,

Glad to say I'm feeling really good today.

Brandy, that's a good point about the undies ... if they make undies for the 'larger lady', why aren't there more clothes to fit us ... perhaps they expect us to walk around in our bra and knickers ... now that would be a sight for sore eyes!! :lol: In answer to your question about why Nick is making me feel bad about my weight ... Well, quite frankly, he's heard it all so many times over the past ... OMG ... about 15 years!! :o He's heard all the excuses, the sob stories, put up with all the tears and frustration, tried to support and encourage me when I've lost motivation ... all to no avail. I think he's just about sick and tired of listening to it all ... and who could blame him?! ... I'm sick and tired of listening to myself!! It must be difficult, for people who have never really had a weight problem, to understand why we can't just 'go on a diet' and lose the weight. He did actually say that to me, and said he thought it should be easy ... they just simply don't understand what it's like to watch everything that you eat and never be able to overindulge on a night out. He's just as guilty as anyone else for sabotaging my efforts ... he's always coming home from work and opening a bottle of wine with dinner ... several points that I usually haven't calculated on having ... and can't say no! Anyway, we've had a good talk about it and he's apologised for upsetting me ... but quite honestly, I can't say I blame him ... I think I'd probably do the same. I can only say that I hope I've learned something from this ... I've wasted so many years already and don't want to waste any more time looking like I do.

Lorraine, thanks very much for the kind offer. I've considered doing this before, but I figure that if I can't find anything to fit properly when I can actually try it on, then it's highly unlikely that I'll get anything to fit properly without being able to try it ... you just never know what size to order. I used to order a lot of my clothes through Freemans of London, who will deliver to HK, but I've had to send so much stuff back ... which costs a fortune!! But one day, in the not too distant future, when I'm slim :D ... I may take you up on that offer.

Thanks again to both of you for helping to pull me through this ... I'm now well and truly back on track ... I even bought some of the points scales from WW last night, so no excuses!!

Nichola

Lorraine, you're such a sweetie :flow1:

About the not buing new stuff till you lose - I have so done that. It never works. Five years ago I said I wouldn't get my roots done till I hit 230. Clearly that didn't work out. It's just easier to diet and feel like I can be successful when I feel good about myself - and it's hard to feel good about yourself in ill-fitting clothes, roots showing (or in my case, four gray hairs standing straight up and waving at all who pass by), nails all ragged, etc. I can not threaten or punish myself into losing weight. Much like puppies everywhere, the reward system works better for me :gift:

Nichola, I used to talk to Mark about my weight misery, plans, and schemes but then he would like...comment. I was so friggin indignant. Of course, his comments were just suggestions on how I might make things easier on myself. Still, it used to make me INSANE :rollpin: He was never insulting and prefaced every comment with, "I don't think you need to lose weight at all BUT..." and then he'd tell me about some article he read or whatever. Puh-leeze. I have been dieting since I was six. I am an expert on all the reasonable and not so reasonable ways to lose weight. Now he knows that if I am talking, it is possible that it's all talk and all he needs to say is, "I don't think you need to lose weight at all." Period. And even then I have been known to get PO'd :bomb: I am not an easy woman to live with. Poor husbands :devil:

Speaking of husbands, mine has spent about 9,034 hours at work this week so it's possible he'll be coming home early today. We are thinking of going to the movies. I LOVE going to see a movie in the middle of the day. Yay :dance:

B :balloons:

Brandy ... only 4 grey hairs? ... Lucky you!! ... I must have 4004!! :o

I do agree with you about treating yourself to make you feel good ... if I don't feel good, I get depressed, and we all know what happens when I feel depressed!! :ink: ... That's why I bought the underwear ... and I'm treating myself to a hairdo next week ... If I can't find clothes to fit then I guess I will have to treat myself some other way :)

As for 'poor husbands' ... I really do sympathise with mine. Whatever he says to me is the wrong thing ... When he keeps quiet, it's the wrong thing to do ... it means he's not being supportive! When he makes any comments or suggestions, it's the wrong thing to do ... he's critisising me! He can't do right for doing wrong as far as my weight loss is concerned.

So far so good this week ... although I don't hold out much hope for a loss at my next WI ... the past 2 weeks has got to catch up with me sooner or later ... guess I'll just have to try a little harder.

Have a great weekend!

Nichola

Enough about poor husbands, more poor us!

Ok, just kidding :p I'm glad I'm not married to me.

I have made a little decisions for this week - I'm not weighing myself. I am sooooo close to my 10% I don't even want to see the scale again till I'm pretty sure I'm there. Does that make sense to anyone? I'm tired of ooching closer, I'm going to wait till next Monday before I weigh myself - I am BOUND to be there by then.

Normally not weighing everyday lets me sort of kid myself, but I am VERY focused on FINALLY getting there. I just can not stand to see a single half pound over 239 at this point.

Anyway, hope things are going well for all of you guys. I'm still journaling and moving along pretty well. Sooner or later I'm going to have to exercise ;)

Take care,
B

Hi everyone!

Brandy...that makes total sense to me! Nothing would frustrate me more than being 0.2 away from my 10% and having to wait another week.

I had my first weigh in since the rededication and I'm down 1.6! I'm thrilled as I've decided that each week my only goal is to be down 1 pound. At DWLZ there was a great thread about "If I ONLY lost one pound a week where would I be?". Breaking things down into that little increment really helped me. 29 pounds lost by Christmas, 54 by my 5th Wedding Anniversary, that kind of thing.

Well, I'll be away for a few days. We're going to Vancouver this weekend, so I'll be back on Monday. I'm going to fight really hard to stay on program.

Lorraine

Congrats on your 1.6!!! That's GREAT!

Hope you had a great trip!

I'm still holding out on weighing in and now I've been hit by PMS. I've been really faithful to the plan but I feel kinda puffy. I may skip weighing in (but I'll stay OP!) just so I don't have a disappointment. Even tho I KNOW any gain would be water (it would HAVE to be) I just don't want to deal. But we will see. Curiosity might get the best of me.

B

Lorraine, well done on your 1.6lbs loss, that's great ... keep it up! :) Have a great trip :wave:

Brandy, I'm keeping my :crossed: for you to reach that 10%!!

I went to my WI on Tuesday and stayed the same. I didn't expect to lose anything due the past 2 weeks, so wasn't disappointed. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to make next weeks WI as there is staff cocktail party, which has been arranged by the class parents, so I have to attend. I'm going to have to try extra hard to stay on track for 2 weeks without a WI!! I think I will weigh myself at home to make sure that I don't become complacent, and think that I'm being good if I'm not!!

We have just provisionally booked flights for 14 July to either Thailand or Bali ... at last hubby is able to take a holiday!! It's been so long since he had a proper break, I'm really looking forward to it. However, now it's become a reality that we're actually going on holiday, I'm wishing that I'd stuck to my plan properly as I would have been well on my way to goal by now. Instead, I've only lost 7.5lbs and still look like a beached whale in a swimsuit!! :mad: ... I get the feeling of deja vu ... I've got about 4 weeks left to make a difference!! :eek:

Nichola

Fingers crossed on your next WI, Nichola - even if you have to do it at home. You are doing SO WELL! And the vacation sounds great! That's a month away - a LOT can happen in a month if you stay OP! Start working out! Even if the loss isn't huge, working out will make a difference in how you look.

We are going on vacation in September (you all remember - with not one but TWO 19 year old Barbies, right? Yeah) and I've just finally faced it - weight loss is great but I'm going to have to start working out if I want to seriously cut down on any embarassing jiggle factor.

I can not face weighing in on Monday. I have been really, really OP this week. I've done well, I KNOW I have but I have all the signs of PMS, including sausage fingers which means I'm retaining. The next number I see on that scale WILL be in the 230s, so I'm willing to wait another week. I know that any bump or non-loss tomorrow would HAVE to be from PMS-related stuff but ugh. I just don't want to know. Ya know?

B

Hi guys!

Seems to be quiet here...Hope everyone is well. I've had an up and down week, so I am hoping for a decent showing at the scales, but we'll have to see I guess.

Lorraine

Hello Ladies! Feels like ages since I posted. Probably is. Glad to hear everyone is doing great. Between weight loss and holidays, you all are on track.

I've started doing WW again, since I gained back some of the weight I lost. Yuck! I have to stop being a baby :bb: and take my program seriously. I'm just so sick of being FAT. I know I've said this a gazillion times, and this will make gazillion and one.

Wish me luck!
Love,
Raff

P.S. I changed my start weight to reflect my new starting point, so as not to confuse my self and to be honest.

Hiya girls! :coffee2:

Good luck with the scales Lorraine :cheer:

Raff, much luck to you as well! and congrats on starting over :flow1:

I have had a rough 10 days diet-wise. I have just been all over the place - not binging or anything, just not as careful as I could have been. PMS and TOM are evil, evil, evil :devil:

Still haven't weighed myself. I keep putting it off. The good thing would be to finally weigh and see that all my hard work has paid off and I'm down a few. The bad thing would be - well, if that didn't happen :p

I need to change my stats in my sig - or at least order them somehow. I have had this vacation coming up for ages, it's now three months away (yes, we have to plan very far in advance) and as there is beachiness involved I want to lose as much as possible!!! So I may be up for a week to week challenge or count down or some such.

Glad to see a little activity around here again :hat:

B :goodluck: