I think making one thread per month makes ALOT more sense. This is difficult to find sometimes, I had to subscribe to it. Also, it would be easier to roll over our total losses, month to month, by finding Feb/March etc, kwim?

Oooo. FUN. I am so close I can FEEL it. I sure as heck wanna join.

Hi Everyone,
There are a lot of new people on the board. It's nice to have the excitment here again.

I'm going through a tough time right now with losing my job (and I'm not sure I'm going to get unemployment) but I'm trying to press on.

I'm meeting with a staffing agency tomorrow. There isn't much here in my home town so I'm going to Dayton to registar with a agency there. Any advice on what ones are better than others? I have heavy customer service and Admin. skills.

I am happy to report a 1 lb loss last week. Not setting the world on fire but the scales are going in the right direction each week. I'm a little off track this week and I'm trying to get back on track.

I want to say Hi to all you new people.

and give a hug to Debbie what can we do to help you get back on track? I would encourge you to come to the board every day to get yourself motivated.

Ok. I'll talk to everyone later.
Susie

Welome to all the newbies.
I'm new here too and i love it!

Selina, i look foward to reading your post. You always have nice things to say and your a great motivator.
Starting a february thread sounds like a good idea to me.

Susie, Congrats on your 1 lb. loss. Good luck with unemployment. My husband lost his job on Jan 3rd and we're still waiting for an unemployment check. I've been a SAHM for 7 yrs and now looking for a job myself. My husband wants to change careers and the training that he'll need is 16 weeks and doesn't pay well so i'll need to get back to work soon. I had an interview this morning that i think went well so now i'm waiting to hear either way.

Debbie (and anyone else interested), why don't we make a goal to start journaling on feb 1st. We can also set an excercise goal for the week. Obviously yours would be wednesday and mine would be friday but we start the journaling feb 1st. We could also swap WW tips and recipes that we've tried. We've both fallen off the wagon and need to start journaling again so whatta ya say? Anyone else interested?

Good Night.

Good Morning everyone!!!!

Welcome to Brooke!!! So happy to have you here! We are starting to grow quite a bit at this point. I think that is great. We are all going thru the same thing, so it's great to have each other to chat with and vent to! LOL. I think it is great that you are so close 2 Onederland. I can't wait to be where you are.

Thanks, Sunshine. That was real sweet of you to say. I'm glad you like my posts. I write alot though. I'm sorry if that gets on anyone's nerves. I just know that if I'm not on here, there is no one else to talk with about my journey. I'm pretty much alone in it.

Oh and Susie and Sunshine, I hope the job hunt goes well. I know it can be frustrating.

I am doing really well lately getting on my treadmill in the mornings after the kids get on the bus. I just have the baby then. Then we get my son from Pre-k at 11. I just have those two til 4pm. So besides him wanting me to play with him in the toyroom most of that time, I get my housework done and dinner started (after we have lunch here). But all during the day I move. I move as much as I can. I think I said on here b4, I jog in place and look like a lunatic several times a day.

My hot water heater is in the attic, dunno why, and it takes forever for it to get down here. So in my kitchen I wait alot. For that, for things to cook or boil or bake, for the microwave, I even march in place while drying my dishes too. I have to do this because with a baby I can't just go running down the street to get my steps (I love walking outside though, when I can.)

And yes, I've tried the stroller. She gets to where after maybe 10 mins. she wants out. So I gave that up and bought the treadmill. Anyhoo, I find ways to add the steps. I actually wrote an article about it. LOL. I wonder if the link would show here?? I can try to put it. Let's see....

http://walking.about.com/od/holiday/a/busyholidays.htm

Might have to copy and paste. Let me know if you want to read it and the link didn't work.

One of you, who? Debbie? said you do the same thing. Move all the time. And your kids think your nuts? Well, that's me. I have to do it or I don't lose near as much. So when my shows are on, I get on my treadmill or march in place. I tell myself "Is sitting there worth finding that I haven't lost at the end of the week?" Heck no! So my dh puts his feet up and I move. It's hard to do the opposite of what you are used to, esp. when others around you aren't changing their habits as well. Just hard.

I can tell you this. I definitely remember when my feelings went from "Oh, why can't I have stupid junk fast food like everybody else? It's not fair!" to "Omg, I wonder why they would want to eat that? It makes me feel so yukky and I'd gain wait that very day if I ate that." I think it was when I was down about 25 lbs. I could then see what my changes had done for me. But the beginning was very hard. But I made it thru that and I plan to make it the rest of the way. :

Then my challenge will be maintaining. I will continue to post and journal I know. Bc I think that's why I gained back last time. I stopped my support. Not good. Ok, well, that's the plan, Stan. Imma just keep my eye on the ball. (Oh and I have a green and white strapless dress that is so cute. Imma keep my eye on that too. I plan to wear it to my 15 yr high school reunion. What a motivator.)

I hope you all have a great day today and that you keep your eye on the ball, whatever the ball may represent for you.

Hugs, Selina

OOPS! Congrats to Susie! I overlooked that part, dang it. You are so right. I never complain either if I'm at least going down instead of up. Any loss at all is great, even half pounds too. Yay!!!! I'm so happy for you!!!!!!

Hi Selina!

I think it would be MUCH easier to have a new thread for those of us trying to get to 199! This one has a lot of information which I STILL want to read, but I'm only on page 27 of it and have been reading for several DAYS!

Great idea!

I know what you mean about keeping moving even as you watch TV! That's when I do all my weight work! I use dumbbells, so I just keep them under the coffee table! My son put CHRISTMAS RIBBONS on them for me so they would look festive because he KNEW no matter what, they were NOT leaving the room!

Be back soon. I have a date with Chalene (Turbo Jam!)

Cheryl

Omg! Too funny! I love the ribbons idea. And I do know what you mean about it not leaving the room. My treadmill is right up near the TV (so I can hear it over the treadmill and the kids..LOL). Everyone knows it will be there til it dies and I need a new one.. LOL!!! And you are so patient, I don't think I could read all the old ones. There are so many. I guess also most of those people aren't posting now. So maybe that's why I don't end up reading the previous ones.

And I'm glad you all want the new thread. I'll set it up tomorrow so we will be ready for the 1st. Yay!!!

I have done my 35 mins on the treadmill. Probably will do a little more but won't need much more and by bedtime I will hit my 10k. Goody!

Ok tty soon!

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. It feels odd to be a newbie somewhere !
Today I did the WATP three mile abs and the Jullian "Biggest Loser" Micheals DVD that works with abs. I did the walk in the morning and I just finished the other one. I am not up to speed on the "loser Guru" tape as I don't think anyone weighing two hundred pounds plus would be,but I am attempting some of it- which is better than sitting on the couch watching the food network.
Big thought today:
I was putting away the from my salad at lunch and I figured out that I could just make my dinner salad at the same time. This is a big thing for me. My guys don't want to eat salad every night- so I end up serving "steamed veggie de jour" and a starch. This way I have my stuff ready (except for measuring the salad dressing) and don't have to even eat the rice, potatoes or pasta.
We had one of those strollers with the cover when my toddler was little and they rock ! I had to order replacement wheels the first year between walking the dog and going to the flea market.
My motivator isn't really that pretty- just a couple pairs of jeans that stare at me in my closet.I am going to try them on around Valentines Day and hope they fit.
No change in weight- but it's ok it'll go !

Today was a lazy day for me. I didn't have much energy. I have really emotional PMS and my finances are starting to bring me down. I havn't had to ask for help financially in years. When my husband lost his job my parents said they would help us out but i hate to ask. My mom has been calling me all week asking me what i need for february bills and i keep saying "i don't know i havn't sat down yet to do bills." I don't know which is worse, having to sit down and figure my bills or borrow money to pay them. I do remind myself all the time that there are people worse off than i am so appreciate what i do have.

Anyway, Anyway, Anyway. I didn't get on my elliptical but i did do my weights and sit ups. I used to do my situps on the floor and was able to do about 150-200. Now i have an excercise ball and i can barely get to 100. (25 at a time) The ball kicks my butt.

Cheryl ~ How was your date w/Chalene? the christmas ribbon is too funny! I keep my dumbbells under the end table and they're not moving either.

Selina ~ I read your article. Once again very good advice. Would a pedometer count my steps on an elliptical since my feet stay flat?

Sirak ~ Good job on making your dinner salad before putting it all away. That's a good idea to stay away from the starches.

Hi Sunshine!

Welcome!

I had a GREAT workout with Chalene! I did her Cardio Mix 3 with a lot of newer moves. I definitely need to work on my kicks! I just love Chalene! She's SO upbeat, and the time at the bottom of the screen telling you how long until you are done really helps. I also like the split time for each section that tells you how long THAT section is out of the total time.

Turbo Jam is GREAT!

Cheryl

Go Cheryl! LOL. Sounds like you had fun!

Sunshine, I'm not sure. If you are moving a steady front to back with your feet it sure might take. I love my pedometer. Really gets me off the couch.

Glad you read the article. I was writing more back then.That was from 2005 Christmas but they used it again this year too. That was and now is again my life! So of course that is what I wrote about then, and will again I suppose.

Don't ya'll think that this is almost all-consuming? It is for me because almost everything I do or plan is different than when I'm not losing. Where I go, what I'll eat, how much I'll move all has to be thought about ahead of time. Uggh, I miss just grabbing what I can and not thinking!

But hey, that's what got me here in the first place, so I will not let it get to me. Pretty soon all this will feel normal.

Ok, gotta have coffee Hugsssss, Selina

Oh Sirak, hi! Definitely a good idea to think ahead. I have to keep my foods done up too so I won't be tempted.

And Sunshine, I'm so sorry you are having a hard time. It makes losing seem sorta unimportant and trivial when your other stuff isn't going well. At least, that's how it got for me. I do hope you continue to post even if you slow down on it all. Not posting hurt me alot and I think that's why I stayed off the wagon for so long. No support here at home. So come and vent to us! We are cheering for you. It'll get better. And my take on borrowing? I do it only when necessary, not for anything frivolous, ever. I know the parents know its not for fun when you are in fact needing it for bills. Maybe accepting the offer would ease your mind a bit til you have more coming in? Then just be sure to pay something on it every month once you get on your feet. As long as we paid to my mother-in-law each month, she was happy to have helped. (She isn't too happy with some who never pay a dime, yet go out and spend.)

You'll make the best decision for you and your family. Letting bills go too long will only make it worse. Believe me, I've been there b4. I also called my companies and asked for extensions and to skip a payment on my car. Just my two cents.

I weighed myself this morning, I'm down 3 pounds! YAY. Which means, I am only 25 pounds away from 199 and my goal is to hit it my bday, april 1st, I feel SO much closer to it. I can tell I'm losing inches too, everything just sort of seems more jiggly. I never thought I would be happy to see a more jiggly, tummy, but I am. My fiancee and I are on the search for weights, we plan on checking goodwill, flea markets and yard sales as they start up, once spring gets here anyway. We have a gym, local, that you can prepay a months visits, basically, 10 visits for $90.00, as opposed to their astronomical start up/sign up fees, its 300 per person, thats ridiculous! If I'm spending 600 bucks, I want the gym in my HOUSE, where I can use it when *I* want to, not when they're open. We also rent videos frm the library as opposed to buying them all. That way we can keep the work outs fresh and not get boggled down with the same old same old, yanno?

Sunshine, I too am on the eternal search for a job. Right now, in my area, I think 75% of people are unemployed. Luckily, my finacee can work from home, he's an anime writer, but, I've decided that while I'm looking for work, I am completely focused on my weight loss. I truly think, with my family history of heart disease, diabetes, cancer etc, this may be a gift I am overlooking. The time to totally and completely focus on MY health, MY weight, as opposed to everyone else's needs. We'll both find work, but in the meantime we can be MUCH healthier. There's ALWAYS a silver lining.

Hey Angi! How about checking into your YMCA? We joined two years ago and love it. Even has ppl who watch the babies while we work out. I think we pay $72 a month now. Very worth it. All kinds of machines, classes, pools, teams for kids, etc. I looked into many places, but this was the best choice for us. Might be good for y'all too, if you have one near you.