Merry Christmas. Just checking in to see how everyone is doing. Like you Marie, I've been eating a bit of everything. The good thing is that I realize the taste isn't as good as being thinner. I took my own advice and tried on clothes today. That's a great way to motivate the diet. I think I may take a hike through the mall once a week starting in the new year. I'll try on clothes and walk fast from store to store for some ex. That might help to keep the focus as I love to wear nice clothes and be slim enough to wear them.

The kids are off swimming with my dh now. The house is clean and my clothes are ready. Tonight we're going out to eat with my inlaws. We're all looking forward to it as the woman don't have to cook and we can just be waited on. After that we'll go back to their house and exchange gifts and relax.

Then tomorrow we'll have Santa's surprises early. then play and relax and cook. My family will be coming around two for a 4:30 dinner. This is the most relaxed Christmas we've had in a long, long time. I thank all of you for your support which has helped me immensely this year. Best wishes tonight. I'll keep checking in.

TOF, your plans sound nice. We're having a relaxing Christmas at home tomorrow. Just doing what you're doing. Playing, relaxing and cooking. I don't have any guests, but we're doing the big dinner thing. I liked the sound of being waited on. :)

Trying on clothes is a great motivator. But if I went once a week to try on clothes, I'd be more broke than I already am. I'm a spend a holic. So I just keep trying on my skinny clothes and am pleased that they're starting to fit nicely. I do admit that this evening I'm washing my loosest jeans so that tomorrow I don't have to be uncomfortable if I overeat. My stomach seems to distend when I eat too much and I'm uncomfortable - a great reason not to overeat but tomorrow is a special day. So I washed the looser pair and I still plan to exercise tomorrow. today we went for a walk with the dogs through the woods but tomorrow is Gazelle day. That usually helps me want to stay on track but I'm guessing tomorrow I will be bad but I'm not going to feel guilty for it. I'm trying not to be a perfectionist because then I'd be bound to fail through and through.

Have a very merry Christmas, TOF and Skinny. Enjoy the holiday.
Marie

Hi all. I hope that you all had a great holiday. Marie, your area sounds so beautiful every time you write.

I'm officially back on track starting right now! I'm going to be using this site as a lifeline to get back in order. Next weigh in sometime around Jan. 15. Goal weight 150 hopefully by summer. Ex. goal - triathlon in Aug. Work out goals will be hard to determine now but I'm shooting for three mornings a week. I'll have to work this out with my husband. I'm going to start with a goal of 1/4 mile walk, alternating with 1/4 mile run on the treadmill with a goal of eventually reaching a three mile run sometime in spring. I'll have to adjust this as I go along. As far as eating I'm back to calorie counting and 1500 cals a day. Lots of seltzer and sugarless gum to get me going. Lots of physical activity and cleaning out the cupboards.

Thanks for listening. Thanks for all your help. Are you ready to start again?

Hi TOF - yes I'm ready to start again. I an't believe how addicting the candy is. I keep wanting to go back and get more and I don't even like chocolate for most of the month. So far today, I've been okay and should stay under the 1500 calories. I'm about at 1100 calories which is a little high for 2:30 in the afternoon, but I should make it if I try. Both of my sons and DH are gone till tonight so I don't have to make dinner. I can have something light and make the 1500 calories. TOF, I think I will join you on weighing in on Jan 15. Till then, my scale is off limits. No need to get a psychological setback if I gained a pound. I'd rather work to lose a couple and to never know. Just call me an ostrich. I did weigh the middle of last week and was still maintaining so that was a good sign.

This morning we took the dogs out to the mountain again and let them run free. It was a really hard walk because I had my heavy boots on and I was trudging through 6 inches of snow. Either way, it was a workout and if I don't use the Gazelle this evening, I will have exercised. I plan to watch the DVD that came with the Gazelle so I probably will do some of it, but if I don't, I know my heart rate went up for a while.

TOF, it is gorgeous where I live. It's a high mountain desert and it's just really nice. The town is pretty small and I live in the country. We do get winter but it's usually about 35 degrees. In the summer, it's hot and dry so I never feel muggy like when I lived in Minnesota.

Skinny, I hope your doing good or getting back on track. How was Christmas for you two? I had a nice time and my kids liked all of their gifts. Apparently that is a first accrding to DS #1. I liked what I got and that's always fun. I'm glad though that it's 363 days till it happens again. My budget is broke and I haven't been good money wise. I have to get back on track in that arena also.

Take care and I'll talk to you soon.
Marie

Hey! Well Im Only 14 And Im 126 Lbs.i Would Like To Lose 15 Lbs. Does Anyone Think That Is Dangerous Or Is It A Well Thought Out Plan That Could Work? If So Please Write Bk Emediatly.

Hi Sowht, I think you should consult your physician about your weight. Many people go through a big growth spurt around 14 and gain a lot of weight - it doesn't mean it is bad weight. That depends on your height and what you're eating. If I were you I'd find out a lot about healthy eating habits and exercise and start on healthy habits now. That will be good for your entire life. Eating well, exercising and living a balanced life will help you to look and feel beautiful - dieting in the wrong ways can damage your skin and appearance and attitude. Good luck!

Hi Marie and Skinny, so good to hear from you Marie. I've really gone down a bad path. I had done so well and in the past week I've been terrible. I realized that I just can't have the bad food inthe house - I binge. It's almost gone thank goodness. Next Christmas I'm going to give away all the fat food as soon as I get it. It does nothing for me. It's a busy week here taking care of the boys. Realistically I won't be back on track until the 2nd when my usual work/home routine kicks in. Work actually helps me stay on track. Luckily my clothes still fit although snug. I'm sure I've gained a good 5-10 pounds which is a set back. Today I'm bringing the boys skating and doing lots of errands. Tomorrow is the day all to myself so I plan to work out, eat well and do some catch up school work. I'm blabbering, but thanks for being here and listening. This site will help me to get back on track - I'm sure!

HI Sowht and TOF,

TOF is right about not worrying too much about your weight at age 14. Heathy eating and exercising will help you get to the right weight for whatever your height it. Don't focus too much on a number. I know when I was 14 I had focus on the number instead of just being healthy and that has caused a life long problem. Now I'm focused on health and it's made a lot of difference on how I see myself as well as losing weight wisely.

TOF, you can ramble anytime. As you were rambling, I saw myself. This time of year, with all my good intentions beforehand, was still difficult. It's amazing to me how quickly I could tell myself that it was okay to eat white chocolate oreo fudge - that was my downfall. Thankfully it is all gone, but I didn't like that it could lure me into it's badness so quickly. I was much better yesterday, but still not good. I was at about 1600 calories and that isn't bad. I need to still work on the good calories even more. There were a couple hundred calories that weren't healthy. Have fun working out. I will be joining you doing that today.

I doubt you gained that much. You probably have a lot of water weight and a couple days eating good will get rid of it. To gain 5 pounds you'd have had to eat 17500 calories extra and I doubt you did that. So chin up, and focus on today, not yesterdays.

Is New Year's Eve or Day going to cause you problems? I don't think it will for me since I don't really care about that holiday. I might make a turkey but that's healthy so I should be all right.

Enjoy your day to yourself and I will talk to you later tonight.
Marie

Hi Marie, thanks for being such a support. I can feel your calm and kindness from across the country. I can imagine the beauty of your setting.

Today is my "me" day. My husband took the day off and is tending to the boys. I have three strong-minded, independent boys who have enormous reserves of energy. It's hard to keep up sometimes though I love them dearly. We're taking them skiing over New Years and that will be a perfect match for their spirit and a perfect match for my love of natural beauty. I love skiing slowly down from the peak and looking out into the white-frosted forests.

I've been battling to get back on track and I think today will be the day. After writing I'll be off to the gym for a workout. Then I'm going shopping and after that I'm going to dinner with friends. I might even stop at the bookstore to read a bit and have a nice cup of coffee. A day like this is the best gift of all for me. I need these days to replenish my spirit.

Again, thank you so much for being here. I'm so grateful that I've found this site.

Skinny, I really miss you and hope that everything is well. How is your DD's dad doing? How is your husband? This time of year can be so challenging. Know that you are in my thoughts. Take care.

Good News! I made it to the gym!!! I lost one lb. Yeah!
I'm going to start posting my workouts to train for the triathlon in July.

ex: alternate walk/run 1/4 mi. - 2.25 miles, 30 min.
sw 210
cw 175
gw 150

Thanks! You were right Marie!

Me again, I just reread some of the posts at the beginning of this thread. That's incentive. My goal was to make it to 180 by the new year. I made it. We talked about rewards. My next goal is to make it to 150 by spring/early summer. My reward will be a night away with my husband. I'm going to do it no matter how much the babysitter costs. He's been so good to me and this week made me realize how much I need some time by myself. I think we'll go to a beach somewhere and stay in a nice hotel for a night. All the money I'll be saving on food will pay for it.

What's your weight goal for the spring/summer? How will you reward yourself? Something to think about.

Hi TOF, Congrats on the weight loss. I'm really proud of you. I still haven't weighed but I liked the date of Jan 15 so I'm going with that. Every morning I'm really tempted to get on it, but I'm forcing myself not to.

Well I was bad. And I mean really bad. I munched all day yesterday and when I wasn't munching I was thinking about what to eat next. I know why I did. I was bored. I'm ready to go back to work I guess. I don't want to do any of my hobbies and all I want to do is eat. Boredom is one of my biggest problems of eating. If I constantly am not busy, I think about food. And not good for you food. I wanted and ate lots of red velvet cake. It was so good, I just oculdn't stop. So today is a new day and I am not having any cake or candy. I can eat other stuff, but not that. So I'm hopeing that will get me back on track. So far, I haven't eaten anything. I'm not hungry but that cake was still trying to lure me over to it and I said no. For that I'm grateful. Here's my pledge for today, no cake or candy. Everything else is okay. I'll let you know tomorrow how I do calorie wise.

That's about it. I was really in a bored, blah mood yesterday so I didn't do much. Today, I'm going to work on stained glass and my knitting. I should be okay eating wise, then.

Talk to you later.
Marie

Good morning, ladies
 

Just wanted you to know that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I'm still alive and kicking. I have fallen off the wagon during these holidays so I'm struggling to get back on board and get/stay motivated. I also feel that I have probably gained 5-10 pounds! Like Marie, I'm trying to stay off the scale until 01/15/2005 but it's certainly tempting! Anyway, will attempt to start reporting my points/exerise once again.

TOF-congrats on your weight loss and on getting back on track! :cheer: You're definitely an inspiration.

Marie-I'm right there w/you w/the munching and thinking about food! Ugh! What are we going to do? I've gone back to reading and back to my cross stitch so maybe that will help. I didn't get the cross stitch done for my DD's for Christmas so I guess they'll be Valentine day gifts! :D Well, Marie, we can do it. We just have to figure out our motivation. Part of the motivation for me is the new emerald (my birthstone) ring I got for Christmas from DH. He's had the stone for quite a while as he bought it overseas when he was in the Navy. So, he just had to pay to have it set. It's beautiful. It's about a two carat princess cut stone. We set it in a plain gold band w/touches of silver as well. The stone didn't need any enhancement! We just wanted it to shine. Well, the ring is a little snug on my fingers so if I get back on track, I'll be able to wear the ring more comfortably! hee, hee.

DD's dad is home and doing fine. According to oldest DD, he's meaner than ever. They had a very rough time there during Christmas.

DH still not working but searching diligently.

Me-well-depends on when you ask! Most times, I'm okay but sometimes I feel like I'm drowning. Every time I try to get some air, I just end up w/more water in my lungs. I'm having a difficult time accepting this bipolar and the disruption it's causing. I feel very disconnected from DH-like we're two people who just happen to live in the same house. Seems like the only thing we have in common is that we love each other. I guess there's some fear in me that our love may not be enough. Don't get me wrong-I'm not going anywhere. As far as I know, he isn't planning on leaving either. Just expressing my feelings. Just feeling a little overwhelmed emotionally today. I have started journaling so that's helpful. I'm almost done w/an unquiet mind and already have another book lined up to read re: bipolar. I'm finding though that most books are written for the person w/bipolar. I wonder if there are any good books out there that deal w/the families response/handling of the illness?

I don't have to work tomorrow. I'm spending some alone time w/my oldest DD. She's got some money that's burning a hole in her pocket! So, it's off to the mall!

Hope everyone is having a great day! We can do this! Hold me accountable for journaling (food) and exercise. Talk to you soon. Thanks for being here and for listening.

Hi Skinny, so good to hear from you. I like woman who question and you question and think and wonder about life. I like to do that too. Even though I'm back a bit, I'm not totally back on track. It will take a while. We will feel so awesome in spring if we do this, if we stay on track. We'll feel so strong and beautiful and be much more able to conquer life's obstacles and challenges without the added weight and the pressure it brings to life. WE CAN DO IT!!!!!

I'll be away from tomorrow until Sunday so I won't be checking in. We're bringing the boys to the mountains for a few days for some skiing, reading, etc. My oldest son will be doing a lot of reading since he fractured his arm this week while sledding - oh well, it could have been a lot worse. Small potatoes in view of life's issues.

Take care. Know you are all in my thoughts and I thank you for your constant caring support.

Good morning, ladies
 

Hope everyone is having a good health day. Things here are good. I walked 2 1/2 miles last night-mostly to get out of the house so I wouldn't kill DH :D but I did it. I'm unofficially keeping track of points today. I will officially start on 01/02/05, Sunday. It's an OCD thing. Anyway, it looks like whatever I needed to kick start my program back has arrived. So, here we go again!

TOF-Sorry to hear about your son's arm. Hope he isn't in much pain. Does he like to read? If so, he should have an enjoyable weekend in spite of his arm.
Congrats to you for getting back on track. You keep me encouraged.

Marie-hope things are going well for you. How is your muching going today? I'm thinking good thoughts for you.

Well, no big plans here for the new year. We are going to a church in Bowling Green for an all night service. It's a tradition. They have praise and worship music, games, snacks and a sermon. Then, around 11:45, they have prayer. We pray out the old year and pray in the new. I've been doing this since I was little, as I'm a preacher's kid. But I really enjoy it.

TOF-you said something about liking people who question. Well, I'm definitely not one to sit idly by while life kicks me in the pants. I'm almost always searching, reaching and trying to learn more. There's always room for growth in every life.

Well, on my way to shop w/my oldest DD. Take care, ladies. I probably won't be able to check in until Monday or Tuesday so have a great weekend. Thanks for all your encouragement and support. And, by the way, TOF was right-WE CAN DO IT!

Happy New Year! It's going to be a great one. I'm kicking it off by reading Dr. Phil's diet book - very good start. It's about healthy choices and healthy living. Ladies, we're going to be looking and feeling fabulous come spring. Thanks for being here. Thanks for your support.

sw210
cw175
gw150