Hi Marie and all, thanks for the advice. The weekly treat sounds like a nice idea. From the reading I've done I think it's good to treat yourself now and then with something you really love. Hunger was one of my big problems when exercising - I got so ravenous!!!! Oh well, I'm still trying to figure this whole thing out. As in the old days, I'm checking in to announce that I'm done eating today. All healthy food - low spot is right after school when I could eat an entire house. Today I settled for almonds and a smoothie.

It helps so much to have you all here.

Just a quick pop in to say hello!!! And YAYYY ToF is back!!! Yah know..we really oughta start a new thread...37pages already....it wouldn't hurt to start a new onel!lol A new one for a new month and new challenges!!!

Take care ladies

Hi Hot,

Boy, I'm having trouble getting my motivation back. I feel like a mountain - I'm so so so lazy. I checked in for inspiration.

Great job loosing 9 lbs! You and I are at a similar weight.

There's no good excuse - I think I'll take my bike out for a ride today or visit the gym. Last summer when I started I had such great motivation. I have to find that again.

Take care.

Hi TOF and Hots, I hope you're both doing good. TOF, I'm finding motivation a difficult thing. I've been very determined but it's not the same thing. I'll be good, then suddenly a weak 5 minutes and I've screwed up. I did that this morning with icing from a cake. I didn't eat the cake (I had some of my determination still in place) but I did eat the icing. Now I'm back to being determined - but that 5 minutes sabotaged me. I will include it in my calorie limit and make sure I don't go over. But I chose sugar/fat instead of some good fruit. Dumb.

Enjoy the bike ride or gym. I vacuumed my whole house, then wet swiffered one room. It's an active day instead of an exercise day unless DH wants to exercise when he comes home. He didn't get to last night since the power went out after 11 minutes of exercise. My gazelle doesn't need electricity but the exercycle does so he was finished. We'll see about tonight when he gets home from Guard weekend.

I got to tell you Hots, I'm sort of partial to this thread. It was my first and I like it. If you two decide to start a new one, I will join you there, but I don't have a need to move. WTG on the 9 pound lose. You are doing great. The scale won't budge for me. I figure someday it'll reflect my hard work.

TTYL.
Marie

Hi all,

I'm the lowest I've been since I started this journey. I just can't seem to climb out of the hole I'm in. I'm starving to do something fun, but it seems like I just can't do it. For example, today, I wanted to go on a bike ride with my children and they all started fighting about where and with whom etc, etc. The fighting just killed my ambition to do anything.

My husband is away on a business trip. He's been gone a lot because his father is ill. I'm so low, that I even get jealous of him spending all that time helping his mom out, when I feel like my life is falling apart. I feel like all I do is work. I don't even enjoy my children because I'm always so extremely tired from my work! I'm so empty and have no where to turn. I need energy to continue this health journey to get to a better place, but I am zapped. I've been going through this now for about three weeks - I've been holding it together at work, but when I get home I just collapse. I know it isn't good for the kids, my marriage or anything else. I know I need a break badly, but I feel I can't leave the kids right now because they argue so much and need so much attention. My husband is helpful doing all the duties in life, but as far as emotional support he has nothing to give me right now.

I haven't done anything bad except get frustrated. I just feel like my life is all work. I'm sorry to lay all this self pity here, but I know that you are a compassionate group who might have some wisdom for me. Thanks for listening.

TOF, I wish I had magic words for you but you described classic signs of depression. They say that if the symptoms last longer than 2 weeks, you should see your dr. and look at getting on meds. I know that the day that I talked to my dr. years and years ago that it was the best day of my life. I finally found a way out of the abyss. They say that exercise helps but I find it only helps when I'm on meds. Talk to your dr. There is no shame in being depressed and needing help. It's a legitimate illness.

In the mean time, try exercise no matter how much you don't want to. Force yourself. It produces something in the brain that decreases depression. It certainly won't hurt and you'll stay more on track. The last thing you want is to regain your lost weight.

Word of warning, some antidepressants cause weight gain. I'm on Effexor and it's known not to cause appetite and weight gain.

Take care and dump on us any time. That's what we're here for. Just know you're not alone and can be helped.
Marie

Hay ToF...i've been where you are...and lower...coucilling and meds, if neccessary, are a big help. You need time for yourself...Don't fall into the abyss as Marie says..there is a way out...you need to go to the doctor's right away...Xyban is good too...and no weight gain...good luck...we are here for you!@!!!

Thanks Hot! In the past I've done some of the things you mention and had great results. I'm feeling much better now. I identified the three main reasons for my feelings:
1. unruly children - I just have to stay on top of them and make sure that they follow
the rules.
2. no individual/adult time - have to make time for it.
3. Goals that are bigger than I can handle - I have to be realistic about the goals I set, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and want everything the way it "should" be yesterday - I need to work at patience.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

Thanks Marie, I missed your message the first time I checked back. I really have to rethink my life balance. I may try some other measures too. Thanks for caring.

Good morning all. I'm ready to try again today. I'm glad the weekend is passed - for some reason weekends have been very stressful for me lately. Thanks again for all your support. I hope I can be there for you.

Have a great day!!!!

dont know how but im down a pound YAY...ill take it or rather leave that pound...id love to be below 200 by september..that is my wish!! where are the genies!!!! hahahahhaaha :D

Good Morning Ladies!! Got on the scale today since ToM is done.....No Loss...buuuuut...No GAIN EITHER!!!YAYYYYYYYY Still sitting 178!!!!!!!!Have a great day everyone!!!!!!!!!

Great Job Hot! Your enthusiasm is contagious. You are on your way!!!! What's been your greatest success strategy so far!

Mine has been smoothies - they taste great and are low cal.

Have a good day!

Hi Choco, Hots, and ToF, I hope your day is going great. I have the day off and have been doing counted cross stitch. I'm making name plates for the sampler quilt. It's looking really cool.

I weighed in this morning and was pleased to see a little downward movement of a pound. I've been stuck at 199.5 for four weeks and I finally lost a pound. So I'm finally in a downward trend.

Today is exercise day and I'll do the Gazelle laster today. I really like my toy and I have only 2 more payments on it. The first 4 are done. I'm pleased about that. It was sort of spendy, but the 6 month payment plan worked pretty good.

I've been on track for the last few days and am trying to pick healthy nibblers. I like having just a taste of things, so when I'm munchie, I'm aiming for fruit instead of bad things. I put my grapes in the front of the fridge so everytime I open it I find grapes and it takes the urge for other stuff away.

Talk to you later.
Marie

Hi all, Marie - good for you!!!! It seems like there is something positive in the air since everyone is doing so well with their weight loss and exercise. I guess it's the sunshine - a good motivator. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm getting closer. Yesterday I just allowed myself to chill and rest. Today my husband comes home which is a big help. Vacation is three days away. This is a turning point - I can feel it - thanks to all your support, I'm heading in the right direction. Lesson learned - I need to rebalance my weekly schedule so that I've got energy left at the end of each week. Balance has never been my strong point.

Good idea about the grapes. I'm trying to have a nice, big crunch apple or pear available for snacking on when I need to. I'm also trying to drink more water and hope to get back to exercising today.

Thanks again for being here everyone! Thanks for welcoming me back! This is a "centering" post for me. I hope I can support all of you.