Every step in the right direction is another step away from the wrong one. Healthy food is a great thing to have in the house, because I know that a house full junk leads to it all going into my body. Good for you on the exercise front there Nichola! Nothing like energy and a revved up metabolism. I'm heading to Curves again tomorrow. Yay!

Lorraine

Ugh. Wicked headache. Wondering if it is Caffeine withdrawal.

Lorraine

Lorraine, hope the headache has improved!

Unfortunately, although I have plenty of healthy stuff in the kitchen right now, I can't stop picking at the things that aren't so good :mad: I seem to have a sugar craving at the moment and I'm having difficulty controling it ... I'm not even eating stuff that I like!! ... As long as it's sweet it will do ... I guess TOM is around the corner!! I haven't even got much 'bad' stuff in the house at the moment, but I've managed to find whatever there is!! The sad thing is that I feel really sick and annoyed with myself after I've done it ... so why do I do it??

Nichola

Hi Guys! :wave: I'm back. I stopped getting notifications so I thought the thread was dead, but then WHOA! I came to check in and I see you all are doing great. I'm so happy for everyone.

I lost 5lbs but then gained 7lb back. AARGH! Time to try again. I haven't decided if I want to stick with the South Beach or try the new WW. Which ever isn't going to cost me money is best. I'm sick and tired of paying money to lose weight.

How has the new year been treating you all so far?

Hi Raff, welcome back! I need to get back on track too ... had a terrible week this week ... just don't know what's been the matter with me!! I'm sure I've regained everything that I've lost so far!! But I intend to get back to counting cals AND writing EVERYTHING down!!

Nichola

Hi Girls,

I'm pleased to say that I've finally got back on track today. I did weigh-in on Friday and discovered that I've regained 2lbs!! I simply can't keep doing this ... before I know it the summer will be here and I'll still be in the same position that I'm in now :mad: I'm not going to change my ticker (partly because I don't know how to do it yet :dizzy: and partly because that 2lbs WILL BE GONE by next week!! :^: ).

How's everyone else doing? Hope you all have a good week :)

Nichola

Hello Ladies!

Have had an ok week. Have a bit of a cold, so I've been fighting the need to nap every 2 hours, although all the coughing is giving me a good abs workout, so there is a positive side to things. :) I've joined a new gym. It's farther away than the Curves I was going to, but it has childcare, and my neighbour goes to the same gym, so I'll have a workout buddy and we can carpool. I'm quite excited as it is a nice place, and it costs less that Curves in the end, even with the Childcare. Yay! Had a really good eating day today too. Managed not to nibble at work, which is really huge for me so a pat on the back there.

How is everyone else doing?

Jo- Did you get my Msn IM message the other day?

Lorraine

Hi All! I'm doing okay with the 3-0-1 (3 meals a day, nothing in between, one day at a time). It's an old OA thing but it seems the best for me to do for now. I've lost five pounds in two week and have decided to weigh myself at the beginning of each month.

I ordered these great Timberland shoes from Zappos.com for my trip to France. I had to get a men's size because they don't make wide shoes for women that are nice. And if they do they are way, way too wide. At least the men's version gives me wiggle room. Aah. I remember the days when I could fit my slender size 9 in a $100 shoe with no problem. Those times are gone but they will be here once again, God willing.

How is everyone else doing?

Hi all - back from visiting parents and of course managed to bring a cold with me. Had a nice time despite odd dental issues. Much "home" food, which I miss terribly. Have taken so much cold med that I now have cotton mouth - hee. But seriously, yuck. Will catch up with you all soon.

B

Hi Everyone,

Lorraine & Brandy, hope you both feel better soon :grouphug: Brandy, glad the trip went well and hope you've now got your dental probs sorted out :^:

Raff, well done on your 5lbs loss ... keep it up :) When are you going off to France ... I'm really jealous, we love France but there's not much chance of us visiting from HK!!

Glad to say that my ticker now has the correct reading once again :D Now all I need to do is get it moving in the right direction! :o I'm off work this week for the Chinese New Year holidays so I'm going to have more time to prepare some good healthy meals ... unless of course hubby decides we go out to eat ... then I'm going to have to be careful ... but planning to get in lots of walking together so hopefully will counteract any damage that I may do! :^:

Hope you all have a good week :)

Nichola

Hi all!

I'm back - I'm back and bigger than ever. I've just never really gotten a grip since sometime last September and it's been a steady climb. I'm not sure why really, I don't have an actual reason, but I finally really LOOKED at the scale and did the math and I'm up higher than I've been in ages and I guess why doesn't really matter but enough is enough. So now I have to update my ticker upwards AGAIN which sucks but I think I really need to sort of face the number.

So congrats all you losers and maintainers and for us gainers (which, in reality, might just be me), time to get going.

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!

B

:balloons: Bumpity Bump Bump :balloons:

How is everyone? It's awfully quiet around here!

I am once again hitting the START OVER button - I am not going to go into it too much because really, what can I say that would surprise you? But I'm giving it another go so wish me luck.

Hope things are well with all of you!

B :flow1:

Hi guys! I'm alive and well...been busy this past week getting into my new gym routine. Having a good time and hoping the trend will continue. I'll keep you posted!

Nichola...hoping Chinese New Year was fun!
Brandy...starting over is better than not starting at all.
Jo...hope all is well!
You too Raff!

Lorraine

Hello Ladies! Glad to hear everyone is doing well. I'm preparing for my mini-vaca to Paris by trying on the tops I bought. A couple fit snug but hopefully I'll lose a couple of more lbs before I head off. I'm going to do WW for a month and see how it goes. I'm not crazy about the plan but its easy for now, until I get back and can start on South Beach again.

Well have a lovely Valentine's Day! :love: :flame: :grouphug: :high: :cheers: :cofdate:
I tried to use all the lovey dovey smilies I could.

Take care,
Raff

Hi Girls,

For some reason I've not been getting notification of posts agains?!! :?:

Glad you're all doing fine :)

Brandy, I'll be hitting the start button again with you ... did a bit too much socialising over the Chinese New Year Hols ... ad we all know what that means!! :o

Lorraine, hope the gym routine goes well!

Brandy, if you stick to WW for a month I'm sure you'll look extra good in those new tops ;)

I'm just off to visit the doctor ... came out in a rash over the weekend which is driving me crazy ... it's all over my arms and legs mainly and it's hot and itchy, a bit like sunburn ... Not sure if it's something I've eaten or an allergic reaction to something :?: Hope the doc can sort it out as it kept me awake half the night!! :tired:

Have a good week everyone! :)

Nichola

:dance: !!!Happy V Day Girls!!! :dance:

Lorraine, good luck with your new gym thing!!!

Raff, enjoy Paris and take lots of pics!

Nichola, hit that restart button HARD girl, we have to make it stick this time.

Hope everyone has a great day,
B :flow1:

Hi all...

Sorry, fell off the thread wagon again :dizzy:

Been hellish here, with deadlines galore at Uni, and I've got 7500 words to write for 17th March :^:

I'll be insane before I finish this degree!!!!

Dom is doing well with his ice hockey, gained his first assist (not bad for a defender!!) the other week.......you never know, he may make it to the NHL one day! Natty turned 11 the other week.....no idea where the time has gone. We got her a mobile phone for her birthday, so for all of two days she thought we were the best parents EVER! :lol: She's so moody it's not funny though...and I guess we've got a fun few years ahead of us.

Fell off the food wagon and currently feel MASSIVE. Refusing to stand on the scales so no idea where I am, but I do need to get my butt moving as I'm at the doctors in April and he'll give me **** if I've not lost around 14lbs over what I lost last time....and I think I gained that all back, so 28lbs in two months....is that achievable??? :dizzy:

Lorraine, I didn't get an MSN im.....was it to my britjo67 addy? I don't have you on MSN....or yahoo now, as I use my main addy as my login. Let me know your addy and I can add you :)

Anyway, that's all for now,

Hope you're all doing well. Did I read it right, is Raff going to Paris???? Ooooh la la :D

Talk soon
Love
Jo :grouphug:

Almost forgot.....I never did go back to WW :o

Hi All! I'm hitting the restart button as well. I gained back 3 of the 5 I lost and am now in the 2 week PMS period which is **** for me when it comes to food. I can not afford to gain any weight because I bought new clothes for my trip.

I've been doing WW for a few days now because it's more structured and that's what I need right now. Ideally I like South Beach but it leaves way too much room for error.

Overall I feel good. I've been following my foodplan and only went over on my points today because I went out to eat with my sister.

On another topic, I am so upset with my sister. We are spending 3 full days in Paris and I thought that the third day we could swing by London. Well she is completely against it because she doesn't want to take away from her short time in France and that we could go another time. Yeah as if I'm the globetrotter she is. She knows I'm poor and can't afford to pass timezones the way she does and yet she won't compromise. I think what hurts me most is that if the tables were turned I would make the sacrifice for her. Well there's nothing I can do about it, but it just pisses me off. Argh!

Talk to you all soon. Stay well.

Love,
Raff

Hi Girls,

Seems to have gone a bit quiet around here lately! My reason for not posting since last week ... I've not been a good girl and feel a bit ashamed!! :o Obviously I didn't push the start button hard enough!! Will definitely be pushing it harder today!! :^:

Nick completed his 50k charity walk on Saturday and I now feel like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders ... I won't go through it all again but you may remember that I was having a few issues about the whole thing a few weeks ago! Anyway, no more long, intensive training sessions to take him away from me every weekend!! As of next weekend we'll be out in the country parks and hiking trails, up and down hills, walking together. The good thing (??? :yikes: ) about this is that there's absolutely NO WAY that I'll be able to make any excuses not to go ... certainly not after all the fuss I created about him doing the walk with other people because I wasn't fit enough to do it. It's now his mission to get me fit ... and he's even talking about me signing up to do the charity walk next year!!!!! :rofl: I must confess that there's a little part of me that would like to attempt it if I could get myself fit enough over the next 12 months ... just to prove to myself that anything's possible if you try hard enough.

Maybe this is going to be the turning point in my life ... who knows? ;)

Hope the rest of you are doing better than I've been doing lately ... Have a great week!! :D

Nichola

Nichola! You're going to leave us behind to become an athelte!!!

Raff, you're going to have such a great trip!

Jo, where are you with those 7500 words?

M and I are back on the diet thing. Brace yourselves - I'm even going to cook.

Wish us luck,
B

Brandy, don't worry, I'm not quite THAT enthusiastic!! :yikes:

Good to hear that you and Mark are back doing the diet thing together ... Good luck to both of you!

I had a letter yesterday from WW wanting to know why I haven't been to any meetings in the last X amount of months :o ... They're offering free membership (worth HK$350) and the first meeting free (HK$120) which is quite a lot of money and one of the reasons why I haven't been back to them ... just couldn't justify throwing so much money away if I couldn't stick to it for more than a couple of weeks. Anyway, the offer is open until 25 March, so I'll think about it over the next few weeks and decide if I want to give it another go. I'll try to continue on my own and if the weight loss tracker doesn't start to move soon I think I'll pay them another visit :o

Nichola

Wow, I love a good deal. That alone might drag me to an actual meeting.

As for me, I don't know exactly WHAT kind of diet we're doing here but we're being careful and hoping for the best. Poor M has had several crap days (and nights - lots of calls at home at 1, 2, and 3 am) with work and I think he'd love nothing more than some comfort food and sweets - I'm trying the Cooking Light fake outs and so far, so good.

Take care,
B

Hello Ladies! Still chugging along with WW. I've been staying within my points range and have only gone over a few times. Also been walking for 1/2 hour a day and it's been helping. I've decided to stop weighing myself because I was down 2lbs again. The smart thing to do is weigh myself once a month, which is easier said than done. The minute my clothes feel a little looser I'm running to the scales. There should be a support group for that. It could be called "Scale Watchers Anonymous".

I'm still going to OA, but only one meeting a week because all of Staten Island has become OA-HOW which is a splinter group. To make up for my lack of meetings I've joined at yahoo OA email loop and I like it.

The tickets and package from AirFrance came today. I'm so excited. March 9th is when we are leaving and it feels so far away. I've got everything in order. I just ordered a french menu book from amazon to help with deciphering the names of foods. I'm not a fan of French food because I'm not a butter and cream person so I don't know what I can eat there. I could eat pastries all day but that would probably make me sick. :p

Well I'll be talking to you all soon. Take care and stay well.

Love,
Raff

Raff, I think I'm going to have to hide my scale or at least come to terms with it. I lose two pounds, get over-confident, and crash. This is not good. I also need to follow your lead and start walking!

I looked up something on OA-HOW - sounds extreme. I would like to think that one day I'll be able to sort of "natrually" control what I eat. The whole OA-HOW thing sounds so tight and restrictive and just confining. I couldn't find a lot on it, so maybe I've gotten the wrong impression.

You are going to have such a great time on your trip! I'm so excited for you and we'll all be expecting lots of pictures!!!

Everyone else, have a great week,
B

Helloooooooo

Well I've still written approx. 0 words of the 7500 :dizzy: Slowly going insane.

Anyway, I had a lightbulb moment this morning. I'm fat. I'm getting fatter. I'm eating too much. I'm sure as **** eating too much sugar. I don't want to be like this. I don't want to die before my time.

Soooooo, I'm back on WW. Doing it at home, using their online tracker. I also weighed myself, and I've gained all I lost at WW and then some.

I'm taking control of my life and my weight. I'm sick of making empty promises.

On the family side of things, Dom played brilliantly at the weekend (they did lose 7-0 though!)...and he was awarded The Spirit of the Game (or Man of the Match). :D

Just heard today that Natty got in at the High School we want her to attend in September, so mega chuffed about that!!!

Right I'm off to make myself a coffee and start planning food.

Love to you all
Jo

Jo, we seem to have had the same lightbulb. I have been trying to FORCE it to come on, but this morning the switch finally flipped itself and I get it.

Glad things are well on the family front, congratulations!

B

Glad you got the lightbulb thing too, Brandy.

I'm still religiously tracking everything I put in my mouth, and although I shouldn't really weigh myself until Tuesday, I've lost 4lbs so far this week. I know it's the inflated first week weightloss, but still can't help but feel happy about it. :D

The thing that is different this time around is that I've finally wiped the dust off the treadmill and begun walking. Admittedly the first week has been 10 minutes of brisk walking (which nearly killed me the first day). I'm upping the minutes each week. It's the first time I've actually combined exercise with diet. :o

Hope everyone else is doing well. Three days and Raff flies....how exciting...just wish I could go over to France to meet her.

Love
Jo

Hi JO! I finally feel up to the challenge. This week, I'm back to walking (sort of "walking" - using the WATP tapes anyway) in addition to tracking. I'm going to try to make myself wait till NEXT Sunday to weigh in so I get a full week and weekend.

You know one weird thing that has really motivated me? Ok, backstory: I hate shopping in the fat girl shops and sections. Even tho they have some really great things now, it just sucks the life right out of me (tho I should just count my blessings). Well I just found out that Gap, plain ol' every day Gap, goes up to a size 20. I am fairly near a size 20! I am fairly near shopping in a REGULAR STORE!!! This is so exciting to me!

Anyway, thought I'd share.

Raff, have a GREAT trip!!! We'll want to hear all about it when you get back!

B

Hi Girls,

Sorry I've not been around for a while. Not had anything good to report! :mad:

My weight is right back up to where it started ... again!! Don't know why I do this ... I went through a phase of walking every day and felt really good about it, but during the past month I've done zilch! And I haven't really been watching what I eat either!

Anyway, my lightbulb was also switched on yesterday ... went for a 4 hour hike with Nick and today I'm feeling totally incapacitated!! :o Just goes to show that the daily walking I did a while back does actually make a difference because the last time I went hiking with Nick I didn't feel this bad!! So, it's back to the daily walking for me to build myself up again ... and this time I'm not going to start making excuses not to do it!!

Also, I went shopping yesterday for a new pair of jeans ... :lol: ... Don't know why I bothered!! If I found the right size they didn't have my length, or if they had my length they didn't have my size!! Eventually found a pair which was the right size and length, but they were "stretch" jeans which I hate ... they don't hold the belly and bum in like the normal ones .... and they looked absolutely, shockingly, awful!! Needless to say I came home without any ... near to tears ... again!! I can't keep putting myself through this misery!

We're going away for Easter week to Singapore ... now I've got the problem that I've got no summer clothes that fit me ... it's still a bit chilly here in Hong Kong so I'm able to squeeze into my winter clothes, but in Singapore it's hot, hot, hot ... and last summer's clothes don't fit!! What to do?!!

Well, we are now well and truly into March ... and I was supposed to have started my new lifestyle in January ... well, I did actually but it didn't last! Anyway, today I am starting over (can't change my weight tracker because I don't know how to! :o ... Sophie did it for me last time, so I'll have to ask her to do it again!)

Jo, well done on your fantastic weight loss ... I hope I can do as well as you.

Brandy, glad you've seen the light too ... let's hope this is a good start for all of us!

Raff, have a fabulous time in France!

Have a great week everyone!

Nichola

Well, as you can see, I have now managed to change my weight loss tracker! :dizzy: I thought it was going to be complicated (I'm very much a novice when it comes to computers you know! :o ) Anyway, I thought I was going to have to cut and paste and do all sorts of complicated stuff just to update my tracker ... didn't realise you just change it the same way as before! :lol: Well, you live and learn :D

So, it's back to the beginning for me as you can see. I really am trying to get focused to stay with it this time. I want to get away from the "diet" thing and really concentrate on it being a "lifestyle" change. I don't want to be constantly thinking about food all the time. I need to watch my portion control ... which I am really struggling with! And need to choose health options and get more active ... I'm going to work out a timetable for myself and pin it to the fridge.

It's been a beautiful day here in HK today ... really mild and sunny ... makes me realise that summer is just around the corner ... and I don't want to look like this!!! :mad:

I'm going out for dinner this evening (someone's leaving do) but I'm already determined that I'm not going to let it ruin my plan. There is always some occasion that we need to go out for meals, so I really do need to get it into my head that I don't have to pig out just because it's an "occasion" ... there will always be occasions, so I've got to work them into my lifestyle and not let them constantly wreck my plans.

Nichola

Great to see us all making new commitments to losing.

Well, weigh-in today, just as TOM hit with avengeance....so my first week loss is only officially 3lbs, although I do know it is more.


Easter in Singapore sounds very glamorous, Nichola....mind you so does summer in Hong Kong :lol:

We're going up to Scotland at Easter, for an ice hockey camp for Dom, so will be staying in a caravan on a nearby campsite (mmmmmm nice and cold!!!)....mind you the caravans do have heating so maybe it won't be too bad. I've got a couple of essays to work on that week, so I'll be busy (probably by the indoor pool while Nat swims).

Bet Raff is getting excited now!!!!! One day till she flies to gay Paree :encore:

Talk soon
Jo

Well we are doing NOTHING for Easter as usual because M gets no time off. There are NO FRIGGIN HOLIDAYS in the US. Easter is just another Sunday. Oh well. Rumor has it MIL has sent us a box of chocolate. Please send me lots of strength to stay out of it. Or at least sample it sparingly!!!

Nichola, summer clothes are a BIG motivation for me right now. Esp as I found some summer clothes from last year with tags still on - at least a size too small (they fit at the time, I have no idea why they didn't get worn? I'm guessing I just forgot about them) - two if we're being honest. I'm determined to be able to wear them when the warm weather comes. If it ever does.

ANYWAY, I'm off to do my WATP for the day!

You guys have a great one!
B

I've got a couple of bags of clothes still with tags on :^: Usually because I think 'oh I'll lose weight and it'll be perfect'....and then never get there.

I'm currently shattered, and craving chocolate. :dizzy: Met my client yesterday for the court case I'm doing on Wednesday. Don't think we stand a chance, but you never know.

I was supposed to be going on a forum meet. 36 women, all meeting at a hotel in Blackpool. With my essays not written, and this case to prepare for, the only thing I could do was cancel. I upset my best friend though, who threatened to cancel her booking too if I wasn't going...but someone talked her round. I think she isn't talking to me now because I backed out at the last minute, but this is the final year of my degree and I can't afford to fail. I feel down enough about having to cancel, without her making me feel even more guilty. She made me feel like I've let her down big time. :(

Jo

Oh Jo, you and I both ... chocolate cravings that is! ... And it's not even TOM!! However, I have promised myself a nice chololate treat every Friday when I go shopping ... problem is, I seem unable to stop once I start! :o Consequently, I've just eaten a Cadbury's Cream Egg ... my first and probably my last, as they've only just arrived in the shops here and once all the other Brits know they're in the shops, they won't last for long!! :lol:

I wish you all the best for your court case on Wednesday ... it must be really nerve racking for you!

As for your friend, well you really do have to do what's more important to you. Maybe she's just feeling a bit miffed or even jealous because you've put your work before her. Perhaps you could just let her know how important this is to you and how upset you are at not being able to go with her. When it's all over and you've got your degree you'll be able to spend more time doing things that friends do together. If she's a good friend I'm sure she'll see your side of things :)

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Nichola

Hi everyone,

Just coming in for my usual sporadic post. :D I've been doing pretty poorly on the eating front (like that full size chocolate bar and half a bag of chips in front of the TV last night) but have been doing well on the exercise front, so we're sitting at neutral at the moment. Today is the day I push it over into the positive (or negative if you think about pounds to lose! -1,-2,-3, and so on.)

Just been sitting here reading all the posts and feeling so proud of you all for keeping on and taking it one day at a time. We will do it!

Raff- May you have a bulkhead seat and free drinks all the way to Paris baby!

Everyone...take care, have a great weekend!

Lorraine

Hi Lorraine, keep up with the exercise, you're doing well :)

I've just hopped on the scales and I'm 2lbs down, so my weight loss tracker is once again on the move ... in the right direction! Let's hope I can keep it up!! :^:

Nichola

Had a really good day in the exercise and eating department. Hoping tomorrow I can continue the trend. It's so frustrating to undo all the hard work in a day's worth of binge. Here's to CONSISTENCY! *ching*

Lorraine

Am once again in allergy ****. Ahh, spring. Grrr.

Will catch up more when not medicated to the gills.

Jo, your friend will get over it. It sucks for her that you had to back out BUT you had to. That's the way it is. She may pout for now, but she'll come around with a little distance. Till then, study hard and make us proud!

B

Lorraine, yes it's so easy to undo all the hard work in a day's worth of binge, how true that is!! Hope you managed to stay on track.

Brandy, sorry to hear those allergies are troubling you again ... hope you feel better soon.

I've been off work sick for a couple of days this week with a very upset tummy ... was convinced it was something I'd eaten but there have been quite a few others off with the same sort of thing, so who knows? :( Feeling much better today though. Have managed to stay pretty much on track foodwise ... basically haven't felt much like eating ... if that were only the case ALL the time!! :lol: But I haven't felt like doing exercise either, so no walking so far this week, which obviously isn't good! :mad: And I feel so exhausted due to lack of sleep that I really don't feel up to doing any today either. Hopefully tomorrow I'll feel more energetic! :^:

Nichola