Jo, Mark not only got tons of chocolate for Christmas but he got me lots of birthday goodies. The way I'm dealing with it is I'm telling myself having ONE thing a day will make it last longer. Also, putting the choclate in the freezer and taking out one thing at a time (to get soft) works because I HATE frozen or cold chocolate.
Just thought i'd put that out there, you never know - it might help. Good luck!
Jo, it's a great name for our new thread ... FRIENDS FIRST Just let us know when it's up and running.
I know exactly how you feel about the choccies ... I can't bring myself to bin anything either. I had lots of choccies, as gifts from the kiddies at school where I work, which I knew I would be unable to resist What I've done this year however, is keep offering them to Nick and the kids ... that way there was less left for me!
Brandy, well done on the water consumption ... I'm trying too!
There is now MORE chocolate. M's parents sent me a beautiful (and HUGE) gift basket of chocolate. And my best friend sent me a really great King Cake (cream cheese filled). One good thing about having so many sweets on hand: they have well and truly lost their allure. Totally. I can't even think about chocolate now. And of course, I have to eat it because it's GIFT chocolate. So I'll be freezing it and trying to force M to eat some (passed off as "sharing graciously") and eat a little at a time (passed off as "careful rationing"). Of course, next TOM I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune!
M did really well for my birthday, lots of flowers and pressies the Leslie Sansone Walk Blaster set which I have realllllly been wanting. It's on backorder but I'm SO excited! I've been using the WATP DVDs so long I can do them in my sleep and I LOVE them but it'll be nice to have something else to alternate with. YAY!
And now that all holidays and birthdays and things are behind me, FINALLY I can get super serious and get going. I did pretty well this week with water (which I am even learning to like - well, not hate, anyway) and exercise, now I need to focus on food. Wish me luck and lots of it and same back to all of you!
Anyway, weighing in on Saturday as planned. Down 1.5 and considering the week it's been, I'll take it!
ETA: The ticker only does whole pounds and I'm too lazy to change it again so I PROMISE to be extra super good today so the ticker will be true tomorrow!
Hope everyone had a good weekend! I've had an extremely active weekend! I finally managed to spend some time with my husband (no, it's not what you're thinking!! ). We went walking on Saturday and Sunday ... and don't I know it today ... I'm aching in places that I never knew existed!! As you know, he's training for a 50K charity walk so he's pretty fit and able to do some really difficult walks. He said he'd take me on a couple of easier walks to get me started ... Well, if they were easy walks I can't ever imagine being fit enough to do the more strenuous ones We live at the foot of a mountain, and on Saturday afternoon we walked right to the top ... ok, it's not a huge, big mountain, but it's all UPHILL!! ... I never thought I'd make it to the top but I did On Sunday morning we went to a country park not far from where we live, which has lots of different hiking trails (supposedly family trails) ... well, I walked up and down hills, up and down HUNDREDS of stone steps ... and this is a girl who doesn't do hills!!! All I can say is that I'm really proud of myself for doing it and feel as though I've actually achieved something. Nick said he was pretty impressed with my efforts too ... so much so, that he took me shopping yesterday afternoon and bought me lots of new sporty gear to wear, as I didn't even own a pair of track suit pants or any suitable lightweight jackets or sweatshirts that I can wear for hiking ... now I have no excuses!! Nick will be training very seriously over the next few weeks ... his walk is on 19 Feb, but as soon as it's over we're going to be regular hikers!! Until then we'll try to fit in a long walk on Saturday's and I'll be taking the dog on longer walks in between. I feel really motivated and I'm quite excited about it all
Food-wise I've been ok ... just one little set back when TOM arrived last week and I got the munchies for something chocolatey!! But other than that I was ok ... lost 1.5lbs.
Brandy, what are family and friends like eh? ... Sending a girl who's wanting to lose weight baskets of choccies and cakes! ... Don't ya just love em?!! Well done to you for losing 1.5lbs ... I'm really impressed considering the temptations you've had!!
Hi Lorraine ... hope you're doing well
Nichola
Last edited by Fat in Hong Kong; 01-11-2005 at 04:27 AM.
Nichola, that sounds like a wonderful weekend! And I'm so proud/happy for you. That sounds just great!
I'm still trudging along and hoping for the best. Having all the sweet stuff around is turning into a huge challenge. I do not need this. I just keep forcing M to take it to work. We'll see. I am just determined to post SOME kind of loss, anything, come Saturday.
I'm pleased to see that the very long thread I posted yesterday was actually submitted, as I was having problems with our computer, and when I tried to submit it the computer froze ... I was furious and ended up having to shut down and restart again, but I couldn't access 3fc So it's nice to know I don't have to re-do it all again!
I had a day off from my active lifestyle yesterday as my muscles (pleased to be able to say I have some!) were really sore ... just did a short walk with the dog. Today though I felt much better so I've been on another long (ish) walk with her ... the same walk that I did on Christmas night (in anger! ) which took me almost 2 hours ... then again the following day which took me 1.5 hours, although I must admit that both occasions I was just plodding along at an easy pace ... Today I timed myself and it took me 50mins. I walked at a good brisk pace and can really feel that I've done something. I intend to keep this up and perhaps do the same walk 2-3 times a week plus the extra long walks with Nick at the weekend ... hopefully this will help to shed the pounds!
On Saturday this week, Sophie is taking part in a sponsored hike with her school to raise money for the victims of the tsunami disaster. They are going to complete the 50K Hong Kong Trail (which is the one Nick is doing next month) with teams of children doing one of eight sections of the hike ... most are very strenuous, but not sure yet which one Sophie has been chosen for. If it's not too difficult I might even go along myself
Brandy, keep at it ... get Mark to take the lot to work, or enjoy a few treats and get the WATP out to counteract the cals. WE CAN DO IT!!
I've just been inspired by a success story on the WW UK website ... There's a woman who is exactly the same height as me, started off at the same weight that I am right now, and got down to her goal weight which is the same as my goal weight ... She looks absolutely fabulous!! If I could look like her in a few months time I'd be the happiest chickie in the world!
Nichola, I'm so happy for you - it's like your whole family is taking up walking as a hobby! Or hiking, rather. You know, there are probably lots of five and ten K charity walks and things, you could get into those and work up. I think all the tee shirts would be addicitve. You've inspired me to start looking for some in my area!
As for the chocolate, it HAS to go. I was SO great yesterday - I did a longer WATP tape (inspired by you, thankyouverymuch!), ate right, drank loads of water (I'm very proud of cutting back on the Diet Coke and learning to drink water - this is HUGE for me), and then at MIDNIGHT I ended up eating chocolate. And not a reasonable amount. Today I'm picking out the freezable stuff (I don't like it cold, Mark does, and it's not fair for ME to decide WE have had enough) and sending the rest to work with him. I thought I could ration it out - that worked for about three days.
That's so great to have a specific person to look at as your "inspiration" - I should try to find the same. Frankly, everytime someone loses ten pounds I get a little kick and think wow! TEN POUNDS! So maybe I should just look at ANY success stories and keep a few around for the rough times. Now to check out that success story on the WW UK site.
Brandy, never thought I'd be an inspiration for anyone ... but it's a really nice feeling ... glad to be of help
I think you're doing the right thing with the chocolate. I agree with you that it's not right to decide that 'everyone' has had enough. I always feel so guilty when I don't have anything nice in the cupboards for the kids, just because I can't stand the temptation And I understand entirely about the 'midnight munchies' ... I'm sure it's something we've all done! If I've got chocolate in the cupboards I simply can't rest until it's all gone. I've been known on several occasions to secretly stuff as much as I possibly can into my mouth late at night when Nick takes the dog out for her last walk! But of course, I'll be trying not to do that again!
Nichola - the whole midnight munchies thing - that was like a new low for me! I mean, snacking late, ok sure, it happens. But to be sort of sneaky about it! And to have as much as I did? I shocked myself. I'm now up 19 pounds from my lowest weight and I'm sick of myself. It's shocking. I don't know what's been up with me for the past few months but the up and down stops here. And I don't mean that in a pep-talky way, but it's just reality. A person was not meant to live like this. I think I've finally hit "desperate" and the changes are going to have to be meaningful and written in stone. I actually feel panic-y about how out of control I have been. Nothing else will do - I'm just going to have to buck up and be a grown up and get tough with myself.
Hope you guys are off to a better week than I am, but mine is getting better TODAY.
Good girl Brandy, put the past behind you and forget about it ... what's done is done ... you can make a new start right here, right now ... no one's going to judge you ... we've all been there (some of us more than others! ) and we all understand how you feel. None of us are perfect and these things are going to happen from time to time, but when it does we shouldn't start thinking that we've failed ... as Ali always used to tell us, you're only a failure if you give up completely and don't keep trying We'll all slip up from time to time, that's life, but we just have to keep on going ... eventually, one day it will all fall into place and we'll have our own success stories to tell.
I was very interested to read the article featured on the 3fc home page about the french way of eating ... did anyone else read it? Apparently, they are one of the healthiest nations in the world and have one of the lowest obesity rates. Surprisingly, they still eat whatever they like ... rich sauces, rich chocolate, desserts, pastries, butter croissants, full fat milk, cheese, white bread, wine, etc ... and plenty of fresh fruit & veg. Low fat products are a definite no no, and pre-prepared meals on the supermarket shelves are none existant ... So what's their secret??? ... Everything in moderation and 'real food' ... instead of stuffing themselves with low fat chocolate/desserts, etc (let's face it, we all do it ... just because it's low fat doesn't mean we can eat unlimited amounts ) they will eat the best, richest chocolate (or whatever) in small amounts and really savour the flavour. They eat meals with rich sauces ... but much smaller portions than the rest of us ... they eat high calorie, full fat cheeses with french bread ... and the list goes on. They take time over their meals to enjoy and savour every mouthful ... unlike the rest of us, who often eat on the run and far too quickly for our brains to tell us we're full, so we eat everything on the plate ... even though we don't really need it, but we eat it too quickly to get that 'full-up' feeling ... Eating it slowly gives our brain time to register and can tell us we've had enough before we eat too much. And although they are not much into exercise, they are still far more active than the rest of us ... they walk more and use their cars less. There's got to be something in this. I'm definitely going to adopt some of their attitudes towards food ... I think the key factors are 'moderation', 'real food' and 'eat slowly'. It all sounds pretty logical to me ... just need to try putting it into practice!
And it does all sound very logical but so impractical for most of us. While the French may get loads of time for vacation and long lunch hours, here the typical work day usually drags on for 10 and most people don't take lunch. Vacation - two weeks would be generous.
I agree the French ideal is wonderful and it's a shame we can't live up to it, but I can see how in the US it's just not how most people are able to live For myself tho, there's no excuse. Ultimatly, I'd love to be a portion control kind a girl.
Yes Brandy, I see your point, it wouldn't be very practical for most of us would it? So I guess the most important thing is, as you said, portion control, which is also one of my biggest problem areas ... something I'm trying to work on right now
I mentioned to you a couple of days ago that Sophie is doing a sponsored hike tomorrow, and I have decided to go along with her. We'll be doing a 14K hike (thankfully, it's a couple of the easier sections!). The first section should take around 2 hours and the second section around 1hr 50mins ... these are the times given in the guide books at any rate! The temperatures have dropped here over the past few days so it's going to be pretty cold up on the hills, I just hope it doesn't decide to rain!! Wish me luck!!
Just let us know when it's up and running.
What I've done this year however, is keep offering them to Nick and the kids ... that way there was less left for me!
). We went walking on Saturday and Sunday ... and don't I know it today ... I'm aching in places that I never knew existed!! 
We live at the foot of a mountain, and on Saturday afternoon we walked right to the top ... ok, it's not a huge, big mountain, but it's all UPHILL!! ... I never thought I'd make it to the top but I did 
On Sunday morning we went to a country park not far from where we live, which has lots of different hiking trails (supposedly family trails) ... well, I walked up and down hills, up and down HUNDREDS of stone steps ... and this is a girl who doesn't do hills!!! All I can say is that I'm really proud of myself for doing it and feel as though I've actually achieved something. Nick said he was pretty impressed with my efforts too ... so much so, that he took me shopping yesterday afternoon and bought me lots of new sporty gear to wear, as I didn't even own a pair of track suit pants or any suitable lightweight jackets or sweatshirts that I can wear for hiking ... now I have no excuses!! 
But other than that I was ok ... lost 1.5lbs.
So it's nice to know I don't have to re-do it all again! 
