Good morning and happy new year, chickies! *stretch yawn* I'm slowly getting back into the surreality of my everyday life.

I apologize for dropping off the face of the planet, but I guess I needed a few days of non-existence.

Chachee, thank you for getting it started. I had a feeling you might.

I will first say this ... I am probably the world's worst at responding to other posts. I do try, but most of the time I run in, post my mental dump, then booble off to other things. That doesn't mean I don't read it all, though. I will admit to being quite selfish in posting to the thread, I do this to help myself. If in the process of helping myself, it helps someone else, that is a wonderful thing. And that is why I read all your posts, too. Selfishness, because all the posts offer up something that can make me think, or trigger an "ah-ha" moment, or make me laugh, etc.

Alright. I guess the only thing I could add to Chachee's wonderful start is that I want to really emphasize that for each of us, this is a personal journey. Each one of us has different issues, each of us has different priorities in their lives, what works for one may very well not work for another, and I want to respect that individuality. The "basics" for me may very well seem like nothing at all to some folks, where to others it might seem ridiculous. My goals may seem overwhelming to some, ridiculous to others, or conflict with what works for someone else.

I want to keep in mind that I am in the process of finding out what works for ME. Only me. I can offer that up for consideration, but I cannot say it will or will not work for anyone else. If I say I want to lose 5 pounds a month, it's because I know that works for ME. Not for anyone else. For someone else, setting a number goal like that might be setting themselves up for failure. But as we are all on a discovery journey, I would really like each of us in this thread to respect that sometimes, people need to try many, many different things before they stumble on the ONE thing that clicks for them.

So before we offer words of caution, or suggest that someone is doing something "wrong," it would do us all well to remember that what we do is not the only solution. Only the solution (hopefully) for ourselves. But by posting what works for us, as I said above, perhaps we can give someone else an idea, something to try, another avenue that will hopefully lead to more success.

Ok .. off my soapbox.

Back to basics. What exactly is a "basic" anyway? There are so many basics, it seems like, to losing weight.

For me ...

1) Movement. Exercise. Daily.
2) Water. Hydration.
3) Calories. Burn more than you eat, or you don't lose weight.

Then there are the "management" complications. Time management. Fiscal management. Relationship management. Food management. Then the other things that make managing all those things more complicated. It spreads out like a spider web. I feel sometimes like the fly stuck in the middle.

Getting back to basics for me requires a lot of the "stop thinking about it" thinking. Stop analyzing, stop making it more complicated than it really is. Just do. The more I think about things, the more complicated they get, the less focus I have, the more reasons I can find to procrastinate, rationalize, not do.

So ... Today I need to prepare for the basics. I need the right food around me, first. I need to make sure I have workout clothes washed and ready to go. I need to make sure I get enough sleep. I need to stop allowing every other thing in my life to be a priority (read: excuse) over working out and eating right. To get to that point, I need to run to the bank and the store. I need to make sure chores are done so that I can maximize my time - all the while still making sure I save time for the things that bring me joy in life. So .. one of my basics would be to make lists. Do this, don't think about it, don't agonize about it, just do it.

4) Lists of things to do. Then do them.

Keep going.

Good morning, Ladies.

First, big congrats to Michelle and her hubby for winning a wonderful prize. How amazing is that? I'm sure, if nothing else, you will gain important knowledge from the trainers and dieticians that will help you life-long, not just during the competition. Very happy for you!!

Raven, my girl, I loved what you wrote. I totally agree. Everyone needs to approach what they do from their own point of view and what works for them. What works for me certainly may not work for anyone else. I guess when I hit stumbling blocks, then I might ask for suggestions and helpful hints. I'm tired of competing with everyone else and making unreasonable goals and then failing. For me, this time, it's one day at a time and checking my progress weekly is good enough for me. If I feel better, act better and am more positive of a person, then it's all good. Once I start acting jealous over someone else's successes, then it's time to re-examine why I am doing this!

I had a great day yesterday. Did the treadmill, ate healthy food, and got a good night's sleep. Woke up this morning, did an hour on the treadmill and had a healthy breakfast. It's so much easier to eat healthy when you have healthy food around the house. Now, does that mean the Hershey's bar wasn't calling my name? Nope, but I walked right on by it and snubbed my nose at it!!

Tonight is salmon, brown rice and broccoli for dinner. Hubby and son will have pork chops, as they don't really like fish. I love it!!

Okay, well I need to get to work. Have a great day!

Oh, and I am removing my ticker from my signature. Too much emphasis on losing weight, and not enough on all the good little changes I make!

Chach

Hey all. I love what everyone wrote. Especially the Diet After Christmas, Sassy. I must have burned off at least 25 calories laughing at that Raven, I am glad to hear from you. Michelle, congrats on winning the membership. I hope it works out well for both you and your husband. Things usually work out for a reason.

I know one of the things I need to work on is not letting every little thing get to me (make me eat), but I am happy to say one of the things that gets to me is going away. Hurray. There are some things I am just passive/aggressive about - I would rather the problem just disappear than have to spend the energy dealing with it. Immature but true.

And, I need to confess that I made bad choices today. I was not able to do as
Chachee did and thumb my nose at bad stuff. For one of my staff meetings, we met at a restaurant for lunch. I had an omelet (ok) with hashbrowns and toast , then topped it off with a sundae because one of my staff did too Part of my brain is saying "hey, you already blew the day, eat whatever you want for supper, go get chinese, order pizza, what the heck." The other part of my brain says "just go make a salad and shut up." The good angel will win.

Have a wonderful evening everyone.

Happy New Year to everyone

Just popping in really quick to say hi to everyone.

Got the computer going at home and will try and catch up once I get home.

Kathy

There will be days when I can't get near the computer, the husband or son may be monopolizing it. Or I have a wiggly baby thus impossible to type. I'll try just to post my progress and if there's time and or motivation, some more personal communication.
I went for a jog today and it felt great. I have been eating OK, but I splurged on 2 bowls of cereal as a snack. It was deffinately stress eating. At least it was high fiber.
I found out that a good friend will be at the same hotel in Hawaii. And she is really fashionable and skinny. I shouldn't be so image obssessed, but I'm going to look like a beached whale (with cellulite) next to her. Ugghh. And it hadn't crossed my mind before, but I want new clothes too. Sorry chick, no new clothes until weight is lost.
I'm adding 15 minutes of step video everyday, walk or run everyday, and no dessert. It's only for 2 weeks. I can do it!!!
Hope everyone else is having a good day!

Hello, all. Good to see the thread coming to life again, thanks to so many posters and the reappearance of one of our "pillars," Raven!

I've been doing well, despite the downs, the constant downs, all those things, that like jolly says, seem to cue me to eat. Want to shake that once and for all this year. Start taking my cue from people who have it together, at least with their weight, and no, that doesn't mean I will take up smoking or some other neurotic habit. Then again, how about every time something bugs me and I would have normally reached for food as solace, I hit the book and study something or get up, do some exercise. Ok, I may look kind of weird but so what?!

michellez -- what great news on your winning the essay contest? Fabulous. This will mean you have motivation to get off to a great start this year. Two months can do a lot! You may likely get down very very close to breaking through the 200-lb mark and that will surely be a great boost, an psychological barrier break. Good luck to you and your husband! I'm looking forward to following your successes along the way!


jolly -- yes, really, sleepwalking to the gym. Sounds like you must have been after your long day. Do I keep mentioning going to Tokyo and races? Well, I live in Tokyo, have been here for 22 years now. I do cover horseracing, the big races and interviews with people racing-related. But this is more just a thing I do on my own and a way to make money. I don't have to do it as part of my job at the paper, which is only parttime now anyhow and my shifts there are on the foreign news desk, just editing, headline writing, layout, mainly that. Writing is usually about racing, but we can write whatever we like if they'll print it. I also write for an American magazine sometimes and other publications, such as some English-language Japanese things.

sassy -- loved your after christmas post. Great fun. It made me laugh too! Thanks and welcome back to the thread! How were the holidays in Austria? Were you there?

raven -- good to see you back! I was starting to worry. No need to apologize about not responding. I'm certainly not the best in that area either! And it's not a "mental dump" please! I love reading your posts and I'm sure I'm not alone there.

I don't think people worry about knowing what works for them may not work for others. We're all adults and there's no need to walk on eggshells, or at least I hope there's not. Suggesting someone is doing something "wrong" is merely an opinion and can offer crucial advice to others, who, yes, may not be doing things in a productive way. But I don't think we have that going on here. I mean, after all, if we had it down pat, we'd probably have no reason to be here, right? Unless, of course, we just want to get on the soapbox to stroke our egos. Like you said, our posts should always be seen as food for thought, fodder for the manger, whatever, not amendments to the ten commandments!

I hear you with the fly in the spiderweb feeling. And overanalyzing, overthinking, hmm, yes, understand that too! Sounds like we both need that bat jolly talks about to hit ourselves over the head with to just stop those thoughts from running away with us, eh?!

Chachee -- sounds like you're revved for the new year. Good for you! Another hour on the treadmill after your great day yesterday? Kudos! And snubbing your nose at a Hershey's bar. Awesome! Keep it up!

Yes, those tickers get to me too, not other people's, mine. I've done the same, taken it off my signature. I tried just not showing it but I'd forget all the time. Now I have the code saved in another file and I can paste it in when I feel like it. Did you know you can do that, Chachee. Just use the middle code they give you when you first make it and save that and if you just paste it in a post, like this:

*******************



*******************

Maybe you want to try that.

jolly -- glad to hear you're getting a handle on the triggers that set you off eating. And yes, that good angel will win more and more this year! Go for it!

lucky -- hi there! welcome back and hope to hear lots from you soon!

*********

Happy New Year to all!

Apple Blossom -- hi! Just missed your post when I was pasting in my last one. Sounds like you're determined and making progress. What's this about Hawaii? Don't sweat on posting here for us. It should be about you anyhow! That's why we're all here, to lose OUR weight and get in shape, etc. Good luck. You've got some great and doable goals there. Love that dog of yours! What was her name again?

I wrote this one in the old tread so i just copied it to here


*********Hello Everyone, I am Angie, I live in the coldest province in Canada Called Manitoba. I am a sahm of two very active little girls ages soon to be 6 on the 19 and soon to be 2 on the 23 both in this month. I have been with my hubby for almost 10 years married almost 5 years. We live in a small town just out side of winnipeg. I have tried atkins last year lost 15 pounds keeped that off thank god and now i want to lose the rest which is 80 pounds. We bought a treadmill last year and i maybe have used it 5 times the rest of the time it hold my hubbies laundry because he is to lazy to put it in the laundry room, and since i'm not his maid i refuse to clean up after him. Well i got on the treadmill today for 15 min and i thought i was going to die. I did five min of a warm up then i went to buring fat the next step up and man i am sore.

My goal is to be 110 by the end of june i am 190 now. The reason for such drastic weightlose is so i can apply to our police department and you need to be in exellent shape.

I need the motivation that my hubby can not give seeing he is a rail and never weight more than 145 in his life. The man can eat and eat and eat.

He just doesn't understand what it is like to be over weight and feel so ugly inside i look at my self in the mirror and see me as when i was thin back when i was 21 i was 110 pounds and boy did i have energy. I want that person back and i need your help in getting there.

I just celebrated my 30th birthday back in sept and we went to a social to have some fun and my ex boy friend was there and the look he gave me was somthing else the look like what the f*** did you do to your self kind of look.
All i could do that night was drink and drink some more so i didn't have to feel stupid or explain why and how i gained so much weight.

I belonged to the atkins forum and had no support there and was off line for awhile and now back and i am ready to get down to buiness and shed my extra person i am carring.

I really need the support and from reading this forum i no i can get some help and motivation.

Oh by the way i am a very stubborn person and very hard to push when my mind is set but i am not perfect.

Can someone be willing to keep me in line and help me lose this weight please

Thanks Angie i can be reached on msn if anyone wants to chat one on one

Thanks Red, for sending me the link to the new thread. Something went wrong with my subscription to 3FC or whatever as I stoped getting instant notification of all my posts. I went searching for you guys and couln'dt find you all! : (
But, then Red PM'd me and "saved" me!
Haven't got time to read up on everyone's posts, but I am here and found you all! Will check back in later when I have a few moments.
Linda

Glad you found us, Derry! And welcome aboard Angie!

Wow, Derry, I was just noticing your weight tracker. You're almost at goal! You must have been losing right along while I was mostly AWOL. Great for you! Here's my new ticker:



I just started up again and am weighing myself on Sundays so let's see if I see a budge this week. My, the week does go by quickly when you're . . . goofing off!

Welcome, Angie! I hope we can be there on your self discovery journey!

Derry, Welcome back.

Ok .. My goal for this week is to start getting the water intake back up. That's the only real goal I'm setting. If I add in good eating and getting the shopping done and working out that's nice, but if it doesn't happen it won't be an issue. Drink water. That's difficult for me, and something I MUST do. *goes to fill up water bottle*

One bottle down, three to go.

Last night I stopped at the stables on the way home and *rode* my horse. Not just hopped on bareback and worked at some walk with a slow trot thing... I saddled him up and for about 40 minutes we worked hard at not barging with his shoulder, and keeping the trot going through turns. This is hard work for both of us! My abs and legs are twinging this morning, so I know I did pretty well. My Arashi was not completely sweated up, but he was tired and warm, so I know he got a bit of a workout, too. Good for both of us. Ok .. I'll confess, that's my other goal. Ride three times a week.

Here's something I've come to, as well. In the past, for whatever reason (maybe because I actually really love doing it?) riding has not counted for me as exercise. It's not weight lifting or aerobics or whatever, so it didn't figure in. Well, that meant that now I had to find time for riding (not exercise) AND "formal" exercise in there somewhere! BAH!!! Bogus!! Not anymore! Riding counts! *stomps foot* So there.

My inner thighs, my obliques, my abs, my arms... all get a workout. And the more I ride, the harder I ride, the better shape I get into and my pony, too. Wow. Ok, that felt good to get off my chest. I had so much fun last night I thought I was going to explode. And my Arashi was so good!! We're getting that shoulder, slowly but surely.

Back to basics means, for me, getting right back to the absolute starting point. So here I am.

Hi everyone --

Welcome Angie!

I'm not really great about responding to what people wrote....but I do read and enjoy all your terrific posts! And all the motivation and enthusiasm on this thread is really energizing me! Thanks.

I gotta fess up, I already broke my resolutions to move every day....I didn't exercise yesterday. And it's not like my goal to move means to exercise for some unrealistic (for me) amount of time. Just 20 minutes. Oh well, I'm going to stop beating myself up, as that does no good. I'll just make sure I move today.

At least my eating and water drinking are doing better. I'm definitely making progress there. Still drinking more diet soda than I probably should, but at least I'm getting 4-5 glasses of water a day in and working on increasing that to at least 8 glasses.

Can I ask those of you who work outside the home....how do handle lunch? Do you bring your lunch, and if so, what do you bring? Or do you end up going out at lunch -- do you go to fast food and make the healthiest choices possible (what I've been ending up doing)? Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

We got some snow overnight, and will get more tonight. Maybe I could help DH shovel snow for my exercise today -- I don't help as much as I'd like to because of my asthma.

Here's to a great day for all of us!

Hi all. Glad to hear old voices, and meet new ones. Real quick post for me - I am snowed under by paperwork I need to catch up on. And lets not mention snow . . .

Raven, of course riding is exercise. Didn't I tell you about the tshirt I want printed? "Forget body by Bud - I have A** by Arabian!"

Red, your job(s) sound interesting. Even getting to freelance horsey assignments would be cool. That is probalby why I am pushing so hard to do therapeutic riding for one of my clients - so I can combine horses and work.

Well, the good angel did win out last night. It was a struggle though. And it is so hard to do the right thing when it is cold and snowy - I just want to go home and cuddle up with warm soup or something. And Michelle, I think shoveling should definitely count as exercise - I know I did mine.

Well, off to paperwork. have a great day all.

Jolly ! *lol* I love that! I know when V was riding really hard, she was in fantastic shape. I guess what I have to remember is that when I can't (or don't) ride, I need to make sure I do something else, that's all.

Michelle - I work outside the home, and what works best for me is making sure I eat plenty of smaller meals. My breakfast/morning snack sometimes are a little out of whack, but like I said, it works for me. I drink coffee in the morning, because I simply can't eat first thing, it makes me sick. Then at around 9 I eat some instant oatmeal or cottage cheese or something like that. At around noonish I eat fruit and a lean cuisine or leftovers. Around 3ish I usually have another piece of fruit or yogurt, whatever I have around. If I go out for lunch, I eat fast food, and as far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as "healthy" fast food. If it isn't a bacon double cheeseburger, it's just not worth it.

Two waters down, two to go!! *runs off to fill bottle*

Hello ladies!

Another day down in the books for exercise. Did 3.16 miles this morning, which was more than I expected. I felt good, as last night was the first night in two weeks I didn't need to take cold meds to sleep through the night. Had a hard time staying asleep, but did get about 5 hours of sleep. I was having that "oh, you have worked out twice this week, take a day off" arguement with myself, but, like Jolly, my good angel won and I hauled my "butt by Hershey" downstairs and did my hour on the treadmill.

My eating yesterday was good. That brings me to Michelle's question about working and eating lunches. I'm blessed with the fact I live two minutes (by car, five minutes by walking) from my work. What I usually do is make enough dinner to have leftovers for lunch the next day. When I lived further away, I brought a book and a frozen meal or a home made salad. I always always always keep tons of snacks in my desk. I'm the kind of person who would rather eat small portions all day long rather than three bigger meals. I have a yogurt at 10, veggies at 11, home to eat at 1, then an afternoon snack around 3--usually cereal minus milk or sf jello with lite Cool Whip.

Hello to Derry and Lucky! Glad you found us again.

Welcome to Angie. We'll keep you in line!

Jolly: I'm glad your good angel won. See, baby steps is the way to go! I'm right there with you.

Apple: I doubt you will look like a beached whale, but I know how self-image goes. I'm saving money to buy a whole new wardrobe also. The problem is that I don't have a lot of clothes, so about every 20 pounds I need to buy new things. I usually get them on clearance, because I hopefully won't be in them long.

Red: Thanks for the info on the tickers. Had no idea. I like yours.

Raven: Duh, woman! Of course it's exercise!!!! Why do you think all those jockeys and all the equestrias are all in such excellent shape. When you get that a** by Arashi, I want pictures. Might help me buy a horsie. Actually, do you think Peanut would mind if I rode her??? Now THAT would be a sight!

Alrighty, break is over. Back to work for me.

Happy Wednesday

Chach