Greetings Fellow Chicks!
I just woke up a few moments ago and couldn't wait to come and weigh myself...it seems silly but I get so excited when I see the numbers move down on the scale I can't wait for it to happen!
I am still enjoying my NutriSystem foods but not really eating everything they give you on the program. I started out eating everything the way they tell you to eat and I felt like I had too much food and wasn't losing weight. I think my metabolism is so low that a diet that would allow other people to lose weight just keeps me maintained.
I ordered a Pilates machine from QVC last night and can't wait to get started with weight training! I think that is the "missing link" in my program that would fire up my metabolism by building more muscle. I do about 30 minutes of cardio each day and with the addition of strength training I hope to see better results.
Also the exercise helps with the sagging skin issue and I want to make sure that is not problematic as I go along losing more pounds.
I hope everyone has a delightful weekend and finds those numbers dropping on the scale! Hey I bought a new outfit last night and found that I actually went down an entire size already! I used to wear 24W and now can wear a 22W! Small progress but steady, that's the best way, and I am on my way now back down to the 7/8 I used to be!
I even purchased a size 15/16 trendy short skirt suit to keep here near my work station at home to be a motivation to lose! I will need a 34" waist in order to wear the skirt and so that is my next goal! I have over ten inches on the waist to lose to reach that but every day gets better.
Thank goodness for folks like you all to share these things with and enjoy the goodwill of doing so.

{{{Hugs}}} to all my sanctuary friends!

Anna

Morning all,

Laura, I don't have children so I am not as rushed as others are in the morning. So I have the opportunity to post if I get my butt out of bed. I am also a southern girl myself. I'm from Alabama, but I don't like the heat so now I live in Wisconsin, and well, it is a little bit colder than I like. I don't have a queen of the house right now but I plan on getting one as soon as we are settled in the new house. I do have two divas (my cats) and two very sweet rats.

Kat, I really liked the quote you put, I am going to put that by my desk at work, because it is a very negative place. I totally believe that is true too. Not knowing who my real parents are and having a feeling who my biological father is, I have found that I wanted to belong to someone so much that I started being like him in many ways, including the weight. I feel that my gaining weight made me feel like I belonged to him. A very weird psychological mess going on in my head. Then add the fact that I am Gemini, oh boy am I a mess.

Kiteen, way to go on losing a size. That is great. I think having the smaller skirt is a great motivator as well. Keep up the good work and positive attitude.

BarbG, Love the flowers, very warming. You always have the greatest pics. It is nice to see you here.

Andria, I hope you are well, I see all of these pictures from Utah, I hope all is well with you and that you are safe.

Well I am off, I have a lot of work to do today. Got to get things finished up for the move and I have to go set up my rats new home at the house and organize some items. Take care all, Keep up the good work.

Skitt

Saturday's exercise regime, so far, consists of: vacuuming and dusting the living room, sweeping/mopping kitchen floor, scrubbing the bathroom...not to mention a bit of laundry on the side.

...puff puff...

Hi all!
This has been a lazy Saturday for me (bliss!). I slept late, read a good part of the day, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I did get in my walking, but not until 1:00. This was one of the few days that no one had to be chauffered anywhere and other than housework (which I pretty much ignored) there was nothing that absolutely had to be taken care of. What a wonderful day!

BarbG-Aren't you lucky to have a health club so close to work. Hope the new machines worked out well! I usually walk 2 miles (in the dark and by myself) at 6:00 a.m. while the boys are getting ready for school. They catch the bus at 6:55 so it gives me enough time and I find that I do better getting the exercise in early. Although not being a morning person, I have to drag myself out the door...

kat-Isn't it amazing how dogs can rule the house? Mine had to be clipped today, not a job I enjoy but she certainly looked better when I got through with her. The boys gave her a bath and she has been piled up in "her" chair ever since. I know what you mean about being tired of winter already. We have had really mild weather but it is still dreary. I have paperwhites blooming on my kitchen table. One of my fellow teachers gave me the bulbs for Christmas and I can't believe how cheerful they make me feel every time I walk by them. I took a picture of them and hung it on my file cabinet at school so I could look at them there as well.

kiteen-I've looked at the NutriSystem program a couple of times and considered it for myself. I eat a lot of packaged food for school lunches (Weight Watchers, Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine) and find them very convenient. I'm glad it is working for you. Good idea about hanging the cute, small size outfit where you can see it. That should be great motivation!

skittles-Alabama to Wisconsin? That is some major weather contrasts! Hope you get your new rat home set up OK. Are you moving to a house in the same area or somewhere new? When is your move going to be complete? I've managed to loose something or other on every move we have made. I hope you are more organized than I am and that it goes smoother for you!

Andria, Lucky, and Tony-Hope you are having a good weekend!

Guess I better go. It has been a wonderfully lazy day but I'm part of a trio that is singing at church in the morning - I guess I should practice at least a little bit tonight! Talk to you later...

Laura

Hi,

I am in a major fibro flare in my arms and hands. I haven't been able to post - hurts to type.

THEN I could log in here - said I wasn't a member. Requested a new password and everytime it kept saying my request was over 24 hours old and was no good. THEN it said I was blocked or something - THEN I suddently got an email giving me a new password.

NOW after explaining all that I have to go and rest my hands for awhile.

Did we ever decide on at what point to start the next thread? It seems to be getting S L O W to load on my ancient dial up computer.

Back a little later.

Hey everyone

I've been having problems getting onto the 3FC site. That combined with my weird work hours hasn't made for much posting the last few days. Anyway, I don't have much time to post right now, but thought I would share the piece I wrote for the paper this month. I'll be back tomorrow to make real replies and get caught up on reading!



It feels much longer than 12 months ago when I decided to sit down and make a contract with myself. New Year’s resolutions are nice, but I needed something concrete, something I could refer back to when temptations began to overwhelm me. I wanted a plan with steps to follow to ensure my success, clear goals to meet, and defined rewards for meeting those goals. I had read about making a personal contract, and after a little searching on the internet, I found a template for one that fit my needs.

The amazing thing about setting goals for yourself is that it reminds you of how much control you do have over a few things in your life. Writing out those goals in contract form had an interesting effect on me. The contract not only helped me to realize that control, but the whole concept became binding. For me, that document was more than a piece of paper with a signature; it was more than a promise or a fond hope. In fact, it ultimately felt like a pathway to my salvation.

My personal goal had to do with weight loss. I had recently begun a new diet regimen and met with some success, but was afraid that my desire, or the diet itself, would begin to falter as time wore on. I took all this into consideration when planning out my contract. I looked to the successes of others and to past triumphs of my own, and used those to set the foundation.

With the basic knowledge that there wasn’t an obvious medical problem holding me back, I armed myself with language that incorporated exercise, a balanced diet of adequate proportion, plenty of water, and writing a daily food journal.

Specific rewards were set up for reaching milestones, and another promise to celebrate any success, no matter how small. Half of a pound lost would be reason for joy, not disappointment. Each step of the journey would be noted, and each would become a building block for the next step.

It is hard to describe the shift in thinking, but it was dramatic. Maybe the difficulty lies in the fact that it was so dramatic and yet so simple. I really hadn’t done anything different than before, but this time it meant something. The contract felt real.

Although weight loss is high on the priority list for New Year’s resolutions every year, other goals, such as reducing your debt load or completing a specific task, can also be incorporated into a contract. The whole idea is to make it fit your needs.

The gist of my contract was to accept any positive change, but the understood hope was that it would translate out to an approximate weight loss of one pound a week for the entire year. I am proud to say that I did meet that goal, right down to the pound.

We have been told that goal setting is the means to reaching our dreams. I would like to encourage all of you to pick a dream of your own and to utilize whatever tools you have available in the realization of that dream.


Andria

Hi, everyone. I hope it isn't too late for me to jump into this thread. I love the idea of having a sancutary!

I am 36 years old and stay at home with our three children. Our oldest son is 6 and our youngest son and daughter are 4. I worked until about two years ago when the company began merging and reorganizing. I had been with them since the beginning, 15 years. I had a choice between keeping my job but moving to El Paso to do it or taking a severance package. Without hesitation I took the money and ran. I haven't looked back since.

I am one of those people who has battled weight almost all of my life. The problem is that for the better part of that time the fat was just imagined. Not long ago I came across a journal I kept in college. As I read through it I noticed that almost every entry refereced my weight. At one point I complained that I was 130 lbs and up to a size 10 then scoffed at being the "fatest" I'd ever been. So, here I am now, mid-30's, kicking myself for not having enjoyed what I had while I had it. I honestly believe that if I had appreciated my body for what it was back then I would have cared enough about it not to have hit my highest weight of 214 (I'm only 5ft2in). But here I am. My current weight is about 180 and my goal is 145 to 150. Once I reach that range I'll decide if that is a comfortable place for me or if a few more pounds are warranted. A couple of years ago I got down to about 165 and was getting to the point that I was pleased with my size. I think the reason that I've put 25 of those pounds back on is because I had not accepted that at my height I am not a person who is going to ever be able to stop paying attention to what I eat. 5 or 10 pounds makes a big impact when you are as short as I am. So, now, I am ready to cope with the notion that I am never going to have my 18 year old, pre-pregnancy body back (at least not with as little effort as it came back then) and that my ultimate goal is to be healthy again not skinny again.

I am not following a specific plan to lose weight. I am only counting calories and trying to maintain around a 50%/30%/20% carb, fat, protein ratio. I strive for 1500 calories a day but don't sweat it if I hit 1800 occasionally.
If I make it to my goal weight I have plans to at least have excess skin removed and possibly a tummy tuck. After carrying twins, nothing is where it is supposed to be and there isn't an ounce of elasticity left in my stomach. But, of course, that is a bridge I will cross when I come to it. Who knows, maybe that won't bother me as much as I think it is going to and I can spend all of that money on something even more fabulous!

I look forward to getting to know all of you over the coming days. Thanks in advance for welcoming me in!