Hey ladies! Thought I'd share some good news. My weight was just slightly up when I got back from vacation but, since I nearly always retain water when I go on vacation, I figured today's weight would be a more accurate predictor than yesterday's. Here's the scoop:

Weight day before vacation: 152.4

Weight day after vacation: 152.8

Weight 2 days after vacation: 152.2


I didn't gain at all on vacation! Wheeeeee! I'm really happy cuz I usually put on 1-3 pounds when I go on a week-long vacation and am eating out nearly every meal.

Congrats Sheri!!!!! Double winner... got to enjoy vacation AND maintain your weight!!

Grrrr - I had a reply all done and it disappeared! I hate when that happens!!! Where do they go anyway? Oh well.

Sheri - Good job!! It's a double bonus because not only did you not gain, you lost. You must have made some good choices eating out. Congratulations!!

Kat - Okay the gym is set up, now get you butt down there!!! Yeah, I know, easy for me to say. I'm kind of in a gym slump right now. I get in the groove and go most every day, but if I miss more than two days in a row, its hard to get started again. So I guess the key is to never miss more than one or two days, but that's easier said than done too!

YP1 - Well??? How'd it go? Come on, we're dying here...

Wanderlust - stick with us and we'll take you places! It takes some effort to get going, but I hope we can be here for you to offer the support you need.

Well I better wrap this up - we have some strong electrical storms going through right now and I heard you shouldn't be online or you might fry your computer....hmmmm....I've been wanting to get a new one....

Hi there folks. Thanks for the warm welcome.

I'm re-starting my journey and for some reason this time is emotionally-loaded and it's much harder for me to get in the mindset - so I'm especially grateful for your kind words.

I have an incredibly critical inner-voice. I've worked on calming it and some days are better than others. Something that helps calm it is hatha yoga. I broke my wrist 2.5 months ago while snowboarding so exercise really took a back seat. I'm just getting back to gentle exercise and I feel glad about it.

Exercise always makes me feel good so why is such a challenge a lot of time to get in the groove? (I like that Janet said that - it's true!)

Anyway, I'm feeling grateful for this outlet (which is a big step/leap of faith) and just wanted you to know it. Thank you!

Hi everyone, I've been lurking on this site for a few days but didn't bother to register because I couldn't really relate to the mommies.

Here's my story: I've been the "skinny one" for most of my life until about 2 years ago when I got hit with a double whammy of excessive family stress & turning 30. From June 03 - January 05 I gained about 25-30 lbs. I've always said that the best way to lose excess weight is to get rid of a man and that seems to be proving true this time as well. Back in February I decided that it was time to stop the upward spiral and lost about 4 lbs from then until the beginning of May when a 4 year relationship ended. Since then I've lost another 7 lbs (getting back down to my "dating weight" is apparently good motivation) and I hope to get rid of the other 15-20 by the end of September.

It's nice to have some others in the same situation to share the journey.

Boy, am I familiar with Miss Critical Inner Voice! I have really struggled with it in the two years of my journey because I am SO hard on myself and can be so mean to myself (berating myself, calling myself names I would NEVER call anyone else, etc.). Everyone is always telling me to cut myself some slack when I have a slip up in food or exercise (I sometimes batter myself for ridiculously minor things!) and I've been working really hard on that this past year. I have come a long way but still need plenty of work.

I wish you the very best in calming your inner critic, and am so glad that you have found something (yoga) that helps you get a handle on that.

Welcome, Julia! We're so happy you found us (I can't relate to the mommies either!).

I have been overweight since childhood (in varying degrees), so I can't relate to having been thin as an adult and then becoming heavier. However, I've talked to enough people that I can understand it could be a tough thing to deal with. There are people who are very overweight who may not be able to relate to your struggle because you have so little to lose, but it has to be difficult to have always been the thin one and suddenly be having to deal with being overweight. Let's face it, this society may be 64% overweight, but overweight people still get treated terribly and judged differently (more harshly) than thin people.

I hope you'll stick with us and together we can make changes!
Sheri

Thanks for the welcome Sheri!

"There are people who are very overweight who may not be able to relate to your struggle because you have so little to lose, but it has to be difficult to have always been the thin one and suddenly be having to deal with being overweight."

That's another reason that I've been more of a lurker. I have to say that I really admire a lot of the people on the board who have gone from 100+ lbs overweight. I realized though that we're really all in the same boat, there aren't many women who don't struggle with their body image in one way or another - anorexia being a fine example of that.

One of the hardest things for me is having a very pretty, vivacious (for lack of a better word), and overweight sister. All my life she's been the pretty one that everyone wants to be with & I've been the skinny one. It's been really hard realizing that now I'm not even that. And it doesn't help that she points and laughs while singing "now you know how I've felt all my life" whenever I complain about my weight. Everybody may love her but she really is evil sometimes.

The whole thing turned me into a very unhappy person and I only recently decided that if it's making me that miserable I need to do something about it rather than wallowing. So here's to taking control of my life and taking responsibility for my own destiny. Rant over

Everything was a bit delayed but we're going out to the pub in... about 10 minutes. Eek! He just popped round and caught me doing my gardening with my (too big) jeans falling down badly.

I suppose it can't get too much worse...

That's the spirit, Julia! Please let us know if there's anything we can help with. I have learned SO much from other people facing the same struggles as I on these online boards, so it never hurts to ask questions!!

Do you have a particular method of weight loss that you are using or planning to use? I haven't believed in "dieting" since I turned 40 so my strategy is a lifestyle change that involves eating lowfat, lots of fruits & veggies, high fiber, whole grains, little or no "white stuff" and exercising 5 days a week (combo of cardio, weight training and toning).

Not the dreaded plumber's crack! How did it go??

I started in Feb just going back to the gym but only lost 4 lbs Feb-late April. As of May 1 I started counting calories pretty strictly and I am just now realizing how much I was overeating before. My reasoning was that I only ate a small breakfast and then ate everything on the restaurant table for a late lunch and then no dinner at all. Oh, and perhaps a Coke & candy bar for a snack. It's amazing how much better I feel (and how much better I feel about myself) now that I can still breathe after I finish lunch!

I couldn't agree more about the "dieting" so I allow myself up to about 2000 calories one day each week. Even if I weren't doing that I don't think I would feel too deprived but that's because I'm really motivated right now. I know that once I get to my goal weight I'll have a hard time sticking to truly low cal so I'm hoping that my "off day" will mimic how I'll maintain.

I've been reading your posts and I hope you guys don't mind me crashing your party! Its so nice to know there are other girls out there like me. I can't really relate to all the mommy talk.

In all essence I should feel good about myself. I have a good job, I support myself, I have supportive, loving family and friends. And yet...In the past few weeks I have become thoroughly disgusted with myself. I have battled weight since I was in high school. But last year I got down to almost my ideal! Woohoo right. Now here's what's been going on in the last few weeks. I went to the club to dance with some friends. I heard two guys talking, one said, "Alright, I'll take the chubby one." Yep, he was talking about me. Ick. (note my user id) Next day I got to go to the doctor and get weighed. Yeah, I've gained 30 pounds in the last year. Then I went shopping with my sister-in-law. She just had my beautiful nephew a month ago-currently we are the same size. (I said nothing to her of course but she just had a baby!!!! what is my excuse?) My friend called me today...I wouldn't even go to the beach because I won't get near my bathing suit. I'm so mad at myself for letting this happen! I want to be happy!!! I really need some support from people who aren't my family...people feeling the way I do. I need some self-confidence-I know that's for me to work on!

I have put my finger on the problem, not too long ago I had a nasty break up. I realize I have been eating to form a little protective shell for myself. I want to break out of it now! I'm ready!

Thanks for your ears, and eyes! I'll be back!

Welcome, notthechubbygirl! Emotional eating can get to the best of us at times. It's challenging enough to stay on track when everything is going great in our lives but, when things get rough, it's SO easy to turn to food! Hang in there...you've taken the big first step of realizing that you need to take action and then reaching out to us here. Good job!

hey singles! welcome julia and notthechubbygirl!!! glad you could join us.

on the subject of the "inner critic"....my screams so loud i'm surprised all of you can't hear it. it seems to have been worse the last year because of the weight i've put back on. i recently read you should be as kind to yourself as you would be to others. i thought that was good advice and i'm also trying get that voice to quiet down.

tonite is my ww meeting and i'm nervous for some reason. i gave it a good effort this week and i will be dissappointed if i didn't lose. that's where i have a big downfall in my mindset for the next week.

janet - it is sooo hard to get that first workout in. i find so many excuses and they are all so logical to me when they are in my head at the given moment, but the next day i want to kick myself. i did get some walking in this week, but it wasn't really over exerting. i just walked the dogs, but i guess that's better than nothing. the other thing that bothers me is that i know it makes me feel so good, but yet i slack off. what is it i'm afraid of??? i just don't know.

sheri - congrats on the vacation maintainence!!!! sorry i haven't been popping in regularly. this dial-up drives me insane. i will try to get here at least every other day. when things get settled, i will have more time on my hands that i will know what to do with.

yp1 - well...... we're suffering here.....

well, i have to get ready to head to my meeting. wish me luck!
kathy

Me too! Me too! Once I get to the gym and get going I absolutely love it but trying to actually get there is another thing entirely. I've made myself go the last couple of days and feel much better for it.