Wow, thank you, happy! So glad to hear from you. Wish you'd pop in more often. Well, if it takes a birthday, then so be it. Heh, anyone out there got a birthday coming up?!?! Just kidding, hap. Thanks. I would LOVE to take you up on the "keep celebrating" part and it would be stronger stuff than green tea! Alcohol (or the absence of) is not part of MY challenge! Problem is I gotta get out there and act sober. Let's see, I suppose if I make it home by fourish I can still claim birthday on the West Coast or so, or actually give myself through to the morning of the 9th Hawaii time. Hmmm. I DID have a couple beers last night. The birthday felt special after all. I had nothing really planned but am good at turning things around and doing something different on short notice. I KNOW my horse enjoyed my birthday because I decided not to ride her. Instead turned her out in the ring where she rolled and kicked up her heels with glee. I never see her do that. Then I had her out eating grass and then I gave her a total body shampoo. Her mane and tail were conditioned to a shine. She was beautiful (not that she isn't always!) Then I met with a dear friend for a couple drinks even though it was late and I was very tired. It was a nice day. Even got another birthday wish at 2:40 a.m. on my cell phone address from a co-worker. Don't know (can imagine) what he was doing out at that hour! Well, thanks again. And heh, my sticking to the no sugar is not as awesome as it seems. When I make it a sugar day, I am going to have me one heck of a DAY!! You can bet on it! Take care, happy. Give us a shout anytime. You don't have to do the challenge. Just be a challenger trainee and pop in for a heh occassionally! Ciao bella!
Day 15 done, and today is day 16. Yesterday I spent swimming at a friend's cottage. It's a 2 hour drive from here, and normally I would stay over and have a whole flock of wine. But I pleaded cats, and came home sober and ready for bed. This morning, a very VERY early wakeup from Bigboy, doing a convincing operatic impression of a starving, neglected cat. Of course there was still food in his bowl, and he just wanted me to get up and pet him. And now he's fast asleep and I'm up. Hmmm.
I also did a very good job of not eating chocolate - there was a big stash at the cottage, and I just ignored it!
This challenge has turned out to be a good one for me. I thought my goals were too easy, but in fact they're doing a good job of retraining my habits. I may take a free day on Wednesday, as I'm having lunch with a friend I haven't seen lately (sort of a ladies who lunch date) and a glass of wine might be nice. Then again, maybe I just won't. I'll decide then.
No individual messages just now - I just wanted to check in before heading back to bed.
Red - I'm glad that you (and your horse) enjoyed your birthday. And thanks for the positive encouragement re onederland. I think I may have been doing what the French call "se plaindre la bouche pleine - complaining on a full belly". Or a much less full belly, in this case.
Just ran out of time to get exercise in yesterday. Trying really hard to be a strong support system for my friend and that was just more of a priority.
red - it was a very sudden thing - a horrible accident, and it has been such a shock to everyone around them.
only 5 more days too go!
The carbs have been nice. Probably not exciting for most but for me-high fiber cereal rules! I also had 1/2 an apple and strawberries on my salad yesterday. I'm in heaven. I also had my alloted 2 glasses of wine, but they were not as enjoyable as I'd hoped. I didn't even want any tonight. A bit nervous about that scale but I don't have to face it for a few more days. Will try to write more tomorrow. Have a great day all . . .
Red I bet your horse is beautiful. Sounds like she enjoyed your birthday! Thanks for kind words. I felt bad for messing up so early on. I just checked out the South Beach Diet at my libary. This sounds very interesting.... (never knew what it was) Well I think I'm going to mix my Pure Points WW software with the South Beach foods. I'm a turtle when it comes to weight loss. I lose on average 5lbs a month and that is with workouts. (usually I try to do 1,2 and 3 mile walk away the pounds dvd 5 days a week.)
I'm really enjoying reading this thread! I like how other share what habits the challenge has made you aware of and how you overcame it. It's so wonderful to see others close to the 21 day and you can just feel how their happiness it give me hope that I can do it! Thanks everyone for sharing!!!
Good morning. I'm on Day 11 here. Things were slightly a bit cooler last night, so I wasn't running in sweat as usual, just wet, not running. Well, I am not happy with my challenge at all. I should never have done a double challenge of two things I despise, well love and despise. I hate having to give up sugar, even though I know I should. I am a true addict and there are very few products with artificial sweetener here, though I really don't want to eat them, sometimes it helps. So it is very hard. If I have fruit it's ok but usually I don't because it involves planning and it's hard to carry things with me, blah, blah. Apples are expensive now. In any case, the other thing, cleaning, is something I absolutely despise. I have been doing it but it is super minimal and so neither thing is giving me a lift. Giving up sugar has never changed my weight. It is bizarre. The only difference I notice seems to be my gut gets a bit smaller. Oh well, I did it. But the challenge is making me very cranky, even though I am doing it... Oh well, I will do a better one next time, something with more results, like a calorie limit or minutes on the exercise bike! Ok, sorry for the *****ing. Just thought I'd let you know it's not all mindless rah-rah! from me and it's FAR from easy. These challenges are HARD! and the rewards are often hard to gauge. We must push on though, right? We must prevail!
Marti -- Thank you for the birthday wishes, belated or not, they are sweet and I love 'em. I am glad to hear you are on Day 2, which means you made it through a whole day cigarette-free. Smokers seem to me to be so set in their habit, so it is always a joy to see someone trying to give it up. Good luck!
mezmerize -- Good for you for a successful liftoff. You really mustn't feel bad about having to start over early on. Think of me, the first challenge I did I couldn't get past Day 1 for about five days!! Is that ridiculous or what? And I had started the whole thing!! South Beach is really just a sensible eating plan with a catchy name, one that elicits visions of us as tanned beauties lying on the beach in bikinis. The first phase is really tough and if you are exercising hard I would pass it up and start with the second phase. It tends to show the most results for people who are significantly overweight and had not been exercising much. But the general structure and the emphasis on good, wholesome, natural foods makes it one of the most sensible diets around. It is really an eating lifestyle that should be followed your whole life. That said, because it doesn't have the structure of other diets, with points and such, it can be very, very hard to follow. I mean, with most of us, it's not that we don't know what to do, is it? It's more just, we have other reasons, habits, issues, troubles and these we have tended to channel into our eating habits, or the eating habits are reflecting something missing in other areas of our lives or psyches, a need unfulfilled or such. I still say it's better than a lot of things though, to be overeating still shows we are healthy in many ways. Of course, when the weight threatens our physical health, that's another story. Ok, off my soapbox!
I am happy to hear that the thread is helping you and inspiring you. That really makes me feel good and that being here is not just spinning my wheels. So much is about awareness, but awareness is often not a "oh, wow, I never realized that" light-bulb kind of thing. Often, becoming aware makes us want to stick our heads back in the sand and wish it would all just go away. For you to be looking at how others have overcome bad habits shows you are truly brave, just like with your restarting your challenge. I mean, remember, those days before the restart were not lost at all. You have fully benefited from them. The counting part is just a game, something for us to focus on to help us with the really important part. And sticking with it means you are aware of what that important part is. Good luck and keep up the good work with your WATP tapes too!
1nceagain -- for 16 days done! You have inspired others with your efforts, you see, so I hope you are doubly proud of yourself! Keep it up and enjoy those added carbs!
dkkrf -- Oh, too bad you missed out on exercise but you definitely have your priorities straight. Thank you for being there for your friend. The accidents are the worst, aren't they, someone just ripped away, and we have no chance to say goodbye, no chance to prepare. Hang in there and take care of yourself.
carla -- Excellent going on the Day 15 down! Hurrah! It sounds like you've been having quite a good time with your swimming. This is in a lake, right? Sounds nice. And wow, look at those great saves on the wine and chocolate. Awesome!
Your Bigboy sounds like my Nozomi. She was starving when I found her and she has always made it her mission to wake me up in the morning. It's uncanny. One time she even climbed up on the exercise bike and pulled the light cord to turn on the light. She must have seen me doing this as it is always the first thing I do, reach up from my prone position on the floor (futon and all that) and turn on the light and get up. With her, it's rarely about her wanting food and she has saved me a few times when I had fallen back to sleep after the alarm had gone off. She hates to be held but she always by my side.
You are seeing the difficulty of your challenge now just like I am. I was much too ambitious to do a double one and I am regretting it now. Chocolate and wine may not sound like much to you but something in you realized they were two very big things and that's why you decided on them. Now, you're seeing just how big they were. You are doing so well though. I think the best thing about the challenge is that it breaks the hold such things have on us. We start to see that we can do without them, that we are as powerful as we want to be. Truly empowering. You see, even your wondering if you will bother to have the wine or not. I take encouragement in your words. Keep it up! You rock!
Last edited by redballoon; 08-09-2005 at 07:16 PM.
Happy B-day Red!! Sorry it`s late, and sorry for not posting much. I am still hangin in! Things have been good, I never made it past day 2 of my challenge (exercise) so not much more to say on that. I havent worked out in a week But I hit 200 so I`m at my half way mark! I have to get back to exercising...I know I do. I`m going to try again tomorrow for a new Day 1. I know it`s not too late and I can still get back on track, but I have to do it soon.
Eating has been good, except for a major processed food binge yesterday that showed a 2 pound gain this morning. And, once again, I drank barely any water yesterday so it stuck luck glue. This makes me positive sodium is my thing to keep an eye on...fat, carbs, sugar none of that effects me like sodium. My calories were low but my sodium was easily over 3000. I`m definetely going to be more careful and watch that very closely.
So besides that things are good. My calories flucuate, and maybe that keeps my weight loss steady? Like I`m not letting it get used to one set amount? Some days it`s 1300 or 1400, others it`s 1600 or even 1800 (which I tend to lose after the day I eat more). I eat many small meals instead of just 3, so that seems to help a lot. These first 30 pounds were easy to lose but the next 30 will not be...just makes it more important that I have to get moving again. I have a bad feeling I may be near a plateau, I`ve been fluctuating almost a week. So yes, I need to move my butt. That should get it going I hope. I`m getting so excited to be closing in on a number that starts with 1
Well, I have to be up very early but I`m going to get some exercise tomorrow...I`ll check in to let you all know I did it, and I WILL do it!! I hope everyone is well and I`ll get to catch up more tomorrow.
Day 12 (today) done! I need to try to get caught up but I have laundry and dishes calling - okay, screaming - my name that need tending to first. Hope everyone else is doing well!
Day 2 - Stay in my points no activity points used.
Red - Thanks for getting on that soap box. Those pep talks help! I hope to run someday but not sure if that will be possible even if I get to my goal weight. I have pretty bad knees. That is on of my main reasons for doing the WATP dvd's it's easy on my knees. I also like them because I can ajust how hard I workout. With the addition of weights or doing more arm moves and putting a little hop on moves. I seen a fitness show and they said a hop will burn more cals. So I'm a hopping fool right now. I've got to work into adding more weight. I use to add 10 lbs ( wrist/ankle weights) and I used 3lbs hand weights. I guess it show what gaining extra lbs can do to a person.
I did manage to get my exercise in yesterday. And of course the water isn't a problem anymore.
I WI today and down another 2 pounds!! I also took my measurements, and went down in a few places - why is it that your breasts are always the first place that lose inches - the one place I wouldn't mind keeping is the first place I lose!
I started this post 4 hours ago - came back to my computer & it's still here. I have a client waiting so I will try to check back later.
(glass contains your choice of water or green tea). 
birthdays never end.....
Just kidding, hap. Thanks. I would LOVE to take you up on the "keep celebrating" part and it would be stronger stuff than green tea! Alcohol (or the absence of) is not part of MY challenge! Problem is I gotta get out there and act sober. Let's see, I suppose if I make it home by fourish I can still claim birthday on the West Coast or so, or actually give myself through to the morning of the 9th Hawaii time. Hmmm. I DID have a couple beers last night. The birthday felt special after all. I had nothing really planned but am good at turning things around and doing something different on short notice. I KNOW my horse enjoyed my birthday because I decided not to ride her. Instead turned her out in the ring where she rolled and kicked up her heels with glee. I never see her do that. Then I had her out eating grass and then I gave her a total body shampoo. Her mane and tail were conditioned to a shine. She was beautiful (not that she isn't always!) Then I met with a dear friend for a couple drinks even though it was late and I was very tired. It was a nice day. Even got another birthday wish at 2:40 a.m. on my cell phone address from a co-worker. Don't know (can imagine) what he was doing out at that hour! 
Well, thanks again. And heh, my sticking to the no sugar is not as awesome as it seems. When I make it a sugar day, I am going to have me one heck of a DAY!! You can bet on it! 
Take care, happy. Give us a shout anytime. You don't have to do the challenge. Just be a challenger trainee and pop in for a heh occassionally! Ciao bella! 
Day 16 done!
Well, I am not happy with my challenge at all. I should never have done a double challenge of two things I despise, well love and despise. I hate having to give up sugar, even though I know I should. I am a true addict and there are very few products with artificial sweetener here, though I really don't want to eat them, sometimes it helps. So it is very hard. If I have fruit it's ok but usually I don't because it involves planning and it's hard to carry things with me, blah, blah. Apples are expensive now. In any case, the other thing, cleaning, is something I absolutely despise. I have been doing it but it is super minimal and so neither thing is giving me a lift. Giving up sugar has never changed my weight. It is bizarre. The only difference I notice seems to be my gut gets a bit smaller. Oh well, I did it. But the challenge is making me very cranky, even though I am doing it... Oh well, I will do a better one next time, something with more results, like a calorie limit or minutes on the exercise bike! 
Ok, sorry for the *****ing. Just thought I'd let you know it's not all mindless rah-rah! from me and it's FAR from easy. These challenges are HARD! and the rewards are often hard to gauge. We must push on though, right? We must prevail! 
Good for you for a successful liftoff. You really mustn't feel bad about having to start over early on. Think of me, the first challenge I did I couldn't get past Day 1 for about five days!! Is that ridiculous or what? And I had started the whole thing!! South Beach is really just a sensible eating plan with a catchy name, one that elicits visions of us as tanned beauties lying on the beach in bikinis. 
I mean, remember, those days before the restart were not lost at all. You have fully benefited from them. The counting part is just a game, something for us to focus on to help us with the really important part. And sticking with it means you are aware of what that important part is. Good luck and keep up the good work with your WATP tapes too! 
for 16 days done! You have inspired others with your efforts, you see, so I hope you are doubly proud of yourself! Keep it up and enjoy those added carbs! 
I hope everyone is well and I`ll get to catch up more tomorrow. 
I also took my measurements, and went down in a few places - why is it that your breasts are always the first place that lose inches - the one place I wouldn't mind keeping is the first place I lose! 