G,DAY, ladies well another day on this journey to a new and gorgeous me what am I saying I,m 48 and everything has gone south, along with stretch marks, a few more wrinkles not wrinkles character lines and boy do I have character but it,s good that we can put on our push up bra,s and our tummy tuckers and our body shaping pantyhose and feel sexy THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT, Marie I know sometimes we feel life sucks we are in a job we don,t really feel like being in but at the end of the day it pays the bills and it is only a few hrs a day, then we can come home to what is important in our lives and remember that,s why we put up with the hassles here and there, it,s GREAT you are getting some time off but don,t just mosey around the house look at it as you time do things for yourself that you have,t had time to do things that make you feel special even it,s just relaxing in a bubble bath with a glass of wine some candles burning and just think about how unique you are, Hi QUILT forget the scales and don,t weigh yourself on more than one , boy I know that feeling I went through a stage where I would weigh myself on every scale I came across hopeing that one would tell me what I really wanted to see if they said I had lost more great if they said I had lost less bummer I remember I was out shopping one day and I weighed myself on three different scales that all said something else on one I was 2kgs lighter on another I was 3kgs heavier and the last one told me I was 5 kgs heavier so in the space of an hr I lost 2 gained 3 then gained 5 so forget the scales stick to one just once a week if you feel you must, but listen to your clothes, they are a much better indication of how you are doing if there getting looser than your getting smaller, a tape measure is great too measure yourself once a month you,ll be surprised by the inches lost, remember if you are exercising then muscle weighs more than fat, the chips are baked in a moderate oven 18o until crispy, well I seem to have gone on forever take care and BYE FOR NOW, BLESSED BE ...JULIE

Juls and Marie

I weigh in the mornings on Tuesday, and then at night on Tuesdays, I don't really worry too much about the evening one, as ii is at night and the one that is the most important is my on scales at that once a week. I only do it then, so I don't get a surprise at the meeting that night.

I've got roughly 22 pounds to go, and I'll be tickled pink when I get there. See I know what I will wear and what size, because I busted my butt two years ago to lose a good bit, then gained 30 or 35 back, so I'm eager to wear my clothes. Two years ago, when I hit goal, I threw out all of my size 18s, 16, 14, 12, 10, and the only clothes I bought were for my current size, then when I gained about 15 pounds back, I bought a pair of jeans (bad mistake, that should have been the diet go back to point) but I didn't. then on and on it went until finally I did pay attention.

so this time, I'm going to pay close attention to my life and what I eat and stay my weight!!!! That's a biggie for me now, losing is not the big issue, but keeping it off and maintaining my weight!

I've really refocused on changes I let sneak in, and how those calories add bakc on the weight. It is more a health concern even though the vainty is in there too.

Hey, Julie! It's so nice to see you again. I missed you, but if I remember correctly you were going thru a bad patch emotionally. I hope things are going more smoothly for you these days. Congrats on the weight loss, and on being creative on how to have the things you like to eat without all the calories.

Today is the first day I've felt normal, and had my usual work/sleep schedule, since early last week, so I had a long workout this morning and have been back on my typical eating plan. A few weeks ago I switched to the Body for Life for Women eating plan, which allows a small amount of cereal...but I can't eat a small amount of cereal, I guess, and have been eating too much, especially in the evening. But I love cereal, oats, etc., and don't want to keep them out of my diet forever. So I will limit them to one cup a day, and ban them once the sun goes down. I think that will get me unstuck.

Marie, you are certainly entitled to feeling blah if you want, but I had next week off, believe me, I'd be happy as a clam!

Quiltmama, don't let the scale play games with your mind! You're doing great, keep it up!

Time to head to Curves. See ya later--judy

G,DAY thanks for the welcome back I have really missed you guys to, wonder where tired is, and Carol, and I wonder what Roll is up to, well I,m going well all the emotional crap which is just what it was, is under control I have had an addition to my family since I last spoke to you my 3rd daughter had another girl so I now have 5 grandsons and 3 granddaughters OHHHH and my baby girl of 20 is also about 4mths pregnant, you think you can take a breather when your kids are grown but they go away and multiply but my 26yr old is still child free and my son says he isn,t that crazy, I know what you mean about cereal I love weatbix they are yummy with buter and jam spread on them , but a little of what you like is OK like you say just cut back I tried the no carbs after 5 works for me as you know I,m a carb freak I love my chips hence the healthy alternative, thanks for the congrats, I fell of the weight loss train forgot my destination for awhile there but I really took a look at myself about 4mths ago and I didn,t like what I saw my hubby said I was sexy and all the usual stuff but him saying it and me feeling were to different things , so I did something about it for real this time I jumped back on the train and I know where I,m going and the journey is fun at times I hate the workouts, but when I feel like that I go for a walk instead, I was doing weight watchers points but decided it was still a diet very healthy but according to my body still a diet my body get,s when it hears the word diet, so I just changed my portion size to half off what I normally ate, put in alot of fruit and vege, and of course I am still a fan of GREEN TEA, I have about 5 cups a day, and also a cup of peppermint tea after each meal to aid digestion, boy I seem to be talking alot today, REMEMBER STAY FOCUSED, TAKE SELF TIME, LOVE THE PERSON YOU ARE KNOW MATTER WHAT, ALL OF US ARE SPECIAL, BYE FOR NOW BLESSED BE...JULIE

this is a me too post.

I love my cereal, I like the Kashi heart to heart one, the ceral doesn't get very soggy, and has a great crunch, I think for one cup it is 110 calories.

I'm trying to stay focused, I do a lot of reading on diets, and I love before and after stories in Weight Watchers Mag, they really inspire me. I look at them and say if they can do it so can I. I'm constantly looking for more inspiration like this, clothes catalogs is a good one, I love looking at clothes that I know I will be able to wear or was never brave enough to before because I felt so unattractive.

I figure reading and searching out all this info and inspiration, keeps me from being focused on a search for food.

Good morning all, I think my blahs are starting to lift. I got to drive my Jeep today so that was a great start. I don't drive the Jeep during the winter since it's short wheel base makes it spin. DH drives it and I drive the SUV. But in the summer spring and fall, I drive my bright yellow Jeep. Today it was nice out so I asked DH to drive the SUV. It was fabulous.

DH forgot to turn off his alarm so it went off this morning (1/2 hour before mine) and I had to crawl across the bed to turn it off. So by then I was wide awake. I got up and did my 3 mile walk already. YEAH!! I get to play whne I get home today.

Quiltmama, I know what you mean about inspirational stories. They always help me. Yesterday I went to Leslie Sansome's website for Walk Away the Pounds DVDs and read some of the testamonies. Pumped me up to do my exercise last night.

Jules, I'm an absolute carb - aholic. I love pasta and bread. Last night I finally gave DH a break from pasta - we'd had it 5 days in a row. Thought he was probably getting sick of it. But I had it for lunch and I brought more for lunch today. I'm lucky in that I make my own pasta and know exactly how many calories are in my dishes. Definitely helps while dieting.

Judy, good luck with the cereals. I think you made a wise realization that you can't knock something out of your diet that you love. It will never work in the long run. Like Jules is doing, small portions is the key. I do admit, I like big portions though. Just can't have them.

Well, I'll chat with you later. It's still slow at work, so I'll be back.
Marie

G,day everyone hope your all well, MARIE glad to hear your blahs, are lifting, must be that bright yellow Jeep, that would be enough to make anyone feel good I think just like a field of daffodils, yeah OK so I go off with the pixies sometimes I know what you mean about bigger serves it took me awhile to get used to it but I also started using smaller plates, when you do that your brain is telling your tummy that your plate is piled high but you still only have half the amount I guess it all comes down to a visual thing if it looks like alot than it is alot and I but it works I used to make my own pasta too but these days I,ll admit it I,m lazy so I go for wholemeal bought variety instead HEY Quiltmama when I feel like giving up I get motivation from those wonderful people in ww,s mag too some of them are amazing, here downunder we also have a mag called Australian slimming and health very much like ww,s mag but the recipes are in calorie or kljs instead of points, I follow ww,s plan but for me I,m a calorie counter from way back so I round it out to about 1000/ 1200cals a day sometimes I,m under sometimes I,m over so at the end of the week it all balances out I wonder where everyone else is hope tired is taking care and carol too and everyone else, well I guess I,ve gone on enough I,m soooo for all the characters in this post but it is 4 in the morning here downunder can,t sleep , bored so just thought I would have some fun BYE FOR NOW... ....JULS

Yep on the portions, but something I think about that is. As you make life style changes, you begin to adapt to more healthier portions and choice, which I think helps a lot when it comes to maintaining the loss over a life time.

I noticed a lot of changes that I made for dieting 2 years ago, I stuck too, without even thinking about it, of course I didn't stick to all of them, hence the weight gain, but it could have been so much worse.

I really try and keep things in my eating life style that I really love. I have some things that I just can't seem to control myself with and I have a lot of work to do on those issues! One day at a time.

Morning everyone, Judy, do you remember when Carol is supposed to be back from Hawaii? We need her here?

Quiltmama, anything you didn't regain from your weightloss two years ago is that much more of a head start. I didn't regain everything that I lost 17 years ago, just a good portion of it. Either way, I look at it that it could have been much worse. I didn't keep some of the healthy knowledge gained from losing weight long ago. So we're all on this never ending battle for health. There certainly are wrse things to endure.

Well, back to work. I'll check in later.
Marie

Hi, I've been reading your posts and I hope you have room for 1 more looser! i'm a little older and have noticed that some of you are too. That's a good thing for me. At least someone will relate. I'm married, have one son and 2 grandchildren. I was always think while growing up, didn't gain weight intill after my son was born. I've been figting it ever since, sometimes it wins, sometimes I win! But i'm getting too old and it's getting too hard to constantally do this. I am determined to loose the weight and keep it off this time. Actually, I have been dieting for awhile and i'm within a few lbs. of beign where I want to be. I am concentrating on eating healthy, not dieting. Lunch was a veggie burger and cole slaw made with fat free mayo. I can relate to what some one said earlier (sorry, I don't know names yet) about having a closet full of nice clothes and nothing to wear. I refuse to buy clothes above a certain size! Which some times leaves me with NOTHING to wear! But, i'm afraid if I buy larger sizes there will be no end to it, i'll just keep buying bigger and bigger clothes!

If you're not accepting new members, I do understand, Freda

Freda, welcome, welcome, welcome. Great job on losing the weight so that you're almost where you want to be. That's so cool!!! I definitely think 3FC will help me maintain when I get to that point. For now, I have oodles to lose and finally on track (again) to do it. Stay with us and you'll do great (you'll probably do great even if you don't but we'd love to have you!).

I decided I'd had it with the boring work week and am going to go home early. It's nice out and I'd love to go home at 2:00 so I'm taking vacation time and will do that. I also have all next week off so it's going to be fabulous to veg out for a week.

TTYL. and Welcome again, Freda!]
Marie

Hi, all! I'm so ready for the weekend! I have housework and work work to take care of, alas, but I will sleep in and find some lazy time, too. My new Turbo Jam videos arrived this week, so I'll be learning those. I did a little of the intro video, it will be fun.

Freda, nice to meet you! I don't think there's any membership criteria, but if you want to send a donation to the club, let me know

i think Carol is away for another week or more. I hope she's having a marvelous time in Hawaii. The trees are blossoming here in Washington, but we might have a bit of snow this weekend, what a drag!

I hope that everyone has a good weekend. I will do all things in moderation--hope you do, too.

judy

Hi Ladies, hope your all well, so that,s where Carol is guess if I wasn,t such an airhead I would have gone back a few more post,s but hey I,ve been away for about 12mths thats a lot of reading HEY Freda a big I agree there are no restictions to joining us all the ladies here are lovely, and if they let me in they,ll let anybody in I can be a little weird sometimes hey JUDY did you say turbo videos I keep looking for the go slower button on my excercise tapes still haven,t found it, well I suppose I should go study just thought I,de say HI nothing much to report did,nt have to bad a day eating wise , anyway take care BYE FOR NOW ...JULIE

Marie you sure are right. I think we are all fortunate that the only thing we have to battle is the weight. And I hope it stays that way for all of us.

Yeah, speaking of Carol, sure wish I was laying around the pool in Hawaii.

I've done well all week with food, got a little high last night on the calorie count, but still within limits. Still can't find any exercise mojo. Right now, I'm so tired I can't see straight, so I figure the antibiotics for a bladder infection is kicking my backside.

Morning all, it's a great morning seeing that I'm on spring vacation. But apparently Mother Nature didn't read the calendar or know the name of my week off. It's snowing outside. Yuck!!! Oh well, I will knit and play today. I already cleaned my kitchen last night so I didn't have to do it this morning. So cool for me. I am washing all my linens since Kodiak got into the bed yesterday morning and rolled all over it. Fur everywhere!!!!

Yesterday at the going away party for my co-worker, we had cake. I asked for a small piece. I was given a piece smaller than the others but it was still big. I ate the whole thing. Bad me!!! So to make up for it instead of walking 3 miles, I did the 5 mile DVD. Oh, pain. It wasn't twice as bad. It was 20 times worse. I will never overeat again so I never have to do the 5 mile walk again. Eeks, I was sore. But at least I got back on track quickly.

Quiltmama, I sure hope you feel better soon. I used to get bladder infections sevrely when I was younger. Only had one a few years ago in the last 15 years. But they are the worst. I can empathize with you. You'll get on the exercise wagon when you're ready. Just remember that it's easier to get on than the food wagon. For me, one day of exercise gets me going. I can keep it up. Good luck.

Jules, have fun studying. Yuck. I did that for way too many years.

Judy, enjoy your weekend. Moderation is good. I didn't do that yesterday.
Well, I'll chat with you later.
Marie