Good morning! I hope everyone had a great holiday. We had our last celebration at my mom's last night. Almost everyone was there, except my brother (that's another long story). It was great to spend time with my nieces and nephews, who are wonderful children. I ate whatever I wanted last night (3 pieces of german chocolate cake ). It was delicious and I enjoyed it, but the holiday ended last night. So it's back on track this morning. The scales are up to 221 this morning. I'm giving it a week to settle down before I change my ticker, but I may up it, since I've probably truly gained a pound or two since I've been off plan for most of a week.

Welcome Annie and Tiffie. I'm so glad you've joined us.

Take care ladies, I'm off do to my WATP.

Linda, I think we were posting at the same time, but I sure hope your theory about the weight that comes on quickly coming off quickly.

Hi Ladies...Sorry I have been MIA...I had a total Christmas melt down as of last Tuesday and I'm ashamed to say I've gained 12 pounds!!! My Hubby came home last Tuesday and informed me that he starts 14 days vacation. He put in for vacation in January and was told that he would not get it during Christmas, ever. So we didn't save any money, because we didn't think it would happen, and then it did. I haven't been home for Christmas in nine years, and this year would of been perfect for driving out since we have no snow. First brown Christmas I have had in the nine years I have lived in North Dakota. Anyway, I have corrected my ticker and am back on program as of yesterday.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I hope 2007 will be Awesome for all of us.

Cheryl

good morning ladies!!! Well eating has been the least of my concerns here lately but after the weekend i am planning on diving in to getting control once again. We have several get togethers yet including at least two if not three dining outs for my 40th birthday tomorrow! Tammy wasn't it you that recently had a 40th? How did it feel? I have not been so caught up in the I am getting old thing, it's more of a "how in the world could i have let myself go this long" thing! Anyway that is beside the point. I am at 242.4 as of the second weigh in this morning and I am only getting there because of another good dose of lasix!! Have been as high as 248 the last week so i am going in the right direction now anyway!

Sounds like all of us are ready to get back on track and tackle the new year with reckless abandon to achieve our goals. But lets look on the positive and not focus on our recent breakdowns!! How many of us are coming into this new year even 5 pounds lighter than we were last year, with new habits and a new way of thinking??? I know for the last 3 years for sure i have come to the new year with such hopelessness over how much i had gained again and how would it ever stop. Now I can face the new year knowing i know how to stop it and i have already shed a little more weight off me than what my oldest child weighs!!!!! I look at her and just shake my head thinking about that sometimes. So lets face this new year with a positive attitude about how much we have done over the last year and not focus on our errors of the last few weeks!!!! Love ya'll and have a very happy and safe new year!!!! Erin

Erin...You are right...Made me stop and think how far I have come in a year... and I didn't gain everything back...and I'm still attending Weight Watchers...and I'm back on program. A year ago, I would of just threw my hands up and said to heck with it!!! So THANK YOU!!!

I did good yesterday by choosing the right foods and sticking with the program. I wrote everything down in my journal and I plan on working out three times a day for 15 minutes. I'm down 1 pound this morning,but I'm not moving my ticker till after New Years.

Erin and Tammy... On celebrating your 40th birthday. Remember girls, it's just a number. Hope it's a Great One!!!

Cheryl

Well Erin, 40 certainly sounds older than 30-something doesn't it. Oh well, like Cheryl says, it's just a number. And for some reason, since my birthday, I've seen all kinds all articles that talk about "40 is the new 30" and how "our 40's are being celebrated as the decade where we can be comfortable and confident in both personal and financial terms". That kind of thing. At least i can say with all honesty that I'm taking care of myself better that I did in my 30s. I spent most of my 30s thinking that I couldn't control my weight and that it was some mysterious thing that I couldn't change or affect. At times, it really bothers me that I let it get to the point that it did and that it took so long, but I can't change that. All I can do is to make the future better. I hope you have a great birthday. Enjoy your meals out, and get right back on track afterwards.

Cheryl, You've got a great attitude. My weight it up some too, but I KNOW that part of it is water, as is yours. Not giving up is what will make you succeed. Good for you!

I need a little extra kick to get back on track. I've been on and off track for the last 8 days. I need to make some commitments to myself to get completely back on track. For today my commitments are:

• To exercise a minimum of 40 minutes - can be broken up into 2 - 20 minutes if needed to.
  
• To drink at least 80 oz of water.
  
• To eat two small snacks during the day.
  
• To stay below 1550 calories for the day. Measure everything - don't estimate today!
  
• No nibbling things that are off plan!

I hope everyone had a great holiday and is getting back on track.

Hey ladies how is everyone doing? I am ok but not great. I was totally on track yesterday and the stupid scales went up 2 pounds!!!! They were at 222 this morning. UGH I hate that number. I have done very very well today and stayed on track even though I don't feel like it. I have had to fight myself all day but I know I will feel better tonight when I go to bed with out guilt from eating.

Just wanted to let you all know I am still alive and kicking. Hope everyone is doing good.

Hiya . . . Hope everything is going well for everybody . . .

We had a green Christmas, but there is snow on the ground now . . . things were actually a little slippery when I was out this afternoon. Had to get a few groceries and that was bad enough. Thought about going to WalMart, but took one look at the parking lot and decided there was nothing I could possibly want that badly.

At least I'm now on my second day of eating sensibly . . . although it is hard . . . all my little fat and sugar receptors are crying out for more, more, more . . . but so far I'm ignoring them. I'm giving them extra water -- what more could they want.

Now listen up all you sweet young things who just had birthdays, because I'm only going to say this once . . . you never have to reach 40 . . . just keep on always being 30-something . . . you were 30-9 and now you are 30-10 . . . next year; 30-11, and so on and so on and so on . . . I'm 30-33 and loving every minute of it.

Have a great evening of moving and shaking and heading in the great downward direction, chickies. See you soon.

Well gang here it is 40th birthday and still over 200 and in fact well over 200! scale was 241.6 this morning. But ladies it was not the 296 I was last year!!!! Like i said last year I am focusing on what i did accomplish not what i didn't! I am going shopping with one of my good friends today for new clothes so I am hoping for a good day of putting on something smaller than a 26/28 and having it fit! I am trying to keep my expectations reasonable so as not to be disappointed but i am really looking forward to it!

Cheryl - glad i could give a little inspiration and thanks for the birthday wishes!

Tammy - also thanks for the birthday wishes! Feel free to forward any of those articles you were mentioning! I guess I just feel so young still, I forget how long ago college was and high school. I only have fleeting moments of feeling like a real grownup and then they usually pass, so i guess the young at heart thing is what i am focusing on here so who cares what the numbers say!!!! Oh and love your committments for the day!

Robbin - hang in there woman! Sounds like you are fighting some major water pounds just keep at it and it will come off! Keep that motivation of positive action working in your favor!

Linda - I love your philosophy on 40 or should i say 30-10. That's actually how my daughter counted for a long time! Anyway, i am planning on --- no i am going to --- make the 40's some of my best years! Don't give in to those sugar/fat receptors, once you get past the moment of crisis they will wither away and you will be right on track again!

Well ladies gotta run and start getting ready for my day of shopping, oh my a day of spending money and hanging out with the girls! How will i ever survive!
Hope ya'll have a fantastic day and talk to ya soon!

Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday Dear Erin, Happy Birthday To Yoooouuuuu!!!!


Hey girls I am feeling a little better today. After 2 days of being back on track the scales are back down to 219 only 4 pounds above ticker. We can do this. All of these silly holiday pounds will be gone in no time and we will be dropping the real ones very soon.

Well better get to work.

Good morning!

Linda, My sugar and fat receptors have been crying out too! LOL! What a picture that puts in my mind. Isn't it amazing that if you feed them a couple of times over the holidays, it takes so long to shut them up again. I'm trying to drown them with water. :D

Robbin, I'm glad you are in a better state of mind. I know you will be back to ticker very soon, and then on to more losing.

Erin, Happy Birthday!! I'll look for those articles and link to them. I know exactly what you mean about feeling so young sometimes. And we still are! Hope you have a good time trying on clothes today.

Well, I'm back to ticker weight today! YAY! I thought it would take a few more days, but I'll certainly take it.

My commitments for today:

• 12000 steps on the pedometer (We're hitting the mall today!)
• No nibbling!
• Orange pieces from Wendys as a snack today
• Lunch is grilled chicken and 2 veggies
• 2 glasses of water before going to mall and 2 bottles of water while there.

I'll be trying on clothes today. I think I'm in a 16W pants now. I'm hoping I'll be in an 18 in misses. I'm going to try them on and see how close they are to fitting.

Have a great day everyone

Oh girls...girls...girls...I'm finally feeling like poking my shameful head back in here and to start doing something about my bad behavior over the holidays. I might as well come out and say it...I'm 10lbs. UP!! WAhHHHhhhh! Yesterday it was eight, but Aunt Flo showed up this morning and maybe that has something to do with the extra and plus I know I'm retaining a LOT cause my fingers, ankles and feet are puffed up. The holidays were hectic and tiring but all in all really good. And I don't have to mention the food do I?! LOL! I don't plan on changing my ticker until I have a few good days of ON PLAN to see if any of it was water weight. Oh gosh..I feel like a total sucker! But the best thing I can do is to NOT wallow in it, and go over the could've(s) and should've(s). The new year is around the corner and I AM a heck of a lot lighter than when I was thinking of starting this last year.

I haven't gone back through any of the posts but I did see..."Happy Birthday Erin"!! I hope you had a good one!

I'll be back from now on...no more hiding in my shameful corner. I'm ready to rock again!

TTFN!

Well, I haven't even stepped on the scales yet!!

All the Christmas goodies have gone and I've bene pretty good for about three days, so I'm going to weigh myself on Sunday. I think weighing myself the day after Christmas would have been just so depressing.

But we all knew this would happen. And we all enjoyed Christmas - right?

So here we are, one year on and ALL of us are lighter. Think positive.

Hi there . . .

Glad to see everybody slinking out from under the piles of Christmas wrapping paper. Glad everybody had a wonderful holiday. Glad everybody is getting recommitted to this wonderful journey to health and fitness.

A lot of you have said it and it is so very, very true . . . rather than focusing on the little bit we gained over the Santa Season, we have to focus on the big bits we dropped over the course of 2006 . . . rather than focusing on what we wanted to lose, but didn't; we have to focus on what we did lose . Very few of the things worth having in life, come easily. Everything that we work for, seems so much more valuable in the end, anyway . . . so lets focus on the good things we have accomplished and the even better things we have learned that will help us all to have a really successful 2007.

Have a wonderful evening of doing the good stuff. The effort will be rewarded. See you soon.

YAY . . . US . . . WE ARE TRULY AWSOME.

OK - let's have a count-up of what we have all lost in this group alone in 2006.

If you C&P the list and add yours to the bottom, it will make it easier for when we (I?) come to count it all up eventually.

Like, it will say:
Person A - 46 lbs
Person B - 35 lbs
Then you add yourself at the bottom.

With me?

Let's go!

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Robsia - 67 lbs