WELCOME

We are a group of people who are working together to lose our excess weight.
We are on different plans and are of different sizes.
We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We recently started a Topic of the Day.

Monday........Motivation Monday
Tuesday.......Tuesday Tips
Wednesday.....Wednesday Weigh ins
Thursday......Thankful Thursday
Friday........Friday Facials, Fingernails and Fun
Saturday.......Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Sunday.........Soup and Salad Sunday - recipes

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We have found them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears...joys and celebrations.

Please feel free to jump right in with us.
And be sure to check if there is a second page. We don't want anyone to miss any posts

Good evening.

Hey Thin.. we both started a new thread. I deleted mine and I will just move my post here from the last thread. LOL. Great minds think alike. You have not posted yet so I can't comment on yours. I will patiently wait on your post.

I did not do anymore exercising. Well at least not yet. Maybe after I get off of here I will at least do some arm curls with weights.
I did clean in my home though. My oldest daugter and I got all of the Christmas stuff packed and into the garage. We rearranged the furniture and rehung pictures.

This evening we went out as a family (without boyfriends)...just us. That was nice. We don't get to do that much anymore.
I swear my daughter is attached at the hip with her boyfriend. LOL
Then we came home and made a fire and played games sitting in front of the fireplace . Ahhhh... it was a nice evening.
Then we started watching a movie... and I fell asleep.
I slept about 30 minutes so I will probably be awake all night.

Mary.. way to go with your walking. 15 minutes is GREAT !!!
I sure wish I could walk more. My knees just can't take it. But soon... I will be walking again.

Lucky... hope that flu bug leaves you soon.. and keeps what ever weight you lost .

Kat... I forgot to add earlier that I really enjoyed learning about your husbands new year traditions. I just love hearing about stuff like that and learning new facts about others.
I also wanted to say what a darling daughter you must have that cleaned up after her party. Give her a hug for me.

Here is a picture of me trying to stay awake while watching that movie.

Hi everyone! Sorry about the new thread early. Hope no one minds! It has been a very good day! I have concentrated on my eating and am feeling very good to be OP again. I got my fruits/veggies in. I'm on my 8th glass of water, as we speak. My WW points are within range, and I am one happy camper!

I did not SHOULD on myself today!

LuckyLadyBug: "how do I keep this feeling?" ANSWER: One day at a time! It feels so good, we want to make it last just one more day, and then another!

2cute: Boy, I hear you on the feet that won't fit into any decent shoes. My mother used to warn me against going barefoot. Do you think I would listen??? NOT! So here I am, stuck in Dexter's walking shoes or tennies! They sure look nice when I'm wearing a dress!!!

Andria: I loved your piece on excercise: No Time Is No Excuse. I WILL find some time in the New Year to start with some type of exercise.

Tazmani: It was a Richard Simmons segment on QVC, so that's how she did it. Pretty inspirational!!

Katrina: Sounds like work was no party! I can't imagine the havoc in an ER on NYE with a full moon! YIKES! I guess you were busy!! * How cool that your at home party was all cleaned up by the time you woke up! Must have a pretty responsible daughter there!

Maggie: Holy Cow! I wasn't offended by the fact I like my George and you don't! Gosh, it takes alot more than that to get MY knickers in a knot! Besides, we've known each other far too long for there to be any problems there!

Suzygirl: Oh my gosh, I'm sooooo sorry for your loss! [[[HUGS]]] I can't imagine what you're going through. I lost my father almost a year ago, but my mom and he had lived many miles from me since I was married and then he had Alzheimer's and didn't know anyone in the end so my grieving process was over a period of time. I did lose my Aunt, however, a year and a half ago and there's not a week that goes by that something doesn't remind me of her. We were very close. But a husband, gosh, I can't even imagine. Good for you wanting to keep up your spirits for your daughter. We're here for you whenever you need us. Please feel free to come and let us help you with your burden.

Mary: I caught the part about your son being 31. No one is ever too old for a party!!!!

Ok, here's the 'hoakie' side of Thinthinker. It was the darnest thing. I was driving along today and playing my new Garth Brooks Scarecrow CD and I got to Track 12. Now I know that this isn't what the songwriters had in mind when they wrote the song, but I couldn't help thinking of this site and all of you and how much you all mean to me. I was sort of half singing the lyrics (because I hadn't heard the song before so I was just catchin' on) and the tears started rolling down my cheeks as I thought of all of us here and our struggles to make our dreams and weighloss goals happen. I kept replaying the song (being able to sing more of the lyrics each play through) and I couldn't stop the tears. See, I told you, pretty hoakie, eh???

So, I hope you don't mind if I type out the lyrics for you and if you get a chance to hear the song, think of all of us and our struggles and how we are all here for each other.

When You Come Back To Me Again
Written by Jenny Yates and Garth Brooks
There's a ship out on the ocean at the mercy of the sea
It's been tossed about, lost and broken, wandering aimlessly
And God, somehow You know that ship is me
Because there's a lighthouse , in a harbor shining faithfully
Pouring it's light out across the water for this sinking soul to see
That someone out there still believes in me.

Chorus
On a prayer, in a song
I hear your voice and it keeps me hanging on
Raining down against the wind
I'm reaching out until we reach the circle's end
When you come back to me again.

There's a moment, that we all come to
In our own time and our own space.
Where all that we've done, we can undo
If our heart's in the right place.

Repeat Chorus

Again and again I see
My yesterdays in front of me
Unfolding like a mystery
You're changing all that is and used to be.

Repeat Chorus

I love you guys and I want you to know that I consider you all a lighthouse, a place to come to when I need a shot in the arm to get me through the day. I DO hear your voices (no, I'm not looney, just hoakie!). "Progress, not Perfection!" "Exercise: No Time Is No Excuse!" "I am just going from here and making this year count." "A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline." "I want to be thin, more than I want to eat ice cream!" and so many more!

Ok, I've gone on and on long enough here. I will let you go for this evening. Love to all!

"You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you." - Mary Tyler Moore

Well Thin, ... you did the impossible.
You have left me speechless.

You know I am an avid Garth fan and I know that song well.
But.. I did not know all the words. I do now.

There's a ship out on the ocean at the mercy of the sea
It's been tossed about, lost and broken, wandering aimlessly
And God, somehow You know that ship is me

Even if I apply it only to my weight, how well that describes a life of obesity.
Lost... unable to find a solution.
Broken... that total state of hopelessness. Broken dreams, broken hearts, broken promises, broken spirits.
Tossed about... going from one diet to the next, hoping this one will be the one to work.
Wandering aimlessly....that comes after all else has FAILED. We give up hope. We give up trying. We don't know where to go from here.

Because there's a lighthouse , in a harbor shining faithfully
Pouring it's light out across the water for this sinking soul to see
That someone out there still believes in me.

Lighthouse in the harbor... that is all of YOU. Sharing your light to help me.
Shining faithfully...is always finding that someone has posted to keep our group going and growing.
Sinking soul... that is me. I was sinking into self pity, self hate, self disgust. I was drowning in so much sorrow from being obese I could barely stay afloat.
Someone still believes in me.... what a gift from God. Someone to believe in you. Believe you can recover. Believe you have worth...even if you weigh over 300lbs. Believe in miracles.


On a prayer, in a song
I hear your voice and it keeps me hanging on

I can NEVER tell you how each of you have kept me hanging on.
When I would want to quit and throw in the towel. You helped keep me hanging on.
You reached out to help me and I am reaching out to help you.

I won't go on anymore. You don't need me to analysis this song for you. I just felt compelled to write what I did.
This song can apply to so many areas of my life. In 50 years you have a lot of stuff go wrong , not just weight issues.
Thank you Thin.... What an appropriate song for Thankful Thursday.

ThinThinker When I signed on this morning I was wondering what to put that I am thankful for today - at 6:45 AM!

Thanks to you I know - I am thankful for all of you. I am new here and don't know you all that well, but I feel a sense of belonging even after such a short time.

THANK YOU!!!!

Morning all
I also like Garth Brooks
I am very thankful for all of you, you inspire me.

You guys are bringing tears to my eyes this morning!!

I love Garth Brooks too...

I'm busy at work..but I will catch up to you all when I get a chance...we are going to dinner with JOhn's dad tonight...I will be back tomorrow to whine about how out of control I am still!! I am trying though! Just have to get some money to go back to WW...I need that structure...someone to answer to every week to keep me on my toes!!

I hate being out of control...kudos to all you who are doing it right! I envy you!

Have a great day! Michelle

Happy Thankful Thursday!

I am thankful for having found this group of caring, supportive gals...Thanks for all the help and encouragement that you have given me in such a short time!

I loved the song lyrics, will have to tune into the country station and try to catch it! I like Garth Brooks too, my favorite song of his is, "If Tomorrow Never Comes." I'm trying to live each day like that...

I'm feeling kind of poopy today, bad cold, laryngitis and just achey all over...no walk for me today, or yesterday. I have been trying to get at least 30 min in each day. I had a great time hiking with my son and my 2 nephews and our Lab, Molly, over Christmas break. We'd try a new trail each day at some of the local parks. We'd let the dog run free (and the boys) and I just enjoyed being outside in the fresh, cold air. I love the winter, can't wait for some snow! So I'm feeling kind of confined here, need a blast of cold air to perk me up, I think...maybe later...

The UP side of being sick is a loss of appetite! So far today I've had tea, and an orange and a banana...I'm longing for some broth right now. Next Tuesday @ WW shouldn't be too unpleasant...but it WILL be crowded, what the the New Year's crowd and all!

Have a lovely rest of the day. all...I'd better think about getting dinner (ugh!) ready for my gang. See ya!

Hi gals,

I'm new to all this. I have lost about 30lbs in the past 2 years and now its starting to creep back on. My clothes are starting to get tight and I hate myself for this. I think I'm a stress eater. I have 4 teenages!!!!! I need support so I can get back on track. I've done ok these past 2 days and have exercised too! I feel like I just don't have time for anything anymore. I used to have time to exercise and now I struggle to find it. I guess its part of getting old.

I'm married, my husband has menieres disease and I have 3 (twins) boys and 1 girl. All at different stages (teenage years) I live in the country and also have 1 dog and 2 cats. I love animals.

Any support would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Nadine

Hello,

Thin and 2Cute...nowyou done it..you made me shed a tear or two too...I am not a real country music fan but those lyrics really hit me where I live. Perfect for how I fell about the struggles of life and obesity some days.

Welcome to the newcomers..glad to see you here. We are a pretty good group I think. Hopefully this will be the year we will make great strides to our goals of becoming more fit and lose some more weight. With the help of each other WE WILL DO IT!!

I have stayed OP all YEAR!!

One day at a time...I have trouble eating breakfast so I usually catch a banana and a large glass of diet Pepsi and water too...But when I was in the store tonite I saw these Chex Milk & Cereal Bars...4 points each. They say it is like eating a bowl of cereal and milk. THought I might try that for a few days. The downside is that they are about .50 each. A piece of toast and a slice of low fat cheese would probably be better...But I like the convience.

I haven't time to respond to all, I am waiting for a phone call so I need to say good bye for now.

Well... I wrote a post and got knocked off line so now I am writing this as an email and I will copy and paste.
I had a very lazy day. Slept late and took several naps too.
Babysat my granddaughter but my daughter did all of the work.
I played on the computer with her and napped with her.
We took 2 naps.

Nadine welcome to our group. Consider it your group now too.
4 teenagers..... you poor thing. LOL. I thought when my first child turned 13 I would either commit homicide or suicide. The day he turned 14 it was like he became a new person. He became the sweet boy I had raised again. But his 13th year was pure ****.
I became smarter with my girls... somewhat. I sure don't have any answers for living with teenagers. I wore my friends ear off calling her to cry on her shoulder. AND MY KIDS WERE GOOD.
I am sorry I don't recoginze the disease your husband has. Can you tell me some more info about it?

Well... I just got highjacked to get that mud facial I told you about a couple of days ago.
You should see me now. Only my eyes are shining out... sort of like a racoon.
I have 15 minutes to finish this letter. Then we are going to do our nails.
Nadine... it does get better... all of my teenagers are growing up more each and every day. Here we are doing facials and nails together now. Of course she isn't a teenager any more. LOL. She is 22 now... and more mature than me probably. LOL

My food was great today. I tried those bean sprouts as a substitute for noodles in hamburger stroganoff. I do want to warn anyone who tries bean sprouts to replace spaggetti or noodles to make it early and let the sauce flavor soak into the sprouts. Don't just stir and serve. I even rinse them first to be sure I get as much can flavor off of them. In fact... I heard it was best to let sit overnight.
My husband ate it tonight with me. I made regular stroganoff for the rest of the family. He said it was "different". I know if the "real stuff" had not been sitting there staring him in the face he would have enjoyed it more.

Well... my daughter just said I have to go wash this stuff off my face so I can be beautimus...LOL. I kind of like having concrete on my face.
Sorry I don't have time to respond to every one else.
I guess I am having my FUN FRIDAY on Thursday.

Well, Thinthinker I didn’t do so well with your “One day at a time”. Yesterday was a food disaster and I feel so disappointed in me. :blush:

Everything was going good until a friend called for lunch because she was upset. We went to eat and I ordered a turkey sandwich intending to eat only the turkey. She started talking and I guess I got caught up in her and when I looked down I had eaten the whole sandwich and the fries. I guess I have to take this as a lesson to eat consciously!!

2Cute I loved your picture in the tub!!!! You must have already washed the “mud” off of your face!

Happily tomorrow is Saturday and I plan on sitting here on the computer looking for picture attachments so I can by like the rest of you and avatar’s…I want a unique one but can’t seem to find one small enough to use here or figure out how to make a picture small.

I will also be taking walks. It is warm here – over 30 so it’s like a heat wave for Minnesota. I have been trying to work in exercise each day but I just run out of time. I leave for work at 7 or 7:10AM and don’t get home until 6PM. I have been going to bed at 9PM so I can get up at 5AM (to get in some Yoga) and that barely gives me time to write here, do some chores and get ready for the next day.

I drive 25 miles to work one way so I have been looking for a job closer to home. The problem is the pay is barely minimum wage close to home so I would like to ask all of you to use your power and think me into a job within 6 miles of home that pays $10.00 plus an hour that I will be fulfilled and happy doing. Come on – if we can lose weight we can do this!!!!!

Hi all,

Finally back online. Had Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday off from work, so couldn't go online. I am back though and have read some of the posts.

First off, welcome to the newbies. Glad to have you all here.

Secondly, Happy New Year to everyone. Hope 2002 is a succesful weightloss year for all of us.

W-I on Saturday was good. I stayed the same again. Yeah! I sure hope I can stay the same tomorrow too. Food hasn't been great, but it could have been a lot worse than it was. So I am really thankful.

Christmas was good and thankfully over. Andrew doesn't really understand, except he was thrilled to get MORE toys. I am hating toys right about now. He has so many, despite telling my relatives to get him books, clothes, or videos, they still bought lots of toys. My house is a toy store.

New Year's Day we celebrated Andrew's second birthday. It actually isn't until Saturday, but since everyone had it off, we did it early. So of course, he got MORE toys, but thankfully my mother, his brother and sister, and my brother and his girlfriend all got him clothes, so it wasn't as bad.

Anyhow, I am still exercising on my bike everyday, despite a few days of really not wanting to. I am back again on my journaling and water, since coming back to work, but for some reason I just can't get myself to do it at home. I need to work on that.

Went to Target on Wednesday and stocked up on my christmas lights, placemats, banners/flags, christmas M&M's, etc.... 75% off.

I haven't gotten my George Foreman yet, but will be watching for sales.

Well better go. Time to get to work.

Yay! It's Friday!

Hi everyone! It's hard to believe that it's January 4 already, the last two months have been such a whirlwind, I'm so glad it's all over! We started November with a visit from my in-laws , then came Thanksgiving, the day after that, we went on vacation to DisneyWorld, by the time we came back, it was time to get caught up in the Christmas hustle and bustle...and that just flew by! I am thrilled to settle back into the regular hum drum everyday stuff.

I made a promise to myself last night that today would be ONE PERFECT DAY. I will eat only within my points range, drink my entire gallon of water, exercise, do housework for one hour AND do something that I really want to do, (which will be to take 1 hour to start sort my vacation pictures and get them into an album...finally)

I just wanted to share my breakfast creation with you guys...MMMMMM...take one container FF yogurt (I used strawberry-banana), 6 oz OJ, 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, whizz together in a blender for a delicious smoothie! (about 5.25 WW pts but vey filling and full of Vit C!)

OK, gotta go, if I hurry, I can still make the 10:00 Aquacise class at the gym...see ya'll later

PS...welcome Nadine, you'll love this group! Good luck to you!

Good Morning everyone! I'm sorry I didn't get back here yesterday. I was headed here last night but DH gets annoyed if I don't go to bed when he does on nights where he has to work in the morning because he's just about getting to sleep when I come in and disturb him to climb in myself. So during the week I try to get in at the same time he does. I've always been a night owl and he's a morning person. You'd think after 25 years one of us would change, but I guess since he's the one working full time, I should be the one to change. Life is so full of compromises!!!

I'm glad you all liked the lyrics to Garth's song. I will have my son search for somewhere where it's online and then point you in that direction if you want to listen to it. * Sorry about the tears it caused, but that's how it hit me too. Our little 'anthem' if you will.

Katrina's smoothie recipe reminded me to tell you I got the best Christmas present. It's one of those 'stick' blenders. No mixer beaters or big blenders to get out anymore. Stores on a hook under my cabinet in the kitchen, all you have to do is rinse in hot water to clean it. I love it!!! If you don't have one, it is well worth the $10.

2cute: Sounds like you and your daughter had a wonderful day together yesterday. Those will be the things I miss sharing with someone because I had sons. Don't think either of them would be up much for a mud facial!!

Katrina: Hope you're feeling better real soon. Your hikes sound like great fun! * Your breakfast smoothie sounds really good.

Susie: I bet it was really fun with Andrew this Christmas. I know what you mean about turning your house into a toy store. I had one of those too. With so many people buying for the boys, we had one of everything and sometimes two! I finally had to get creative, like one year I told my MIL that I would like foot lockers for each of the boys so as they grew up I would have a place to store all of their memorabilia, like christening gowns and cub scout uniforms. That has worked out really well. Actually, they have their first foot lockers already filled and really need a second one.

Michelle: If you need to, come answer to us until you can get it together to go back to WW. We don't mind.

LuckyLadyBug: Now don't beat yourself up too much. As 2cute says we're looking for "progress, not perfection!" There is always a bright side. Count up the damage from lunch and make it a light dinner. Sometimes you even have to make up for it a little the next day. It's ok. Just keep track. Do you journal? Real important. You need a 'map' to see where you've been and to help you get to where you're going!

Nadine: Welcome. We're so glad to have you join us. It sounds as if you need a little escape once in awhile from all those teens. Stop here and let us be your escape!

Mary: How is life going with you? You must be working more lately, you're not here as often. Hope all is well.

Syn: I have alot of trouble with breakfast too. But the more I read, every article says you do better when you have some breakfast. I really need to try and get something in. I usually start with an apple, but dang, I really haven't done so well this past year doing that so I think it's time to shake things up. "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got!" I think I need to remember that quote more often.

Well girls, I gotta get out to work. I'm really running late. See ya later.

"The next best thing to winning is losing! And at least you've been in the race." - Nellie Hershey Tullis