Hi, Blockettes! I've been lurking on your thread for awhile and hope you keep it going. I dropped out of the "holiday" challenge we were doing (though I'm still keeping it up on my own) and feel somewhat displaced, though I continue to enjoy this forum more than any diet site I've used. I like the "block" theory; it's similar to the "streaks" I do, counting the days of good fitness behavior and starting over and over and over. When I was losing a great deal of weight, I used to streak for very long periods, now I have more trouble sticking with it. I also am influenced too much by other people's dropping out, which is why I couldn't hack it at WW!

I'd like to keep lurking here and seeing your focused results. I'd join but I'm already kind of at a "Block 4" state of making my own rules, though I'm still trying to lose a **@@-ing 30 pounds (used to be approximately 100 pounds heavier than I am now, but never reached final goal and am starting to gain). I never measure inches, though I do religiously weigh in every Sunday.

The idea of a very focused and dedicated thread is a good one. Good luck.

Babette...

Sorry to leave you on your own...I'm having a hard time getting it together--diet wise--I'll just keep starting over though til I get this right! I already blew today food wise, Egg McMuffin for breakfast with hash browns, of course. I must say I haven't had that in a long time and it was good...could have salvaged the rest of the day with healthy eating, but there was left over pizza at home and it was easier to eat that than to make anything for lunch!

It will help if I get my butt down to the grocery store and restock the veggie bin and the pantry! Next stop...

I did get my exercise in today...1/2 hour at curves and then a 1/2 hour walk on the beach...so good for clearing the cobwebs out of the brain! So I'm feeling renewed and eager to begin again, (should I even say "begin?") rather, continue on this journey.

Welcome, crone, to our little group, feel free to pop in anytime. Your insights are always interesting...I lurk on some of your boards, too!

Have a great Saturday, my friends...

Hmmm... I'd really like to get around at least ONE block sometime soon, so I am going to have to start doing it. Last night I picked at salad as I was cleaning up after dinner. No biggie, and didn't lead to anything, either, but if i start letting things like that go, it would sooner or later, so.... i'm starting over

I had my day hijacked yesterday -- my grandson's mother was sick and asked me to take him. I've committed to getting a lot of work done by Monday, so I could scarcely afford to, but i took him from early yesterday aft till early this aft. And, because he kept me awake a good bit of the night I am suffering major fuzz-head, which is not the greatest for working with. I guess I can just do some of the easier stuff and hope to get a good night's sleep tonight and be smart again (LOL, as they say) tomorrow.

Haven't exercised yet today -- it's pouring rain out. If it stops, I'll go for a walk later.

Hi Crone! Nice to see you 'round the block. The block concept IS similar to the streak one. I like the idea of mastering a particular behavior in 21 days (although i know as well as anyone that i can regain a bad habit MUCH more quickly than that!) (...so fast, as a matter of fact, that it would make your head spin)

Kat, i'm with you on the pantry-stocking issue. I really need to have good choices available on demand. I've been doing pretty well, but if I was eating fruit or veggies rather than crackers and peanut butter for snacks, I might be making more progress. I would LOVE to see the numbers go down on the scale -- after tomorrow, I'll have a solid week in of behavior that should give me a loss. Dare I dream that the scale will budge for me?

I fear that I need to work harder. I always told my son that if he was trying to do something and it wasn't working that just meant he needed to try harder. Of course the problem with all the pearls of wisdom I've delivered over the years is that he actually remembers them and then quotes them to me at appropriate times. Sigh.

Well. Let's do the best we can, Blockettes. (not too inspired today.... my plan is just to muddle through...)

xo
babette
1/212 (-3)/1

... you Blockettes, I'm starting a new "streak" today. You're right, Babette, the concepts are only a little different but the idea is to achieve long periods of consecutive days of favorable fitness behavior. I posted a "streak" thread and hope to reach at least 21 days ... kind of a Blockette wannabe! (I can relearn behaviors very quickly, too. It's scary!) Re peanut butter, though, have you seen Prevention's "Peanut Butter Diet" plan? It's really sensible and I've made some of the recipes ... the shake is so filling and cold.

Kat: I'm also restocking my supplies of "good" choices, stopping just short of my trigger foods. These I need to continue to stock in the store as it were ... then I have to go out and get them when I need them.

A new week! I am determined to make that darned number on the scale go DOWN this week. I do have one small triumph to report this a.m. though. My tighter jeans are just out of the laundry and I thought "if they aren't as tight right out of the wash, then I'll know that I have made some headway" and they aren't. Not exactly floating on me (read: still pretty freakin' tight), but not too bad, and I know that within a few hours they won't be tight at all. So I attribute that to my muscle vs fat theory. Nevertheless I'd really like it to register on the scale, now I'll try to get that to happen.

I did manage to go for a walk around the park yesterday, and then practiced Tai Chi for a half-hour (where is that darned "pat self on back" smiley?).

Crone, i didn't see the Prevention peanut butter diet, but I did see someone recommend that everyone trying to lose weight should eat a little peanut butter every day. (hmmm...maybe that WAS Prevention) Don't know exactly why, whether there was something specific to peanut butter or whether it was just the protein and healthy fats. Definitely it's satisfying though. I remember when I was doing WW last year and trying to go really low-fat. One day I had soup & crackers with a little peanut butter on them for lunch and I found that I had no desire to snack through the afternoon, whereas when I had a totally low-fat lunch I often either was hungry or just had the munchies.

Okay, I really need to get some work done. Let's make this a fabulous day, Blockettes, Streakers, Everybody!

xo
babette
2/212 (-3)/1

Good Morning!

Quick post and I'm off to exercise...Today will be day 1 for me...Monday, Monday, there's just something about it!

I'm having my breakfast shake...6 oz ff/sf vanilla yogurt, 1/2 c. OJ, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 banana into the blender...very filling and yummy...

oops my ride is here...gotta go...

I'm on the fly this a.m. - backed up with work i should have gotten done by yesterday. I am definitely going to turn over a new leaf after I dig myself out of this one

Had a good day yesterday, and I am really seeing a difference in my body, so the scales will have to show it soon. I'm wondering whether I can go to Curves once a month to check my fat content - i should call them and find out.

Kat, your breakfast shake sounds great! I definitely need a blender!

Let's make this one for the Block, Blockettes!

xo
babette
3/212 (-3)/1

I'm happy to report a PERFECT day yesterday! I exercised @ Curves in the morning, and did yoga last night. I came in on the low end of my points range, foodwise, and drank all my water...I even wrote everything down!

I had a revelation, last night at work...my "usual" times to be hungry came and went...it turns out that my body is just used to being fed at these certain times...when I really thought about it, I was either thirsty or...what...programmed? I havent' eaten since dinner last night around 6:30 pm (except for my small, legal dessert right before work at 10:30)...I'm not hungry! Even now!

Day 2's meals are planned out, I'm working out this morning, so I know I will have another successful day!

Hope yours is just as good!

It's supposed to get up to the high 80s today...too hot, too soon! I want Spring back!

I belong to another thread here. But I'm really in need of a new perspective and a challange. Your 21 day chalange is exactly what I am looking for. May I join you?
Tomorrow will be my first day.
Misty

I didn't do anything drastic yesterday, just had a couple of small snacks when I wasn't hungry. But since that's the kind of behavior that i'm trying to overcome, that means it's Day 1 again. At least when I've gone off I haven't binged -- that's just the worst! I hope to never do it again. I only enjoy (sometimes) the very start and it makes me feel bad, physically, mentally, spiritually. Plus I find myself thinking about how hard it is on the body, and how hard the heart has to work to deal with that kind of assault.

There was a study looking into why people seemed to often have heart attacks on the weekend that suggested that it was because they eat big meals then. I know that some people do eat meals that would constitute a binge. A cousin of mine died recently who had a heart attack after a big dinner. He was 42, and not even slightly overweight, had no indication that he had heart troubles. Hmmmm... good thing for me to keep in mind...

Got in a 3-mile walk and will try to practice Tai Chi through the day. Supposed to go to a movie with DH tonight, but if he doesn't want to go I may take in a yoga class.

Kat, I'm dying to hear how the fat measurement goes at Curves, especially since I'm banking on the "muscle building" theory as the explanation for why I'm struggling to get any weight off. Funny how we program ourselves to eat at certain times -- if I ask DH if he's hungry, he looks at his watch. I feel like asking him if he's got a hungerometer on that thing. What I find surprising about trying to only eat when I'm hungry is how much hungrier I am some days than others. Love the days when i'm only hungry at meal times and don't think of food in between, but i need to feel ok eating if I'm hungry on the other days.

Welcome, Misty! I think the 21-day challenge approach is helpful. I seem to be having a bit of difficulty getting very far, but I'll keep starting over...

K, Blockettes, let's make this a FABULOUS day!

xo
babette
1/212 (-3)/1

...and going strong!

Food and exercise have been great, water no problem...still journaling too! I'm enjoying the process this time around, so I'm hoping to actually keep the momentum going for 18 more days! Just to prove that I CAN!

Welcome, Misty...the challenge is a good way to keep yourself on track...It's your little inner VS competition! Juat keep starting over til you get it right.

OK, babette, here goes...I had my FAT analyzed today...I didn't do as spectacularly as I would have liked, but there was a wee little improvement... I lost a whopping total of 3 1/4 inches, and one lb of body fat, while gaining a pound! Certainly not earth shattering, but anything off is off. I'm committed to going, I'm going to increase my daily exercise, and do something in addition to Curves...

*sigh* ...so that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

I'm off to nap...haven't slept since I got off this am @ 7...must recharge the battery.

See you later...

After all my talk about how much i hate binges yesterday, can YOU guess what I did? Yuppir, the ol' bingeroo. The morning was good, I felt crummy but got myself out of it and into a better frame of mind. I had a ton of work to do and told myself I didn't have time for anything else. OK. As I typed that, I thought:

Mistake # 1. I have got to allow myself time to have a life, and not tell myself that I've got to shut everything down but work, because that is just the kind of situation in which I binge. I KNOW that happens, so I am going to ensure that I have some fun & relaxation planned for every day.

Mistake #2: After lunch, I had a craving for something sweet. I don't keep sweets in the house as a rule, so there was nothing good available. And I've seen this demonstrated, and read about other people having the same experience over and over. If I don't have what I want, I might just eat through the house looking for satisfaction (that I don't find, BTW ) I should just go out and get something that will satisfy my craving and have it and get on with my day. A piece of cake and ice cream would have done it I think. I just noticed last night that the supermarket sells individual servings of desserts. One of the reasons that I don't want to buy them usually is that I don't want the whole thing kicking around, so I should keep that in mind next time.

Well, those are my revelations for the day. As usual, they aren't new, but maybe after relearning them enough times, i'll really start to deal with them??? I really didn't feel very happy yesterday after the binge -- felt like life sucked, and life is just too short to waste feeling like that. There's so much to enjoy in life and I'm going to try to do that.

Anyway, when I got up this morning, I didn't see the Bloat Creature in the mirror, but could actually still see the progress I've made from working out . I look much better, even though there's no real weight drop.

Katrina, WTG on the inches & fat loss. I was happy to see that you could lose a pound of fat while gaining a pound. We're so scale-conscious though, huh. I really want to see a change, too.

So. I'm off to the gym. When I get back I'll plan (now, there's a concept!) a day that I can live with. Ironically, I got next to no work done yesterday, just futzed around at the computer ineffectually. And that often happens when I tell myself that I'm not going to do anything but work, i should be getting hip to my tricks by now. That old passive-aggressive approach: you can make me sit here, but you can't make me be productive.

Let's make this a GREAT day, Blockettes! (I'm going to really try!)

xo
babette
1/212 (-3)/1

Me again. Still going. I feel kinda depressed today, think I have issues with DH that I've been blocking -- like Marge Simpson says, you just take all those bad feelings and squish them way way down. But I'm beginning to feel like maybe I need to deal with them. Today, for the first time, it struck me that maybe there are psychological reasons that I've gained so much weight since DH & I got together. I think that I sublimate too much of myself and then compensate with food. I don't think that it's necessary to do that, but that I'm just too passive and my husband is too forceful and it just happens.

I don't think that I need to scrap my marriage, but that I DO need to start living my life more the way i want to. And, for the most part, it isn't DH that stops me, but me getting in my own way. Hmmm. That may be enough soul searching for this a.m.

I did pretty well yesterday, 3 mile walk and food was good. I'm going to put a big push on to get through the 21 days this time.

xo
babette
2/212 (-3)/1

Hi, Blockettes! I'm on Day 6 of my streak and have even divided my journal into 21-day blocks in slavish imitation of you'se guys! My plan is a simple one ... eat 1500-2000 calories per day, exercise twice a day. I also try to drink lots of water but since I live in Arizona, I don't have to really focus much on that ... it comes naturally.

Babette: I loved the Simpson episode about depression. I do lots of "squishing" as well. Definetely I also suffer from the syndrome of getting in my own way. I'm at present agonizing over whether I can leave my Old Dog for three weeks to train for a really good job that I want. The problem seems to be not in Old Dog's head but in mine. I long for cookies 'n creme bars and vanilla slimfast to soothe the irritation, but have so far resisted.

I think we need the "What Are We Hungry For" thread back.

Lurker signing off ... have a good rest of the day, Blockettes!

I was surfing the threads here and just noticed this 21 Day Challenge. May I join?

I have been following WW since last July and noticed that the first three weeks were very difficult for me, but once over that hump (the 21 day habit forming hump), weight loss became an obsession. Well, that is, until the end of January. I am finally down to my last 10 pounds, and can't seem to get the motivation to stay OP long enough to lose the last little bit. This 21 day challenge may be the thing and the motivation that I need to get back on a permanent track.