Happy Saturday all!! I'm feeling great today which is good cuz I had a very rough day yesterday. It is time for the kids to go back to school before I lose my mind. I feel like a rubber band that is about to burst most of the time. But my mom is taking the kids tinight, the older two overnight and the baby just for a few hours. She's not ready for an entirely boob free night yet. I am patiently awaiting the day!! So I should have some destressing time! I am down two pounds this week to my before Christmas weight of 182. It might even be 181, I can't tell for sure on my scale, but I'll stick to 182, just to be safe!
Jen, my grandmother cared for my greatgrandmother at home for 5 years after a devastating stroke. It is a demanding job, worthy of much respect. I have so much respect for my grandmother because of it, she refused to put my Nana in a nursing home, she gave up 5 years of her life essentially. But, I'd do the same for my mother. My parents will never see the inside of a nursing home. There are support groups for caregivers, you might want to look into that because it is a long, hard, lonely road. But it is so worth it. No one can care for our loved ones like we can. Best wishes.
Choci, I know exactly how you are feeling, I have been there a million times. It sucks. Don't be too hard on yourself, the only thing that makes sense is just to pick yourself up and start again. We've ALL been there. Give yourself a big hug and lift that chin to tomorrow!
Grizzlychick, my goodness, you go girl!!!!!
Has anyone else seen the new People magazine? It has a big article on all of these people who have lost a lot of weight. Very inspiring, both the stories and the pictures!! I look for motivation wherever I can and am a success story junky. Thought you all might enjoy knowing about it. Have a great evening, TTFN,
Just had to say, WOW! I think that was a world record long post for me. I'm so proud of myself!! The kiddos are all playing nicely and getting ready to go to Grammy's house. That explains my ability to post unhindered. But of course my house looks like it was hit by a tornado and the baby has no socks on! A womans work is never done, TTFN,
BF and I just woke up from a nap and he said, "You know, I bet you anything that if you get on the scale it'll be less than what you weighed this morning." I was like, "Yeah, well... I doubt it..." but I tried it anyway -- we had a dollar bet!
Lo and behold, the darned thing said 281.5 -- several times!
Well... whatever. If that shows up tomorrow, I'll be happy. If not, I'm still going to do all the good things I need to to treat my body RIGHT. Thanks for the kind words, and I'll keep you posted!
Weight To Go Di! YOU ROCK! It is so amazing the transformation that has taken over you in just these past months! That is so great! I can't say that I am there myself. I seem to be holding tight to my current weight; which could be discouraging to some but I'm okay most of the time. It's my own fault of course since I haven't exercised. Once I am complete and better from my throat infection I will get more active.
Choci~~~ Don't be hard on yourself. I don't know how long it's been since you started your weight management BUT I know when I started I made it a rule to never feel guilty for what I ate. Food is a part of life we have to learn to gain control. I found that weekends were the worst and I know all will agree with that statement. So I would always give myself the weekends to indulge sometimes more than others. Of course the weight didn't come off as fast as someone that was sticking to their plan but it was a price I settled for. You know? Don't look back at your faults look forward to what you will look like after you make the best choices for yourself whether it be food or exercise.
Jen~~~ I wish you all the best with your grandmother. It's so hard taking care of someone who is set in their ways.
Madcat~~~ Many times those gains are good because muscles cause us to gain and we need more of them in our body in order to melt the excess weight away. I wish you the best in your schedule for the week.
Laney~~~ I haven't gone out of the house because of my throat infection but tomorrow we will go to Wal Mart I will keep my peeps open for the People magazine.
Lidian~~~ I can't say how happy I am to hear you won't be doing the Cabbage Diet. But like you said cabbage would be a great addition to any meal you fix. We have to live with food all around us might as well learn to use it right. I guess that was another reason my DR wanted me off of Slim Fast...afterall there is a reason there is the Food pyramid is just learning to create the right balanced meals is what we need to enforce in our daily choices. You are going to do just fine.
Guinever~~~ Welcome to the thread. If it's motivation and support you need you came to the right place. Those 10 lbs will roll off your back in no time. Just stay on track.
Angie~~~ Congratulations on your losses. That is so terriffic!
Dips~~~ I hope you are keeping warm.
Well the long vacation is almost over. The kids will be back in school Tuesday and I will be back at work Wednesday. I'm so looking forward to it. I got outside with the kids today and passed the football...DH won't go out there he'll be glued to the computer all day long if he can have it that way. The littlest one had a friend over and they had a little picnic while I helped the boys learn to throw and catch the football. The oldest went to visit her dad for the weekend. I didn't get any exercise. I still get my slumps from my throat infection but I have to say I am feeling so much better. I have hardly any pain!
I better get going I will talk to you all later. Congrats to all the losers; keep up the focus. No loss here but no gain.
bye. Kina
Thank you to each and every one of you that has congratulated me and supported me. Your support has meant more to me than you all know. There have been days when I have been on the brink of giving up and I check my mail see one of you have posted and come here and realize with all the determination and support here, I can't give up! Yesterday was the first time since my weight loss that I had bought new clothes ( besides underwear!) I was able to shop in the non plus size section. I expected to be over joyed, instead I was nervous. I kept expecting someone to come up and think I belonged in the plus size section. I must have looked like a mad woman looking around to see if anyone was watching me. I haven't been able to wear anything that's not plus size since I was 14 years old so it's been a looong time. A few years ago I went into a little boutique with a friend to help her find something, and the sales clerk came to me and said, " I'm sorry but we don't sell your size here." I was mortified and so embarrassed, because at the time I was 300 pounds, yet not so stupid that I didn't realize I couldn't fit my behind into a size 9, like the clerk apparently assumed I was. I don't know why, but that memory came flooding back to me as I was looking at clothes yesterday. I know it's just something I have to get past. Now's the time I should be so excited with my new body, so why do I keep expecting to hear someone say something about me being fat- when I'm not anymore. UGH! Sorry for whining, but I know maybe you guys would understand where I'm coming from. My mom was with me and forced me to look at myself yesterday saying how thin I look. Maybe seeing pictures when they come back will convince me. Well gotta run. Thanks for letting me have your shoulders AGAIN seems like I'm always whining to you all! Again you guys are the best. I really needed support yesterday, and without even knowing it- you all gave it. Take care. Di
I remember that we DID not have a weigh in last week because we just started this challenge and it wasnt a week yet. For those of you who still lost something last week please remind me so I can add it to this chart. By the way I didnt have a 5 lb gain like I thought but I think I gained 2 lbs! AHHHHH!! I am ok though and its my fault and I got no one else to blame lol. I didnt hop on the scale yet since its only 8 in the morning on a Sunday!?Congrats to all you losers!!! And for those of us that gained,keep your chin up and go forward.that is the only way to avoid a gain!I knew I would gain something from Christmas and New Year's. I will get on this damn scale in a few minutes and find out the truth!
What do you guys do when you have a temporary gain? I mean as far as the challenge, do you count it when you lose them again? I had two pounds from Christmas that I lost this week. So I'm back to where I was in mid December. I went for five pounds this challenge. Should I count those two as part of the five? Or do I go for 5 off from my lowest weight? Thanks,
Grizzlyschick, I know what you mean - sometimes I can't believe that I actually enjoy looking for clothes now...And I look at brighter colors and new styles too, cuz I know it'll either look OK now, or pretty soon. It helps me focus, to think that summer will be here soon enough (I hope so! I'm sick of winter!). I'm really happy for you!
Kina, thank you again for your wise & kind words...you're a sweetheart!
Choci, congrats! I'm sure that scale is right!
Laney, I get loads of temporary gains too - maybe since I weigh every day, water retention, or salt, or PMS, or whatever - and I can be 4 lbs heavier in the morning than before bed the night before - and I don't sleepwalk (I promise!) and I was just lying in the bed, how could it be?! But then things even out again. Probably weighing just once a week or once a month is best for the ups and downs thing...but for me, once a day keeps me focused and I just don't worry about the up & down thing. Don't worry about it either please - you are doing fine!
Hey all! Things are going alright, I think the "Week of 10,000 calories" actually helped me get my metabolism up a little, because now I'm back to eating my normal "maintaining" diet, and my holiday pounds are actually coming off.
Grizzly - Congratulations! I know exactly what you mean about the clothes, and I swear, it just gets better. I used to dread shopping, going into a little room and just praying that you'll be able to pull those pants up past your thighs. But now I can't get enough! It's the best feeling in the world to have everything you try on look good, and then only buy the things that look great.
Laney - Everyone gets temporary gains (especially around the holidays!) What I do is just pretend that there is no weight gain, and then start counting loss again as soon as you're back where you started from. That really helps me motivate myself.
It sounds like everyone is doing just great, it gives me so much hope.
Lidian, I too weigh myself daily, every morning, first thing. If I don't it's too easy to lose sight of the ball. I get side tracked easier. I try not to feel "bad" for doing it, it seems to work for me.
Guinever, thanks, that was what I was thinking too, but I really wanted to count those two pound! Boo hoo, I'll just have to work harder!!
I've done pretty well today, I'm well under my points so I get to have some popcorn! I think I'm liking this points thing but I'm giving it a month before I really judge yeah or nay. I went out grocery shopping and stuff with the baby today. I came home starving and really just wanted to eat everything in sight. But I really thought about it and I ate a Lean Cuisine frozen thing. That didn't do it so then I had a sandwich and a bowl of veggies. Then I was pretty full! But it was all low calorie, low point food. That is a major step for me because that's when I mess up. If I let myself get too hungery, I just pig out on everything in the house reguardless of fat or calories or anything. I've been trying to not let myself get too hungry and it seems to be working. It is very annoying to have to eat every three hours though. Lots of planning and for thought involved. Hopefully I'll get used to it so my whole life doesn't revolve around my next meal. IYKWIM.
I hope everyone had a great weekend, I did, but I am really looking forward to having some kind of routine though. School tomorrow!! The kids have been driving me crazy because they are bored. They need to go back to school as much as I need them too!! Take care everyone, TTFN,
Hi! joining this thread a little late. I would like to lose 5lbs by january 25th and work out 3-5x a week. I need to get back on track after being on vacation and entertaining guests from london for the past 2 weeks.
Has anyone else tried the diet v8 splash? it is delicious!
Welcome Clarita! This is a great place to share experiences and get support. I'm not losing weight really quickly and am currently having ups and downs, but if I didn't have the women in this challenge to communicate with, I expect I'd be having lots more ups (as in the scale moving up!)
Laney, I count each 4-week challenge as a new beginning. I've been setting 8 pound goals each challenge. In the last one, I had lost 6 pounds and then put back on 2. Still a 4 pound loss for that month. If I would have started this challenge thinking I had to lose those 2 pounds PLUS whatever my goal is, I would feel like I was sort of failing from the start. I don't know if that makes any sense. As a matter of fact, when I first started on this site last summer, I had a 12 pound loss. I gained 11 of it back. I'd hate to think of myself as not getting anywhere until I lose all of those pounds. I guess it's up to each individual.
I totally agree with you Jen, I think if you are working on a time frame, then you should absolutely start over at each new interval. Otherwise you'll just get frustrated. I just try to never put myself in a time-box or else I'll start starving myself when I get down to the wire just to try and make my goal - NOT recommended
This is from my journal -- I just wanted to share, as it seemed relevant here:
After these past few days, I am finding that I need to make yet another adjustment to my program here -- in how I approach keeping track of my losses and setting goals. I think it is essential to have goals -- I guess this is an obvious point! -- but til this point I have been very focused on numbers. It's been all about how much weight I can lose in how little time, setting dates for a specific weight, etc., and I am realizing that that approach is not making me feel as good about what I am doing as it should.
Of course I find challenges like this invaluable, and I like setting goals, BUT! I plan on seeing ANY loss, however small, as a good thing instead of feeling disappointed because I only lost a pound one week or whatever.
I know that I am going to achieve my overall goal, which essentially is to be able to wear regular-sized clothing, move my body the way I want to, and to be as helathy as I can be. Sure, I have a number picked out, but if it turns out that I have achieved those things before that number appears (and I probably will, to be honest), then... I'll see what I want to do when that time comes. It may take a year, it may take more or less, but I'm am not in a race and I need to keep reminding myself of that!
Hi everyone again!
I've calmed down since my shocking weigh in when I thought I had gained 5 lbs since the 24th Christmas eve! Actually its a 1 lb gain so I'm at 130 exactly. Eating the really fatty foods like pork,rice,beans,pies...really changed my bowel movements and I hated that part. As soon as I started to eat my fruits and veggies again my weight went back down and I feel good too. I know that my weight issues will be a part of me for the rest of my life and I'm dealing with that . Even when I go out to eat and order something that comes with fries ,I never order beef(whopper,bigmacs...) I always order the grilled chicken fillet with no mayo or I just put some honeymustard on it.I can eat really good but I'm not gonna eat stupid stuff that has 50 fatgrams like I used to with Bigmacs or Whoppers. It's insane.I have my hot cocoa that I am hooked on every night ,but its fatfree and only 25 calories plus my 90 calorie hot skim milk!
Thanks to everyone who had advice about my daughter andher weight worries. I have let her know that I needed to lose weight not just because my clothes didnt fit me anymore but because I didnt feel comfortable and was tired a lot because of my weight. Sometimes I see her worry and check a label to see the fat content and then other times Isee her eat 12 chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk without a second thought! lol
I have to be more in control and she has to start listening to her stomach when its full or not. I dont know if I'm too easy on her and Im letting her eat more than she should . I've heard of parents that are too harsh on their kids when it comes to their weight and I dont want to be one of those!
Dips I havent read your post , I am so sorry for your loss. That has to be tough for anyone to deal with.
To everyone: I just wanted to say to just keep your chin up. You will get to your goal in time,not your time but in time! "Oprah told someome that was struggling with their weight ,she said" If you want to do this you can" the physical part seems so hard to do but its true. If you really want to you can do it. People say they want to but sometimes its just words and there isnt that magic feeling behind those words. You ladies have been around a few challenges and that tells me YOU WANT TO DO THIS!
I love you guys!
ttyl,
Gen
I'm feeling great today which is good cuz I had a very rough day yesterday. It is time for the kids to go back to school before I lose my mind. I feel like a rubber band that is about to burst most of the time. But my mom is taking the kids tinight, the older two overnight and the baby just for a few hours. She's not ready for an entirely boob free night yet. I am patiently awaiting the day!! So I should have some destressing time! I am down two pounds this week to my before Christmas weight of 182. It might even be 181, I can't tell for sure on my scale, but I'll stick to 182, just to be safe!
No loss; No gain!
You guys are the best!!
Thank you to each and every one of you that has congratulated me and supported me. Your support has meant more to me than you all know. There have been days when I have been on the brink of giving up and I check my mail see one of you have posted and come here and realize with all the determination and support here, I can't give up! Yesterday was the first time since my weight loss that I had bought new clothes ( besides underwear!) I was able to shop in the non plus size section. I expected to be over joyed, instead I was nervous. I kept expecting someone to come up and think I belonged in the plus size section. I must have looked like a mad woman looking around to see if anyone was watching me. I haven't been able to wear anything that's not plus size since I was 14 years old so it's been a looong time. A few years ago I went into a little boutique with a friend to help her find something, and the sales clerk came to me and said, " I'm sorry but we don't sell your size here." I was mortified and so embarrassed, because at the time I was 300 pounds, yet not so stupid that I didn't realize I couldn't fit my behind into a size 9, like the clerk apparently assumed I was. I don't know why, but that memory came flooding back to me as I was looking at clothes yesterday. I know it's just something I have to get past. Now's the time I should be so excited with my new body, so why do I keep expecting to hear someone say something about me being fat- when I'm not anymore. UGH!
Sorry for whining, but I know maybe you guys would understand where I'm coming from. My mom was with me and forced me to look at myself yesterday saying how thin I look. Maybe seeing pictures when they come back will convince me. Well gotta run. Thanks for letting me have your shoulders AGAIN seems like I'm always whining to you all! Again you guys are the best. I really needed support yesterday, and without even knowing it- you all gave it. Take care. Di
Thanks,
