HI everyone. Thanks for the condolences, it's really hard having another loss in the family. I lost both parents in the last 14 months and now my uncle. One thing I am learning, though, is that eating doesn't take away pain.
I just got back my meeting and weigh in was VERY good to me, at least. I lost 2.8 pounds in one week. Off to a good start for the new year.
Rose, your chicken cacciatore (sp?) sounds great, I'll have to try something like that.
I'm really psyched to have this loss, it's been a hard few days and I need some good news.
Linda

awesome linda...

my issues w food are while it dioersnt take pain away it calms me down and relaxes me so i have to watch it

Andrea, I know that feeling well. Food, for me, was the drug of choice when my dad was very ill and then died. On my way to the nursing home to see him (about an hour and 15 minute ride) I would go to the drive through at a local doughnut shop and buy what they call a "chocolate stick" (cruller) with a coffee and drive north. This got to be a habit. It was a way to calm me down and relieve my stress on my way to see my dad. I put on all the weight I had worked so hard to lose, and then some. That one thing was not the only thing I was doing to help alleviate my stress regarding food. I was on a comfort food binge. Eating foods like macaroni and cheese and ice cream were my "comforts". I remember one evening about a week before dad died where I stopped at a store and bought a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and some wine. I sat there, like a comatose person, drinking the wine and eating ALL of the ice cream. I don't know if it made me feel better or not, but I was convinced that it helped. So, I am the "queen" of using food as a drug, I think?
I'm reading a new book called "Body Clutter" and it has a good term to share with you all in it..... HALT. Halt stands for "hurt, angry, lonely and tired". If you are any of these things, emotionally, you need to HALT and figure out what it is that is actually bringing you to the food. I really like that term.
I did one of those HALT exercises on Sunday. My husband and I took a drive north for the afternoon to check on our family's summer cabin (closed for the winter) as it's been kind of overrun by mice this year. This cabin was built by my dad and we have inherited it. I am on an emotional "see-saw" when I am there as the place is all about him and it used to be the place I loved most to be in the entire world. So, on our way home I was feeling REALLY bummed out and missing dad. We stopped for gas and the gas stations have all turned into mini marts/coffee shops nowadays, and it's a "trigger" for me to grab a snack and a drink usually. I walked around the place, there were muffins, doughnuts (my biggest downfall), chips, candy, etc. I had a bottle of soda in my hand and stood there and said to myself... do I REALLY need this? I walked around again, put the soda back in the case and got an apple and a bottled water. They were expensive, by the way, but I ate properly for a change. I used that HALT technique! I do recommend the Body Clutter book, by the way, so far. I'm on the third chapter and it is making a great deal of sense to me.
Anyway, today is a new day. I'm going to try to eat totally CORE foods all day and not even have one tiny little bit that isn't - that is my goal, and I hope I can stick with it!
Linda

Good morning all. Doing well with working out had wkout at 11:30pm last night cause missed doing it in the afternoon and that almost killed me. Having a very physcial job and then trying to wkout afterwards.....yuk. Does anyone have the same problem as me I ........I find myself up a couple hours after I have gone to bed, I am in the kitchen digging around for food....You may think this is nuts but sometimes I feel like I cant control it like I need a alarm on the door of the frig to say " Go back to bed dummy" My Husband has gotten up before me a few times and asked who was in the kitchen eating ?????? Sometimes I don't remember and really have to think about it? Is this normal or am I just Nuts. Christine

HALT huh Linda? Sounds good, I may have to try to remember to use that one. I find myself eating for all the wrong reasons too.

Christine - I was having huge issues with the time period from 1 hour after dinner until bedtime. I felt like I HAD TO HAVE SOMETHING - an alarm on the fridge would have been good. I did fine all day long but that time period after dinner has been killing my "good day". I now have 2 good nights behind me and I hope to have more to come. IT was a vicious cycle. But I do have to say, once I'm in bed, there's nothing getting me out of it - not even food.

hi guys!
in a rusgh so illrtead later. just sayin hi hope everyone is doin great! im on day 3:)

Christine, have you ever talked with your doctor about this problem? Are you sleepwalking? You say you don't remember doing this and I wonder if it's a sleep disorder thing?
I always try to eat my larger meal of the day at suppertime as I can't stand going to bed hungry. I always have some form of dessert, though, and plan ahead to have points for that, or have a core food.
Just curious, are any of you following the new WW guidelines for CORE where you are not supposed to eat in between meals unless it is one of those very few foods on their list? I've been ignoring it, as I think it's a bit limiting and I still lost 2.8 pounds in one week. I have followed that guideline during the day, but not for my dessert. I've had sugar free/fat free pudding and have not counted the points, as it is CORE.
Linda

Hi guys,

I'm back again. I weighed in last night and had a 10.5 pound gain. Now it's been a good month and a half since I weighed in last and I have been under alot of stress and have been eating like there's no tomorrow. I am now back and WANT to loss this weight so this is DAY 1 for me. I weighed in at 161 lbs and my goal is to lose 10 pounds this month. I hope I do it.

Hi andrea, Rose, How's it going? Glad you are back OP andrea. Maybe I will stay there too if you are.

So sorry for your loss derry. You can lean on shoulder any time you need to.

Hi to everyone else. Glad to see you here and looking forward to seeing less of you.....LOL......weight wise anyway!!!!!!

TTYS
Kim

Kim, it sure is time to get back to basics for you! I recommend re-reading all your WW materials as if you were brand new. It will come off. Stress and holidays combined are "killers". What can we do to help?

Now, as for me, I just went to the beginning of this thread and copied, cut and pasted my goals for this month that I had posted. I want to force myself HERE to address how I've been doing, kind of an "accounting" to you all and to myself. So here goes:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My personal challenge is to be the healthiest eater I can possibly be. I want to boost the antioxidants in my diet, especially, in hopes of preventing cancer from taking my life earlier!
goals:
-increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables

(I am doing well with this and have relied more on fruits for in between meal snacks vs. things like pretzels and my beloved WW little chocolate cakes. I can feel more full having an apple and a glass of water than one of those cakes and a diet soda)

-drink my milk

(I'm working on this. I've been examining the calcium content in various foods as well as taking an extra calcium supplement on some days, at the end of the day, if I remember to. I should be having much more than I am getting and have made progress, but I could do better)


-have those healthy oils

(This is my hardest goal to work on. Yesterday, I did not have a single serving of oil, just ate and kind of forgot about it. Today, I shall force myself to do better)

-water, of course
(I'm usually pretty good with water, it's my beverage of choice above coffee and tea, however I don't count it and truly don't know if I'm getting it all or not. I'm going to try to measure out the amount of water I should drink in a day and put it in my refrigerator in a container that I can pour from and make sure the container is empty each day, I think that will help on days I am home at least)

-restart some kind of exercise I can live with, I just HATE exercise and find any kind of excuses.

(I'm NOT doing well at all with this part of my challenge. I have been on the treadmill this month something like 4 times.... that is not enough and I have to work harder in this area)

So, that is where I stand. I'm doing OK, but am not perfect. I have outlined where I need to work on.
Maybe we could all do an accounting of where we stand for each other like this, maybe a "report card", it is after all mid-month and she should all be well on the way to making this challenge truly work!
Linda

GREAT IDEA - LINDA!!!!!

Here's mine:

Refocus - refocus - refocus. :D

hi guys!
well i made it through yest so day 4 and goin strong im off to work out in a few:)

linda that books sounds great!

kim welcome bk you can doi it!
whats up rosie? target?

WI is complete for the week - another 1 3/4 lb GONE!!! WHOO HOO!!!! I know I'm not losing at the fastest rate but it's a weight loss that I feel I can keep up and continue for the long haul. Slow and steady. So I'm down 2 3/4 lbs so far and 2 1/4 to make my January goal. Whooo WHoo, chug, chug, chug, I know I can, I KNOW I CAN!!!!!!

yay rosie!!!

Got through day 1 again without falling off the wagon or in some cases being pushed. I am hoping to get through tomorrow without and problems. Wish me luck.....

Kim

hi guys!

yay kim!!!b thats awesome!

derrydaughter: i find it helpful to leave the water in a container a gallon might be good. as for the oil, when im desperate i just dissolve in liq and chug.