This is a great thread for those who want support, helpful hints, friendship and a great bunch of people to communicate with. This thread has existed for a long time and we keep re-starting it whenever the old one gets too long. Feel free to stop in and chat, we are not a "closed" group and welcome newcomers. Some of us have been together for well over a year, some only a few days, but we care about each other. We offer tips, we share, we pick each other up of the floor when we've had rough times and we applaud when someone does well.
So, please do stop on by and share a bit, support is what it's all about! We can really do this together!

Well, I just figured I'd get things rolling by whining a bit this morning.
I re-checked through my WW weigh in tracker thingie and I'm still above (only about a half pound) where I was at the beginning of July. From about April and on I have been hovering at about 150 - 153. I tend to lose a few pounds and then I'll have a weekend of fun/entertaining or a vacation and then put one or two pounds back on. I'm stuck, I think.
This week, while I did weigh in over 150 (151.6 to be exact) at this week's weigh in, I weighed as low as 147 on my own scale at home in the mornings. There is HOPE that the scale will go down if it's dipping that low at home. The lowest I've been dipping to has been 149 over the last few months. I know, I know, that I am not supposed to be weighing myself each day but I do and I am addicted. I've tried hiding the scale, avoiding it for periods of time, but then I am right back at it again.
So, what do I do? I have a weekend away with entertaining and a dinner out this weekend. I keep wondering what it is I can do to prevent this same scenario from happening again, and break through this barrier.
I really feel that I would do well on maintenance, once I reach goal doing exactly what I do now as I seem to stay within the same weight range of about 4 pounds right now, never breaking through.
My goal, as per a doctor's note, is 140. I'm so close, but yet so far.....
Portion control, exercise, water, journalling, all these things are so important. I need to use restraint when I am in restaurants as well. I've been chanting this same mantra now for months and I just can't break through. What's it going to take?
Firstly, this week, I started a new journal/tracker and went down to 19 points from 20 points, as this is what I get when I figure it out using my at home weight of below 150. Maybe cutting a point a day might help me create the proper balance in order to still enjoy those social times/vacations/weekends that are truly part of living and so important.
I'm getting the car serviced this morning and heading to the gym afterwards. I really don't have a ton of time today, but I'm going to force myself to get to the gym anyway. I'll feel better afterwards. If I earn a few exercise APs, I can fit in those healthy oils and my dairy servings today. I'm up to 12 minutes on the elliptical, and increase that time by 30 seconds each time I go. The last time I went, I was really straining to get to that 12 minutes, but I forced myself. It's really hard.... but I can make myself!
Any other ideas for what I can do to break that barrier?
Today's eating:

Points target 19

Breakfast:
Rice Krispies: 2
Calorie Countdown milk: 1
pear: 1

Points remaining: 15

Lunch:
Chicken (leftover): 3
string beans: 0
WW lite bread: 1

Points remaining: 11

Dinner will be a Bertolli pasta dish that I purchased after seeing them on Top Chef, it's a frozen entree with veggies and pasta and I'm looking forward to it.
I haven't figured out the points yet, but it was about 360 calories per serving. I purchased the one with the least calories per serving from the market.
With it will be salad. I have to use olive oil in the cooking of this pasta dish so will see if I need to add a tsp. to my salad or not to have my healthy oils for the day.

I will have some AP to cover any snacks and I will have a WW 2 point dessert after dinner tonight. I'll make it work!

Hi ! Can I join ?

Linda, I have the same problem, I´ve been stuck in the 150´s for months now, and everytime is the same story, I get to 147-149, then I relapse go back up to around 156, then down again ... I just hope this time I can break the pattern, and get in gear towards goal...

We can do it !!

Morning Ladies (and any gents who may be lurking).

Welcome Carol. Hope you stop by frequently to our little group session.

My leader always says that if you keep doing that you're doing, you're going to keep getting the same result. Find a way to fine tune it. Change is up a bit. Sometimes its a small tweak, sometimes it's a major change. I know how you're feeling. Right now I'm discouraged at the fact that I've been at this for over a year and feel that I should have a better weight loss than I do. I keep positive self talking that I am that much closer to my goal but I really thought I'd be further along in my journey. One encouraging thought that keeps running through my head is that my friend who is a WW leader said she joined WW 4 times before the 5th time clicked and she struggled with her last 20 lbs for quite a while. I just wish I was struggling with my last 20 lbs rather than my first 20 but it is what it is.

I had a pretty good day yesterday. My water could have been better and my steps could have been better. My hilights and lowlights look great but I have to go back to get my bangs fixed and my neckline trimmed - I was in the chair for over 5 hours and it really wasn't that inexpensive. Live and learn. I just have to find a hair stylist I like and make it work.

Have a good day everybody. I stopped at Meijer on the way in this morning for pantyhose and stuff for lunch/dinner to help with the munchie problems. WI tomorrow and I don't want to be eating popcorn today and want to get all that essential water in. I feel good but I felt good last week too, so we'll see

Good Morning all!

Welcome Carol! You look like you have been doing fabulous. Congratulations on all your success!

As for me....today was WI day and.....I lost 3.5lbs. I really can't believe it!! I was pretty good for the most part and got 3 days of walking in. I really just expected one pound. I really pushed the water yesterday so I think that helped. I am finding that if I don't do the pitcher of water on the counter I don't get it all in. My husband think I am totally rediculous, but hey it works for me and that is what it is all about!

Today is a rainy gloomy day. I probably won't get out to walk, but will tackle the treadmill this afternoon. So, I will get some laundry done... lots of up and down stairs... and just some general household cleaning. I think I am making mexican for dinner so I will most likely have all the fixins in a salad and take a pass on the chips and tortillas. I have lots of tomatoes and green peppers so homemade salsa will definately be on the menu!

Linda - I know that you are frustrated. But look at how much you have lost. You are doing terrific. Weighing in later in the day is hard because you most likely have eaten and you have your clothes on, depending on what you are wearing you could be adding a pound or two to the total. I think if you are seeing less numbers in the morning.... go with it. You have to hold on to what is motivating you and encouraging you to continue the journey! You know what you have to do to make your evenings out more successful... spritzers, salad with oil/vinager on side, steamed veggies, prortion control.... Remember you are out to enjoy the company you are with, not to focus totally on the food. Use your technique of watching the people around you and take your cues from them. Eat what the skinny people are eating! Then make sure that you are op before and after. What else are you doing at the gym besides the elliptical? Exercise may be the place that you need to step it up instead of your diet. Those last pounds are going to be the hardest and will take some hard work and determination to get them off. Something I thought about... you mentioned that you wished you had a friend to motivate you to work out.... are there classes at your gym that you can participate in? That would change up your exercise routine and maybe help you to stay motivated!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!

On another note Linda... the wine kit. We buy our stuff from the internet and the original kit came with everything you need to start wine, except the bottles. We upgraded a few things and we just collected bottles from friends and family. The corks can't be reused though. There is a cleaning solution that kills the bacteria and we are extremely careful not to contaminate anything to risk bacteria growing in the wine. My DH is a bit anal when it comes to that sort of stuff! It is a fun "hobby" and we haven't made a bad batch yet!

Laura - ok, I figured it out now, I moved the pedometer all the way to my side and it worked wonderfully! Sometimes I have to be knocked in the head a few times to get it!!

Sandra - My daughter is 11 and son is 9. They both have used bows compliments of the good folks on Ebay.

One last thing... I have a little food review. I bought some SF Chai Tea Latte that is wonderful! 0pts for the tea, but you have to mix half tea with half milk. So you have to use your milk points, but for those of you who don't like milk or have a hard time getting milk in your day... this is a big recommondation. It is a nice evening treat because it is a little sweet. I also bought Baked Fruit Crisps by Flat Earth. For about 14 chips you use 3pts. but they are sooo worth it. I got the wild berry patch and they are yummy! The chips are decent size so you could do a half serving and have another low pt evening snack.

Wow, so I have taken up enough space. Good day to everyone and say 3 nice things to yourselves today..... they may be the only good things you hear!!

Very very good post today Kim

Good afternoon ladies.
this is a busy place.
Welcome Carol. Congratulations on your success.

Laura, what a great idea for getting your hair done. I never thought of going to the local school and getting my hair done. It would be so much more inexpensive. I hope you get all your walking in and drink all your water today. Where in Michigan are you? I have only been to places like Frankenmuth, Flint, Dearborn, Detroit, and Northen Michigan. I find it so beautiful in the fall.

Kim, Congratulations on your loss. That is awesome. you sure have a busy life. Do you find Ebay a good way to buy things. I am always afraid I will pay for the item and not receive it. I guess it is just because I have never used it before. Can you give me some tips as I would like to buy stuff off ebay I have just never done it. Thanks

Linda, wow 19 points that seems like so few. Why don't you eat on core instead. You always do well on Core. I hope the gym was fun today. You had mentioned in an earlier post that you were planning to move next year, will you stay in the same area?

Sandy, you are doing awesome. I think it would be such an adventure to go around the country. I lived in Calgary before which is north of Montana. I think Montana is beautiful.

Janelle, how are you today? Is work going better for you? I am wishing for good test results. How is your walking?

Tech, how are you? I have been on wine tours in British Columbia, and Nova Scotia, they were fun and very inforative. I have never tried making wine. I only rode my bike once, to try and fit in wine making would push me over the edge....joking.
I hope your day is going well.

Paige, how are you and how is class going? I bet you get in quite a few steps there. It is too bad your pedometer doesn't work properly. I really like mine and I use it every day. Did you ever go to Erica's farm for a drive?

Erica, I hope wherever you are, you are doing well and enjoying life. I miss you here.

Barb, it is nice to see you back. Have a wonderful day.

Erika, how are you? Life must be busy for you being back at school. Enjoy.

Kim, how are you and your daughter doing? I do hope you are both doing well.

I am doing well. I have done well with my water and eating so far today. I need to get in more steps if I will make it to 10,000 steps. It is kind of muggy here today. I love the cooler weather as it is great for running.
Have a wonderful day everyone.

take Care
Ann

Carol, firstly, welcome! Secondly, I hope you break through like I hope for myself (and many others). I know you have come so far, but these plateaus do last for ages, I guess.
What a wise leader you have, Laura, with that if you keep doing what you are doing, you will always have the same result. I like that philosophy and think that it's a smart choice to shake things up a bit.
Laura, I have re-joined WW about 5 times, I think and this time I said it would be my last time. I really don't want to ever have to start over from the beginning at 171 or higher again.... no way! I'm glad your hair came out well, that will perk you up. What's a Meijer? Never heard of it before.
Kim, great job on the loss - and you had been so discouraged! Did you DD weigh in and go with you? I hope so. I hope she is staying positive.
One thing I will start to add to my equation of weight loss is prayer. I have not been doing that. I am generally a pray for the big picture person, like peace, our troupes overseas, etc. and then I pray for those I know who are sick, grieving and things like that but never the little day to day stuff. Perhaps if I focus on that during my prayer and meditations, it might help me? It's worth a try. I'll add a sentence in for all of you as well, no pressure intended about your or my personal faith, but maybe I need to seek help from other higher sources?
Kim, I'll look for that SF Chai Tea, it sounds familiar, so perhaps I've seen it someplace? I love the Dunkin Doughnuts vanilla chai tea, and I was getting them in colder weather, often. Then, I sadly discovered how many points they are and they became part of my ever-expanding "old me" list.
Ann, we will stay in roughly the same area when we move. A few years ago, we moved to this more populated area to get our kids into a better school. Once the youngest graduates next Spring, we are free as we will no longer be tied to this town/school district. With the market this way, who knows what will happen, though? I want property between me and my neighbors and a road where I can walk in peace. We live on a very busy street with no sidewalks, it's awful.
Ann, I have also thought of CORE vs. Flex with having to go down to so little points, but this upcoming weekend is going to be a heavy "entertainment" weekend with family, desserts, h'ors douvres (sp?), and a dinner and lunch out. I'm bound to have a gain, but I will try really hard not to. I'd be happy, with a weekend like this coming up, to stay the same quite honestly. But, I am keeping in mind my post of this morning and that this is an endless cycle, where I don't have losses often enough to counteract the weekends/vacations that are heavy points.
Also, the car took SOOOOO long at the dealership today that I ended up spending over two hours there and had to run home, as I had a meeting here about my quilt project scheduled and a contractor coming to give an estimate that I couldn't go to the gym. Bummer, another day without it.
By the way, it's 90 degrees and really muggy here, not good exercise weather for sure.

wow busy place today.... Just a quick hello. I am tired today , I think tom is coming and I worked out today with the weights. OMG again...The elliptical is killing me I boosted up the resistance and levels. I think like a 10 and 6. Anyway, I do that for 30 min and than off to the weights.... I again hope this is the answer..

I have been so hungry at night. I do good than Bam hunger sits in. I go to bed early eat fruit but I need to STOP... That is the worst for me.. Oh well time will help.

Glad to hear of your losses. Keep on up the walking and drinking of water. You all rock... Inspirations.... Barb

Barb, keep up the good work. I get so hungry too sometimes.
I have a rave review for you all.... my daughter and I had the pleasure of trying the Bertolli "complete pasta and sauce" dinner this evening. It's a dinner for two called Gigantoni in a Tomato, Romano, and Ricotta Cheese Sauce. I purchased this as it was the lowest in calories per serving of all the Bertolli entrees. I really wanted to try the product as I was impressed by the individually frozen process that was featured on the TV show Top Chef recently. Wow. I can't believe this was a frozen pasta meal, it was like nothing I have ever had before frozen. A bag contains a meal for two and it was only for my daughter and I so that was fine. It figured out to 6 points a serving and as it was a meal meant for two and there were two of us, there was no temptation to have extra - there was no extra, but the servings were just enough.
A 2 cup serving was 290 calories. It was just amazing and as good as any pasta entrees I've had at a nice Italian restaurant. You must try it.
I am quite interested to check points on their other entrees now and buy more, it's not inexpensive, but considering that the price per serving is considerably less than eating out, a good deal just the same!
Again, wow!
Do try them!

Hello everyone,

Well today was my nutrition class, it was very interesting most of the stuff we know but it's good to hear it over and over:


Basically today she talked about using smaller portions, eating every 3 hours (snacks between breakfast, lunch, dinner), eating breakfast, watching out for sugar, eat vegtables, eat fruits, excercise she said it takes 3,500 calories to burn 1 pound that is a lot of work. She talked about eating lean meats, staying hydrated. Next week we are supposed to bring in a food journal she provided us with one. So starting tomorrow I have a new journal to write in.


Ann: walking I have bumped it up, since my challenge at my gym started I have been trying to hi t 30,000 steps a day today has been the closet I am at 23,688. Work is still crazy but I am just going to take it as it comes.

Carol: Welcome

Belly buster : congrats on the loss. Funny the other day I was thinking about trying to make my own wine. I think I may look into it sometime soon.

rosegarden: I always hear that too, that you need to change things up in order to get things going again. I always forget that it's so hard sometimes for me to eat things that are different I tend to eat the same things.

linda: I think belly buster hit the nail on the head, I think she wrote my thoughts down as well


everyone else I forgot hello!!!!!

Linda, I don't feel like you're whining. You're just telling us what's going on with you and your weightloss journey. Laura has fantastic advice. Try some tweaking like she suggests. Let us know how it works out for you.

Carol, I've been here a short while but I'm already seeing it's a wonderful, supportive group.


Kim, on a fantastic weightloss!! What a fun age your kiddos are for shooting arrows. We have an 8 yr old granddaughter that we're thinking may start competing this winter. Time will tell. The most important thing is that she have fun. Well, that's the most important thing for anyone in archery. (but you already know that)

Hi, Ann. The semi that's going to haul our fifth wheel to TX is coming from Calgary Friday. We're going to be sort of permanently based at my son's just south of Ft. Worth/Dallas. We're taking our 26' travel trailer for our roaming. Most of our traveling will revolve around archery championships. We shoot at different venues around the nation. Lots of fun for us retirees. I never thought retirement could be so good.

Barb, hang in there. Sounds like you're having the same struggles as I am.

Janelle, thank you for sharing your class with us. Interesting--and helpful.

DH and I are going to WW in the AM to pick up our materials. We'll be enrolling in a class down in TX next week. Our excitement is growing. Things are moving so fast for us, we haven't had time to be the least bit sad about selling our home and moving. A whole new world's opening up. Life is good.

Thanks for the support, everyone. I'll try a few of the suggestions.
I do feel that next week, I may start back on CORE again for a week or two. It might help me a bit. We'll see.
I tried a new way to plan my lunch yesterday and it helped me stay on program I think.
I knew what dinner would be and how many points it was and I knew what I had eaten for breakfast and that there would be a 2 point dessert. I had something like 7 points for anything else during my day. I looked at the bottom of my tracker and took note that I needed 2 vegetable servings, and two milk servings in order to have a perfect day. I immediately chose to have a cup of my favorite Calorie Countdown (one point!) milk and some low fat cottage cheese for lunch with Melba toast and a large portion (two cover 2 veggie servings) of string beans. I felt very accomplished that I fit all my healthy eating type of servings into a very low point day. Nineteen points is really hard, I'm learning. I feel like a starving waif, but don't look close to that! : )

Good morning ladies,

Sandra, it sounds like retirement is so much fun and being close to your grandchildren will be so great for you and them. You probably meet all kinds of interesting people from all over at your tournaments. Enjoy. Are you doing Core or flex? I was wondering which would be easier traveling?

Laura, I too think you have an awesome leader. I do wish I could find a leader like yours. She is full of great information. Thank you for sharing the info you receive with us here. I know that you always have great tips and I really appreciate you.

Kim thanks for telling us about the SF Chai Tea Latte. I think it would do the trick at night when I want to eat. I know I am not hungry but I feel like a treat. Good idea. Also those fruit crisps you were talking about, can you get them at the grocery store or wal-mart?

Barb, good job with the elliptical. I read on another post if you are getting your fats and fibres in, it makes you feel fuller. I don't know if that is true. Are you eating enough in points. You may need more with your exercising. The dietician I go to suggested I eat apple with a tablespoon of Peanut Butter to help fill me up at night. It would be awful feeling hungry.

Janelle, way to go with those steps, that is amazing. You will win any competition. Wow I may have to walk into the night to try and keep up with you. You are doing awesome. Thanks for sharing your info from your nutritionist. Have an awesome day. I hurt my foot so I am not sure if I will be able to run for the next little while.

Linda, that dinner sounded so good. Good job eating yesterday. I always forget about cottage cheese, that would be good at lunch. I like melba toast too but I don't ever buy it. I am adding them both to my grocery list. Thanks. It would be difficult for me to live in an area where I couldn't get out to walk. I live in an area where I can get out and walk everywhere. I just bring a knapsack when I go walking each morning I stop at the grocery store and pick up a few things each day. I also bring a cooler bag some days when I want to pick up some frozen things. People often ask where my car is and if I want a ride. I tell them I am walking for exercise.

Hello to Paige, Tech, Kim, Carol, Erica, Erika, and everyone else reading this post. Have a great day everyone.

Take Care
Ann

Morning - read the posts - will try to respond through the day! WI - let's see if my week was ANY better