Hi everyone... This is a bad week!!! I am struggling so much this week since Emily's birthday party and those darn peppermint patties. You know I think ANY sugary food is a trigger food for me. How come when I eat bannas or nectarines I don't eat the whole bunch - but give me an open bag of candy and I'm a freak!!! My husband was so mad at me because at the gymnastics place after the party the adults left about 15 homemade brownies on the platter... I walked into the office and left them all on a paper plate... I knew if I brought them home I'd eat them!!! I am listening to motivational tapes now and I got back OP today. Whew! I need to stay focused... I want another child so bad - I MUST DO THIS!

Swan - it was Annie with the sleep apnea troubles... she hasn't posted in some time now I hope she is OK.

Marion - how are you feeling? I am starting my new homeopathic rememdy for asthma tonight - if it works well for me I'll let you know. I have become immune to antibiotics since I was on them so much.

Kerrie - Sorry if I misunderstood your post hopefully some of those references will be helpful. I tried so many times to go OP slowly.. but it never worked for me. I just had to quit the junk food cold turkey - except for my weekly trip to McD's and my filet of fish sandwich (but I scraped off the tartar sauce)... Good luck - just take some time to make a list of Why you want to do this - and then a list of things in your life which would improve if you were healthier. My list was 3 pages long so that motivated me enough after I had done much soul searching. Good Luck

Kim
1/2001 258
3/2001 WW 239/222/140

Hello Ladies:

I'm Here! I'm Here!!

I've seen my name mentioned a couple times. I've been lurking for a long time. I had lost nearly 20 pounds before the end of last year, then started sliding back to my old ways. I've gained it all back - and most likely more. I've avoided posting, because I haven't been feeling too good about the subject and didn't want to bring anyone down.

My sleep apnea hasn't changed. I don't have the money for the deductible for the machine yet. So, I'm still very tired all of the time. My absence of energy doesn't help in the exercise department. Anyway, since part of the problem with sleep apnea is weight, my plan was to start losing more. I guess it wasn't motivation enough, because I gave up altogether.

On a good note, I've started counseling and have actually figured something out after all these years. I'll share it only in the hopes that it will help someone else out. I feel like I don't have much control in my lifeand I don't like me very much. If I wanted to change something, more people would be affected than just myself. Food is the one thing I can control (basically the same thought as an anorexic). I layed in bed one night thinking that if it's true, why do I sabotage the one thing I can control? Suddenly the answer that came to me was: Although I can control it, someone somewhere is still telling me (controlling) what I eat. If I'm on WW, then WW dictates what/how much I "can" eat. If I'm on Slimfast, Atkins, etc., they tell me what/how much I can eat. Does that make sense to anyone?

Well, I waxed my eyebrows last night, so now maybe I should step on a scale - I may have lost a couple pounds

Hope you all have a good, OP day.

Have missed you all,

2oM (Annie )

Annie - You're back! I'm sure I can speak for others in saying that we missed you. Sorry to hear that the sleep apnea isn't any better. But I am happy that you have done something for yourself and sought counseling. I'm sure that it will help you to feel better. A while back, I started a thread about how our emotions affect (or control?) our weight. I think it's key that we resolve our underlying issues if we want to permanently control our weight. Don't be too hard on yourself about the weight gain. We have all been there many times before. One last thing, please keep posting and lurking. Every time you come here, you will be reminded that you are not alone on this journey. Best wishes!

Annie - great to hear from you ... and YES your control issue makes A LOT of sense. You know me with my motivational tapes - I listened to another great one today called "Stop Stuffing Yourself" actually put out by WW. It talked about the emotional side of eating and it was very interesting. Counseling is the best thing.... sometimes we need help trying to look at situations objectively - we're too close to the issue.... but apparently it's very common for women to overindulge as a means of comfort to avoid emotional issues. I think that's why I like walking so much. It gets my heart racing and my emotional energy is used up with physcial activity instead of some other self-destructive manner (like eating an entire box of chips a-hoy).... I personally just need to learn new behavioral patterns instead of resorting back to my night time binge eating routine. It's a long journey - this getting healthy plan - and so far in my own experience it has caused me to look way deep inside to deal with issues I pushed under the rug... I cannot change them - BUT I should be able to learn how to react better to them so if they come sneaking up again in my life - I don't add another 30lbs to this body of mine.
Kim

n2 and Kim: Thanks for welcoming me back. Kim, about 10 years ago I was a walker and you are right. It is good therapy - inside and out. And the counseling? Well, I'm not very insightful. If I ask myself why about things I do, I usually have no idea what the answer is!

n 2, I read that thread about emotions. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't find the words. (Did I just say that? ) It was a very good, thought-provoking topic. You are always full of good ideas.

Kim, where have you been finding the motivational tapes you listen to? You mentioned WW. Are there other places like Best Buy?

n 2, you are right about not feeling alone when I post/lurk. When I start feeling sorry for myself, I come here and see that there are others that have serious problems bigger than mine and still giving it their best shot.

Kim, counseling really does give me an objective person to talk to. For example, my daughter has a boyfriend that I am not wild about. I know that she's 18 now and that I have to let go of the apron strings. I just have found it hard to let completely go. I still felt responsible. My counselor suggested that I tell her, "Okay, it's YOUR life now. Your mistakes are yours. I'll be here for guidance but you have to make your own decisions now." I thought about it, told DD, and have felt a million pounds slid off my shoulders. I love her so much, but I've taught her all that I can, now I have to let her use it. No one ever said motherhood is easy.

I don't have a problem with snacking. My problem is not getting in the fruits and veggies (there isn't a big variety that I like) and not getting any exercise (from that huge lack of energy).

It DOES feel good to be back posting again. You "guys" are great.

2oM (Annie )

Hi guys!!!!!
I am back!!!!! I think i feel better I went to my WI today and i was down 1.4, i was very happy with that as i hadnt exercised at all, i decided breathing is a necessity exercising for the moment is not :-) I bought those smoothies today, i am going to use them for breakfasts, as i dont usually have time to eat. I am hoping they will entice my hubby to give ww a try again as well, he will like the smoothies too i hope, he has a hard time with ww, as he doest much like milk, but does like the slim fast shakes. The other issue with him is he drinks a ton of gator aide and i forget how many points they are, its like 3 or 4 each, and he basically could drink all his points in day. But he does roofing, so needs all that gatorade, i am thinking that he should do all ww, and just not count the gatorade. What do you think???Talk to you later

Marion: Your hubby needs to be sure he gets A LOT of fluid with the work he does. I'm not sure what Gatorade has in it. Many years ago they toted it as a good-for-you sports drink that replaced nutrients (I think) that the body loses when it sweats. I never knew if that was really true. I had the impression that it was nothing more than non-carbonated pop.

Of course, I'm not in the medical profession AT ALL, but I think it's electrolytes that the body loses when it sweats. There are drinks out there that have electrolytes in them. I don't know what they taste like, what the points are, or what they cost.

I think if I were you, I'd call my doctor's office and ask a nurse what he should be drinking in additional to plain, old water. Maybe you could put the Gatorade in one of those gallon thermos containers and add a bit of water or fruit juice to it. I'm thinking that if the Gatorade isn't what they claim, you can try to dillute it without him noticing much. The points would go down if using water, but he'd get some fruit in if using the juice. Does he like the flavored bottled water?

I guess, after babbling on and on, what I'm saying is that you may need to investigate.

Good luck on your quest to try to teach a man how to change his ways.

2oM (Annie)

Annie Annie Annie.... were you not a typical 18 year year old daughter???? Don't you know it's in the rule book that we must date someone our parents will just about cringe at the sight of??? Oh when I was 18 I dated a guy who was 27!!! I actually fell in love with him through work long before my parents even knew of him. They were mortified when they found out how old he was. I dated him for 3 years.... and let me just say that when Prince Charming does come along - your daughter will compare and be all the wiser in her choice for life. I knew I couldn't marry him - but I still loved him at the time... And you are absolutely right. You've raised her and taught her well and now she will need to make the decisions. I continued to date him even when I was ready for the end BECAUSE my parents gave me such grief. I was more angry that they thought I was so stupid as to want to be with him forever. But even in my marriage today I am so happy I did date him because I learned a lot about myself and co-dependent relationships .... all you can do is pray that she will be sensible in her deicision making. I'm so glad you're back with us. I miss hearing from you. About the tapes I listen to... I just go onto Amazon and read the reviews.. So far my favorite is "Fight Fat after Forty"... yes I'm 36 - but I was curious what lies ahead... and Woah am I scared now.. I better get this weight off NOW! I also enjoyed "Thin for Life" - but that is more for people heading into Maintenance - but some good tips. ALso - another favorite is Judy Molnar's..."You don't have to be thin to Win". I just like that daily boost - on the way to and from work - it's like being at a WW meeting 2X a day! (ok - you must be tired of reading...)

Marion - Gatorade is loaded with calories - but I heard in one of the medical tapes I got that if you burn that many calories per day - it is important to drink it. They were more disturbed by the parents who send a 20 oz container with the kid who plays soccer for 1/2 hour... too many calories - it will only add weight to their bodies because they haven't depleted it yet.

Gotta run - got my 2.2 mile walk in again tonight. WI tomorrow AM - but I had such a bad weekend last week I don't know....
Kim
1/2001 258
3/2001 WW 239/222/140

Hi guys!!!!!!!!!

Ya know i was thinking, and yes i know that can be a dangerous thing, but i figured out i am just 2 small lbs away from being one-quarter of the way to goal, happy dance !!!!! Gotta go get the kiddos at school, ttyl!!!!

Marion: WTG on that first fourth of the way there. Hmm . . . 6 months from today is Christmas. Better tell DH to start saving toward something nice for that new bod you'll be strutin'. A new New Year's dress seems like a good beginning.

Kim: Of course I was a "typical" 18 year old. That's what I was trying to save my daughter from becoming!!

Had a pretty uneventful weekend. (Sometimes that can be good.) Didn't even feel like eating lunch on Sunday, can you believe it?

Keep up the good work, ladies.

2oM (Annie)

Where is everyone??????? Including me, none of us have posted since the 25th Come on guys we need to stick together, if we are gonna make it thru the long haul!!!!!!
Okay i did it i lost 2.6 lbs this week, and that puts me over the 1/4 of the way to the end mark!!!!!!!!!!!! its Happy Dancin time!!!!!!!!!! Have a great OP weekend, we are going to the fireworks tonight!!!!!!! I cant wait, and we get to take the baby too!!!!!!!!

I'm here - I'm here.....
Good Job Marion!!!! we're running neck and neck... I was down 1.5 lbs this AM to get me to 220.5 now.... I am VERY excited.
I don't know about everyone else, but as this program becomes more a part of my life I don't seem to be on the PC as much for support. (Sorry) Some weeks are just easier than others and getting more exercise really takes away from my PC time - which is definitely a good thing for me.

Another Saturday night and not a thing prepared yet for Bible Class tomorrow.... off to get crackin.....last week we had 32 in our class!!!! Luckily Alex and I get very creative under pressure.
Bye, Kim
1/2001 258
3/2001 WW 239/220.5/140

Marion--Hi and excuse me for jumping in here. I was scanning some entries and read your concern about your husband's "need" for Gatorade. With that just bobbing in the back of my brain, I went to another one of my favorite cyber spots: Lance Armstrong's website. The third paragraph there today was a link on the subject "Fluid Dynamics." You gotta believe that those cyclists racing in the Alps 50-60 miles a day are using up a lot of body stuff. Anyway, not sure I could find the link any other way or send it to you any other way but this. So, it's a lot of detailed reading but a lot of it seems like it's addressing your DH's needs...for what it's worth.

Congratulations on tackling your hurdles.

Jody

Hey, Annie -- wonderful to see you again! I don't usually post here, but I'm so glad I dropped in and saw your posts. About gaining it back -- all I can say is GOOD FOR YOU for turning that around before it gets any worse. Have you read "Thin for Life"? Almost all the people who've kept their weight off went through multiple attempts before they were able to do so. They came to see these attempts not as failures but rather as lessons that eventually helped get them to where they were. The fact that you're back here, that you're journaling, that you're in counseling says that you're in the same winning boat. GOOD FOR YOU!!

Anyway, I'll go back to lurking here now.

--Lauren

Happy July 3rd Ladies:

It's a little strange this year with the holiday in the middle of the week. Some of the small towns around us are celebrating tonight, something I don't understand as it's still the middle of the week, ie what difference does a day make? The larger cities are celebrating on the 4th and Midland, having some of the best fireworks in "mid" Michigan, are celebrating the 4th through the 6th.

Lauren: Thanks for your words of encouragement. Maybe that's what I need. I haven't read that book, but I'll see about picking it up (for even more words of encouragement). Multiple attempts? I feel that I've had mulitples of mulitples!! Well, if these are all lessons, I've got a lot to learn (still). I only wish that I would "get it" and then keep it. I've been thinking lately (believe it or not) that maybe a new committment is just around the corner for me. I'm getting so tired of being tired and fat and round and out of breath, etc., etc. Somewhere on one of the threads (WW100 or the 100 Pound Club) someone said that they make a list of the advantages of weight loss. Maybe I'll give that a try, too. Maybe I need to see something on paper that I can focus on. I'm thinking that I need to stop using the sleep apnea thing as an excuse and just force myself to do SOMETHING. It's another vicious circle.

No Clue: Lance Armstrong. Now there is a guy with determination, faith, guts, drive, and courage. We don't see too many like him in this day and age.

Have a SAFE holiday everyone,

2oM (Annie )