WELCOME to all who choose to stop here. We are a fun group providing support, encouragement and motivation. We hope you will sit a spell, grab a bottle of water and chat awhile. We would love to get to know you.

Hi everyone! Just on a quick stop between WI and working so I can't do replies. I'll try to get back later. The old thread was getting long so I hope you don't mind that I started a new one.

Anyway, I guess my week worked out pretty well, pity party and all. I am down 2 1/2 pounds this week! Here is my happy dance That's the 1 1/2 I gained last week, plus one. Not too shabby, especially after trying to recover from my little party last Monday!

You all have a GREAT day!

"Imagination is the highest kite one can fly." - Lauren Bacall

I'm moving back to a Friday weigh-in -- so no news to report today really. I did do an unofficial weigh-in (bad me, I know!) with my snazzy doctor's scale and am down a bit so I figure that bodes well for Friday, right?

The busyness in the rest of my life has slowed down my work -- and we're feeling the crunch -- so today is dedicated to work, work, work. Our kids are back from three weeks in Mexico and California and playing with their new surprises (an old computer and a VCR) and seem to be enjoying themselves. My younger daughter snuck all of her CDs out of the house and on this trip -- and left them all on the plane. I've written but I don't hold out much hope for their return. She's down to only one -- her favourite. She's sad -- but understands anyway that she has to replace 'em.

Geri -- bravo for you! Pity party and all you're back on track, eh? Yipee!!

Second go.....I lost my post earlier today!

So I am back from the trip to visit my friend. We had a great time. I went a bit over on food though, although only about 8 points in total, so I should be able to make it back quite easily. I had some banked from last week, but the 8 is on top of that . It was the extra food that did it - all the food we had was really healthy and low fat/low sugar, but I eat quickly and there was more left....... anyway, we did some clay modelling (I ended up doing the grumpy-ist big enormous woman you can imagine....holding a tiny baby - I think it was my inner dieter coming out and showing off this new resolution of mine ), and we also did some water colour sketches, but then it rained, so it was more water than colour!! Also we dug around on the beach for fossils - she lives near a place where there are a lot of fossils - they have found huge dinosaurs there, although of course I was just after tiny ammonites! So all in all it was a good trip.

I am so jealous of my friend's vegatable patch though! She has grown runner beans, french beans, courgettes (zuccinni), pumpkins (little at the moment but growing), tomatoes, carrots and beetroot (beets). She did most of it from seed. I have decided that next year I am going to grow veg. This year I did a few peas (yum) and an acorn squash (which died as I did not water it...). But I am going to dig out a proper veg patch in my garden (think of all the bonus points....! I might need help ) and then do lots of veg for next year. And in 12 months time when I come to harvest it, imagine how much lighter I will be!! About 70lbs or so if I lose steadily! What dreams. But why not? I am sure it is do-able. I just have to get myself off the sofa long enough to get out and water in the evening.....

Linda - sounds like you are really noticing the changes! Brilliant! I am only just getting to that stage. Isn't it great! Keep on with it. 14lbs is great - one Stone in fact (do you count in stones at all?).

Bunny - your poor daughter losing all her CDs. I can imagine the upset that caused. Hope all is going well with you, and that the busyness of work is not getting to you. Sounds like you sorted out the problems with your voluntary org. - at least for now. I have to be really careful how much voluntary stuff I take on - my tendency is to go 'oh yes I'll do it' and before I know it I am completely swamped and overwhelmed and resentful. I now confine it to the counselling work I have to do for my MA (I have to do at least 3 hours a week voluntary counselling - I have two placements, one at a bereavement counselling place and one at a women's centre nearby). Although having said I confine it, actually I currently see 5 people, so its 5 hours.......

Geri - well, what do you know, 2.5! Great! I am really pleased for you. I wonder what the gain was the week before....it could so easily have been water retention, or your cycle, or anything. I am really pleased for you that you are getting the results!

Terri - Dog shows seem to be all the thing! I hope you get to show your dog next time.

J Ann - That place sounded wonderful, and you sounded really together with your packed lunches too....fantastic! And of course many congrats to the Queen of Pointers!

Love to everyone else - hope you are out there doing

ok

Lilacglitter -- the sculpture sounds delightful. I lack almost entirely any creative talents (I'm a modest quilter, casual painter, vague jewelry maker) and envy utterly anyone who creates with such joyful abandon. My best friend gave me a book on "Postage Stamp Gardening" as I've always enjoyed raised gardens -- and yet not created one since our move a year and a half ago. I guess I'll be considering my garden along with you as our growing season begins next year.

No time now though -- off to work more. Website updates, resolutions to write, email to catch up on.

I hope you all have a delightful OP day!

Good Tuesday afternoon ladies, I know that it has been ages since I've last written and I really missed you guys. The issue of my aunt's Alzheimer's has escalated and has kept us hopping for the last two weeks. Haven't had a chance to stop by until now. Well, I finally cleaned out the 'fridge and went to the grocery store to get some "good food." Place is fully stocked, but I'm going to be staying with my aunt for a few days so I won't be able to eat at home. I know that I will be taking her out for her dinners so I will try to watch what I eat. Well, actually, it won't be too hard because she will have a fit if I order anything that she thinks is the least bit fattening. I will really have to be on my guard afterwards--when I return home from a stressful time with her. Have to remember that a belated pity party is never worth it and doesn't make me feel any better in the long run. It's always tempting, though, for the short-term. I just read all of your posts on the old thread and enjoyed hearing your thoughts and news. Please forgive my failure to reply to those posts--I'm just too far behind to try. Ladies, I hope that you are enjoying good weather and are having a great OP day. Have a good one. Cindy

bunny, you're doing so well OP with your walking. In due time, you will add gardening to your long list of activities. Sorry to hear that your daughter lost most of her CDs. What an aggrevation.

Lilacglitter, what a wonderful weekend you had with your friend at the beach. Sounds like you had a mega-creative weekend and stayed OP too! WTG! I had to laugh when I read what your friend calls our bad weather reports, "disaster porn." People the world over can't help but watch video of disasters, bad weather, etc. It's facinating in a "train wreck" sort of way. So, you didn't unearth any mammoth tusks on your recent trip? The ammonites are cool though.

Geri, congrats on your wonderful 2.5 pound weight loss! WTG, Geri. I've been a major pity party-girl myself, lately. Good for you on being able to snap out of that cycle and exercise good self-care. Your efforts have been rewarded. Keep up the great job.

Well, I maintained this week at my weigh in. This is so slow!!!! I wanted a loss, but after my weekend away, when I did eat a lot, even if it was healthy..... This is sometimes hard isnt it? I am telling myself that as I drank a pint of water an hour before WI it was that.....but I did actually have a pee too.....2 p's actually.....so I think I cant really have that excuse. So today I am trying to catch up some of the points and have bought myself a trout to grill for supper tonight, and made the soup for lunch. I am going to double check my portion sizes this week and see if I am eating over points on that. But I do stick to the programme...hmmm. Of course you can all hear my mind going 'well, I am meant to be fat, fat is my fate, this is not going to work' Bad and scarey thoughts. I am not really doing much exercise - the bike brake cables broke and I have not quite got around to putting it in a bike shop for mending.

Well, I am not about to quit. I need to keep at it and make it work for me. Maybe I need to exercise more (more regularly perhaps - that is my aim - see the new thread Melanie started in this forum about goals for end October), and maybe I need to eat less? Or more? Or less carbs? Or less protein? I'll have to do some experiments.

You ladies really keep me motivated. I feel supported - I know that you all understand what it's like to be at the bottom of the huge mountain going 'Me? Climb that? It looks like a very long way and very steep......'

I bet you are all thinking 'oh no, what is she going to be like when she gains one week'

Cindy - Everytime someone criticises what I eat (my mother I instantly get into 'teenage rebel' and stuff my face with 'just what I want and you cant tell me what to do'. Good luck with your dinners out with your aunt and remember that its your choices not hers........you are an to her. No, we did not find any woolley mammouths! It was such fun looking - I still have dirt under my fingernails!

Bunny - we will have to compare gardening tips. What species of stamp do you plant? does watering them mess up the gum?

Love to everyone
Lilac

Hi everyone! I had just the nicest day yesterday! It was beautiful out. I worked about 4 jobs, one being a lunch and I had a nice salad. I knew we were going out last night and wasn't sure what the menu would include.

Anyway, the evening out was with some friends who had invited us to go with them on a dinner cruise down a river near here. I guess I kinda figured it would be pretty lame as the gal that invited us said the menu wasn't anything to write home about and I wasn't sure how the boat ride would be. Well it was great!!! We launched at 7:00 and docked at 11:00. It was a double decker boat. We had a nice buffet dinner (which I did not do so well at, but since I had only had a salad, it was ok). Then we all went upstairs and there was a DJ and dancing, so honey and I danced the night away. (That should really count for exercise in this BIG body! ) Gosh, it was good to be out and doing something fun for an evening! We just had a GREAT time!!!

The scale is looking good this week so far, but then it is only Wednesday morning. I don't have WI Monday since it's Labor Day and sometimes that gets me into trouble because I think 'what the heck, I don't have to face the scale for an extra week so it really doesn't matter what I eat, I'll just use next week to take it all back off again'. Well girls, this time I have a new attitude and why should I just have a small loss in 2 weeks when I can lose this week without a scale and next week too! Gotta fit those airline seats in another 6 weeks! EEK! Another 6 weeks! I hadn't really thought about it like that before. October sounds so much further away!

Thanks to everyone for your congrats on my loss. It was a long time coming, but I am grateful. I am down 6.5 pounds overall since the 30th of July, and I am jazzed BIG time!!!

Bunny: Good for you being 'down a bit' on the scales. It always helps when we jump on the scale mid-week and it has GOOD news, kinda keeps us going. It's when it has BAD news that it can really mess up our heads and make us go further off the wagon. But, I too, am guilty of the 'mid-week jumps' and when you're that type of person you just have to deal with what it says and move on! * So sorry about your daughter's CD's. Kinda like my son and his bag in St. Louis in June. Just can't win!!! It might almost be easier, and cheaper, to download MP3's off the computer and then she can get just the songs she wants and compile her own CD's of favorite tunes. * Hope your busy life settles down some for you. Busy and Stress sometimes seem to go hand in hand and that can lead to bad choices, so just be prepared and you will get through the rest of the week on top of the world!

Lilacglitter: Wow, did you have a nice weekend!!! What fun to dig at the beach AND be so creative all in one little vacation! It must have been good to get away! * Good for you having planned for some extra points beforehand and being under control to recoup a few afterwards as well. (Gosh, what would we do without 0 point soup???? ) I'm a fast eater too. And geez I'm trying to change that! It is a terrible habit to scarf your food down. You don't even really taste it that way. I am working on making the change, but it is a very s l o w process! Your veggie garden sounds sooooo good. I love fresh veggies right out of the garden. I'm just too lazy to plant and tend to all that, so store bought it will have to be!

Cindy: Oh dang that disease! It IS a problem. You can never tell from day to day how things will go. I take it your aunt is showing some signs of deterioration if you're moving in for a few days. Is that to assess things for yourself? When she becomes a danger to herself or others is when you really have to start thinking about suitable placement. But I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new! Sorry! I'm also so sorry for you that she is so abusive! You're the only one that cares enough to give a dang about her and her situation and that's what you have to put up with! It's really sad. Try to tell yourself that the disease is causing alot of it. Believe me, I know that won't help much, but it does help some. HUGE [[[[[HUGS]]]]] to you! Try to keep the food in check. Take supplies, fruits and veggies and low point snacks with you to her house. You'll be fine! We CAN do this, Cindy! I know we can!

Ok, you guys, here's something for all of us to keep in mind: I was watching a show with some motivational guy, I know I could probably take a minute and tell you exactly who, but I don't have the minute right now. Anyway, he was saying that so many of us fail in our quests for whatever because we don't get rid of our negative thoughts. Now I know, we've all heard 'think positive' before, but what he was saying is, you can't be telling yourself "I want to be thin, I will eat healthy, I can do this" when in the back of your mind you are saying to yourself, "I hate being fat!" The point being your mind can't hold a positive with a negative still in the back of your head. Now, I'm not sure how to get the negative to go completely away, but I'll tell you I AM working on it. Maybe by just continually feeding yourself positive thoughts, there won't be any room for the negative ones. I'm gonna give it a shot!

Well girls, I just wanted to take a minute and check in before I head out to work. I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.......

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." - Mother Tesesa

HI LADIES,

Just got back from WI and grocery shopping. It was a "lot of good little things" WI. Lost one more lb. I hit my 7th 5 lbs. (down 35!). And I broke into the 280's at 289!!!! All these "little things add up to one happy weight watcher !!!!

CINDY: Hang In There and stick to your guns. Your attitude, considering all the stress your aunt's illness is causing is GREAT!! Do what you feel is right for yourself and TRY to stay O.P. {{{Cindy}}}, thinking of you each day.

LINDA: YooHoo ...We miss you. How are you doing this week?

GERI: You ARE going to fit into that seat. I just know it!! Your recent successes make me even more determined to stay OP. The cruise and dance sounded WONDERFUL. I'm so glad you went AND had such a good time.

BUNNY: Oh, those mid-week scales. I can usually convince myself to stay off of them til Monday. Then I either am so pleased with what I see I have to force myself to behave so the loss shows on Wed. WI or I have to keep myself from eating cause I'm depressed if I don't see a loss. I think this week we should all try to stay off the darn things until our next WI. Just try to stay OP and get on with life!! Good luck living with a teen with no CD's. THAT CAN'T BE EASY.

LILACGLITTER: Repeat after me "SLOW IS GOOD, Slow Is Good". As long as you are losing you are winning.
You must enjoy cooking. I wouldn't even try cooking a trout. I wait til a friend, catches some and invites me over <BG>. I'm a stick in the mud when it comes to cooking. Only breaking out of my shell when I'm Really Really bored with my meals. I wish I enjoyed preparing food as much as so any of you ladies seem to.

Off for my walk. Have a tremendous Thursday!!

I'm here! I'm here! Thanks for all the praise and words of encouragement. I don't know if I mentioned that I'm heading off to Edinburgh, Scotland on Sept 20 to visit #2 daughter and her hubby of one year. Just over a year ago DH and I went to Zimbabwe for their wedding. So glad they're not there anymore with all the troubles there. I've never been to the British Isles before so I'm beginning to get excited. I do SO want to be down at least another 10 lb by then. There are a lot of castles, etc I want to explore and can't do that lugging around 286 lb.
This morning I went to the local pool (I try to go 3 times a week) and I managed three full lengths. Now I have no problem staying afloat. Fat is naturally bouyant. But propelling myself through the water for any length of time is very tiring and I'm trying to build up my endurance. Three Olympic lengths is a record for me, even if I had to do part of it on my back.
Great to add up those exercise points too.
Friday morning is my weigh-in and I'm hoping for good results. I've managed to stay within my points range all week and I'm trying to get at least six 8 oz glasses per day but not having a very reliable bladder things can get a bit hairy if I go anywhere.

Thinthinker, that dinner cruise and dancing sounds wonderful. I'd love to do something like that.
Lilacglitter, it sounds like you had a wonderfully, creative time. I'm fairly artistic...do some decorative painting and I enjoy sewing and occasional crafting. By the way, I never realized 14 lb was a stone. That's not a weight measurement we use here, although I've heard of it having in-laws from South Africa. Daughter's MIL is always writing that she wishes she could lose a couple of "stone". Well, I have more than a couple of stone to lose. I have BOULDERS to lose. (50 lb each?)
j-ann, we seem to be in the same weight range. We can be inspiration to each other. I try not to think of the grand total I'm aiming for. Just worry about the next mini-goal. Eventually, they will all add up to the loss of that entire extra person I've been packing around with me. Hope she takes her bad attitude and eating habits with her too!!
I'm hoping to get to know all of you better as time goes by. Just don't have time today to write a personal note to everyone. THanks for the warm welcome.

hi everyone!
I am feeling a bit more positive today - sorry about yesterday's long whine... But of course, thanks for listening...!

I just had to say to Linda, there is an amazing restaurant in Edinburgh called Stac Polly - it's not the cheapest place (oh no), but it does 'modern Scottish' food - such as haggis in filo pastry. Points? Save some . There are two branches and I think one has booths and one has tables, so it would be worth checking that out before you went, for comfort. But it is quite The Place to go in Edinburgh I think! Sounds like a good job they are out of Zim. - I would not want to be there now - dangerous place, whether you are white or black i think. I laughed about your 'boulders'!! I can relate to that!

J-ann you are doing so well....35lbs is fantastic! Thanks for your encouragement about slow is good.....you are right of course. Trout is easy to cook - you take it out of the paper it comes in, put it under a hot grill (broiler?) for about 10 minutes till its done! Yum! 2 points per fish! and a fish feels like loads. But I know it must seem like too much if you dont like cooking, and fish really stinks the house out (not skunky though)

Geri - down 6.5 since end July is fantastic! And that dinner cruise sounded great fun. I love to dance, and when I was a child I did loads of it. These days I just do it in my house (with the curtains drawn!), but I do love it.

I have been thinking about the negative thought thing that you brought up. I think that the key to really getting rid of the negative thoughts is to find out whether they are true or lies. So for example 'I am fat' is actually a lie as I am fat and bones and skin and blood and muscle and soul and a bundle of qualities to boot. however, what is true about 'I am fat' is that I have a much higher body percentage of fat than I want to have. So there is truth in it, but the bald statement is untrue. So then the positive can be 'I am a woman of many parts, and I am a woman who is working to decrease my body fat percentage' Or something hopefully snappier.

The point is, I think that we have to really GET that the negative things we tell ourselves are false, before we can put in a true positive. Or better still, think of it as true's and falses rather than positives and negatives. So therefore 'I am selfish' is false, where as 'That particular action was selfish, and I did it because I wanted to take care of my own needs' works better than 'I am generous'. Because I am not always generous. But I am not always selfish either.

I am in danger of going off in to one of my preaching sessions if I am not careful!!


Love to everyone.

Oh by the way, I posted my butternut soup recipe up on the ww recipes board, in the soup thread. I know a lot of you ladies dont like to cook, but for those that do, this is really easy, and you can cook the squash in advance and just keep it in the fridge for when you want to put the soup together. I ate a bowl of this for lunch yesterday, and I was completely full, for NO POINTS! Cool!

Hi everyone! Yesterday went well. I am committed to this new way of life! I had Taco Soup for lunch, as I wanted to ward off any unwanted weight that decided it was going to attach itself to my body following my little dinner out. And I carried apples with me in the car as I did my jobs so as to get my 5 fruits and veggies in. Then I was ambitious enough to cook last night and made chicken breasts parmesaen. They turned out really well, so I will give you the recipe:

Chicken Parmesaen

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup (or so) Healthy Choice spaghetti sauce (low cal, low fat)
Low fat Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Brown chicken breasts in a pan sprayed with Pam and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of breasts. Pour spaghetti sauce over breasts and cover, simmering for another 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle a moderate amount of Mozzarella cheese over each breast, turn off heat and put cover back on. The meal is finished when the cheese is melted, about 3 more minutes.

Servings: 4 = 5 points each

It was quick. It was easy and it passed the guy test at my house!

J-ann: Congrats on another pound! And 35 now is wonderful. Keep up the good work.

Linda: Oh, lucky you, girl. Going to Edinburgh. I was there once, for the day, it's beautiful. I loved romping through the castle there. What is taking you there? Work? or Pleasure?

Lilacglitter: I will check out your squash soup recipe. I'm trying to get my guys to try new things. Sometimes that easier said than done. I'm usually ok if I don't tell them what the ingredients are! The other day I made a chocolate pudding and it used tofu instead of milk products. My youngest (20) wanted a taste and then scarfed up a bowl and thought it was wonderful. My oldest (22) knows what's in it and won't touch it. Go figure.

I get what you're saying about turning positive and negative into true and false. I'm just not sure that my little brain can work on all those little inuendos at once! I think I will have to try to get rid of all negative and false statements from my head and the best way I can think to do that is to fill my head continuously with positive and true conversations then there won't be any room for the latter. For instance, yesterday as I was walking in and out of all my jobs, I kept thinking to myself, "gosh, all that dancing must have paid off, I feel like my hips are smaller today" and "gee, I must be losing because these pants are looser". Now were the pants REALLY any looser than the day before? Probably not. But in my head I was feeding that thought and it made me behave with my food better. I wasn't as tempted during the day. Does any of this make sense? Or am I just typing? Sometimes I can't tell!

Anyway, it's another rough and tumble day here in Michigan. I have several jobs that have to be completed so I better get a move on.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny natters compared to what lies within us." - Anonymous

Whew! This has been a very crazy couple of days. I haven't posted in a few days because I haven't had much of a chance to breathe. Hopefully today things will be a bit slower. I am off from work until tuesday so that is very nice. I had my WI last night and I told the girl to be nice because it was my birthday. I didn't gain, i lost half a pound. After the past week I was just glad it was a loss and not a gain. This upcoming weekend is going to be very long and very busy. I don't know what I am doing yet, but I know it will be busy with several BBQs and those are always dangerous.

I wish I had more time to respond to everyone right now, but I will try to do that later. I am just glad to hear that you guys are all still there and still doing well. I hope everyone has a good time this weekend and stays OP. Well, take care and I will check in soon. TTFN

Melissa

Melissa: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR MELISSA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! and Many More!