Hi!
Linda, I am still here just busy....my oldest is home (returning to school in about 2 hours for finals) and has a crummy cold. So I am staying put this am to see that she gets a decent lunch...at least some soup and tea to help fight her sickness. Thanks for the kick in the can regarding drinking water.....I am a bit behind on that today, but have lots of time left.
Hope your WI goes well! How did the visit go with your mom's cousin?

DJM- well, it is unlikely that you would get whopping cough......you were given the "old" whole cell vaccine, which generally has a better immunization rate than the acellular type in use today (but it has fewer adverse reactions).
Hope your kids are feeling better.......and at least if it is strep, 24 hours of antibiotic and he will be ok. Hang in there!

Paige, good girl doing well thru the baking.....which can be challenging.
Who are you seeing at the Meadowlands (other than the Devils)? (we were there about 3 weeks ago.....had a great time!) Hope to have the 7 day poem for you tomorrow.

Please never allow me to eat M&M's again. I get the dumb things in the house to decorate cookies with and then I eat them!!!!!!!:(
Did get to step last nite.....and hopefully will resist the M&M monster.
Dealing with PMS and all the chocolate urges too.....who knows about tomorrows WI.
Gotta go- have a great day!
Ginny

Hi everyone, I lost 1\2 pd which I am soo happy about. I ate out alot this weekend and did not pick good food choices. I had a hard time recording when I eat out. Next week I hope to see more.... I told my dh that we are having a date night this weekend. I need to get out staying home and not being able to go anywhere stinks. I did take the kids to the Wi for a brief moment. They are doing better just have one more day of the antibotic than they are back in school. I hope. The older one is coughing alot at night which scares me so much.He chokes and can not breathe and sometimes vomits. It sure is a scarey thing. During the day he is better though. I need to talk to the Doc tom before I make that decision.

Here is to a fresh week and to plan meals ahead of time and to record.I wish you all sucess.

Hi all...soooo today I confess to a kinda big piece of pizza, a peanut butter cookie, a chocolate covered cherry, and a cake ball (like a truffle.) That's all I've eaten today, though, too. I'm going to make sure that I make a low pts dinner. Dd and I are going to my neighbor's daughter's high school winter concert tonight, so at least I won't be around the house to snack.

Ginny-It's the Devils vs the Redwings. I'm really excited to go. Dh and I used to go a lot (before kids!) We haven't been able to get down there in a few years, and I was able to get some really nice seats. Thanks for asking Laura about that poem. I have wished that I had asked her for a copy of it ever since that meeting!

Djm-Congrats on the loss! Hope your kids feel better soon....it is the one of the worst feelings, when your kids are sick.

Oh, also...just gotta brag a little...I'm done with TWO OF MY CLASSES!!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My overall semester grade for the one class was a 97% and for the other was a 98%.

Anyway...gotta run...

Paige

Ginny, sorry you are dealing with being really busy and having an older sick kid, and DJM, so sorry about your kids as well. Sounds like no one is having fun. We're all feeling healthy in this house, at least for now, sure hope it stays that way until after the holidays, at least. I didn't get my flu shot this year, though, and I am a bit concerned. I've not been able to get over to the doctor's office yet to get one, the one time I was there I wasn't feeling well and it was not a time for a shot, for sure!
Paige, congrats on your grades, good job! Now, you must get back in control of your food my dear. Start off tomorrow with a clean slate!
I went to my meeting. The good news is that I lost a pound, so I am pleased. Congrats on your 1/2 pound, DJM, good news from you too!
Now, my bad news is that we got information on the new WW plan and I do not like it at all. The changes in the CORE plan are not ones that I am pleased with and the new way of figuring how many points you can have in a day if you do flex are sadly, taking away a point a day from me. If I lose .2 more, and I will of course, I lose 2 points a day. I go from 22 a day to 20 a day. I felt like I was starving myself with 22, which is kind of why I switched to CORE and now it's going to be next to impossible to try flex again for me, at least for now, I think.
But, I don't like the changes to the CORE plan either. Basically, they say that if you eat in between meals unless you have certain foods, and a very limited selection, you must count even CORE foods eaten in between meals as flex points. It's awfully restrictive. Of course their Smoothies are on the list of the very few things you can have in between meals and not count the flex points on and I truly think they are on that list so they can profit as those Smoothies are VERY expensive. It's costly enough to pay for myself and my daughter to go to meetings each week ($24.00 a week) and if you added Smoothies for each of us to the tab, it would put the entire program out of our budget.
So, I am not pleased at all.
The CORE plan has worked for me for the last few weeks, as is, and I've not been eating out of control all the time as some members have been. I guess the primary complaint about CORE is that some members are considering it a license to eat non stop CORE foods all day. I never did that anyway, so if I keep up what I've been doing, maybe that is ok by me.
I'm really annoyed though and would love to hear what you all think when you get the info at your next meetings.
I can totally understand the formula they are using to dictate how many flex points you get, though, and that makes sense. They are using age and your general activity level to dictate what you can have for points. My days are a mix in terms of activity, I don't sit all day and I am not out there doing massive activity all day, so that is taken into consideration. If I was a professional gardener, and spend all day working, that would be in consideration as well.
But, all in all, I'm unhappy with the CORE changes. I was just getting used to it and just started to show some good losses when I've been on a plateau for ages.
I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on the new plan.
One more thing, my daughter made her 10% goal today and has now lost 16 pounds since June, I'm pleased for her. It was a very good day for her. She's 16 year's old and hasn't done much dating. On the same day she met her 10% goal, she got asked out to dinner and a movie over the weekend. She was really happy about both things, now she will be motivated to continue to lose as certainly the boys are starting to take notice! Good for her!
Take care everyone,
Linda

Linda-Yes, thank you...you are right, I must get back into control. I've been a little lax since I made my one goal of fitting into the black dress last Friday. No reason to not be in control today!

I don't go to the meetings, so I'll have to hop on their site sometime and read about the changes in the plans.

Congrats to your dd for losing her 10%! That is so exciting especially for a teen to have that accomplishment. For us it's a big thing, but for a girl that is in high school with all of those pressures, it is even bigger. And to lose it the RIGHT way is even a bigger accomplishment. WTG!

Gosh, I hate when that happens.....
I just typed an entire post and lost it. Bummer. Happens frequently to me, not sure why.
Paige, set another mini-goal for yourself right away! That is something our leader stressed to Jamie yesterday after she made her 10%.
By the way, all I have to lose is .2 to be under 160, it's been a very long time since I weighed in at a meeting under 160, another "decade" of weight loss will be mine next week if I am a "good girl", and I intend to be!
I have to watch it as well as we are doing lots of extra holiday baking. It will be OK for me to eat these foods over Christmas Eve and Christmas day and during a few family gatherings, but they are not meant for me to eat day in and day out. By giving myself permission to have them on those days without guilt, I think it releases me from my temptations a bit. Do you all find that mindset helps?
If I denied myself these foods, it wouldn't feel like Christmas, but it doesn't have to be for the "season" instead of those special days.
Well, it's off to have a big glass of water and hit the shower. By, the way, I've lost it as far as exercise goes. I need motivation and I truly don't have it again.
Linda

I hate the changes too - I was trying to keep an open mind but how do you keep an open mind when they take away 2 pts a day!!!!!! WTF???? Sorry I'm cursing but this really, really bums me out at the worst time of the year when I'm struggling so hard anyway

Ok, so I have 12 more days till my first goal timeline ends. So I have 4 more lbs to lose...totally do-able. My cookies are being packaged up tomorrow and are out of the house on Friday, so really there are absolutely no excuses. So the goal that I am now really working towards is to be in ONEderland on December 25! I already know what my goal after that is, but right now I'm just going to focus on those 4lbs!

HI everyone Yep I did run into the meeting but could not stay. I am not sure if I like the changes or not. I need to sit tonight and read it all. I do not like the big bulky thing withthe pt value on it either. That will not last to many people will complain cuz of the size/ Geeze it won't even fit in a purse if you carry a smaller one.

Linda,You are right about the shakes.... I bet you can find something in place of those so you would not have to buy those. Did you say you were at a platuo? If not than stay on the old plan......I do not understand WHY they made Changes. My pts are still the same, I think I did it quickly but I iwould be po if I ilost my pt value.. Oh my gosh How dare they take food away when we are trying to watch out intake anyway....

Good luck everyone on the WI. Congrads to all of you aon the losses...

One kid goes back to school tom .So only one more left before I get my life back.........

Rose, I agree, WTF!!!! It's especially hard to hear these restrictions two weeks before Christmas... wonder if our screams will be heard all the way to WW headquarters, where ever that is?
I think I mentioned that if I lose .2 more, I drop another point and I already lost a point with their new formula as well. So, I go from 22 to 20 a day, when I already was climbing the walls feeling like I was starving and then on this stupid plateau I was on. Switching to CORE has broken my plateau, though, and I am thankful for the CORE plan as I would have probably dropped out of WW if I had stayed on FLEX, boredom and starvation were just to much for me. With FLEX, I was on program and journaling and doing everything they say and still not losing, so I guess I did need to lose 2 points a day in order to break my plateau, but I was starving already.
The few snacks I could have had, on CORE, in between meals over the holidays that would have kept me on program are now sort of gone from the slate, I'm going to have to just go off program for about three or four days, the week of Christmas through New Years. I cannot and will not put myself through this.
I can STILL stay on CORE, as I know it, (pre-changes) and probably lose between now and Christmas as I truly don't have any major social engagements (thankfully) and find myself staying in good control for the moment. Also, it helps my weight loss efforts that we are pretty broke right now, so eating out will be at a minimum.
Also, I totally agree on the points finder thing, the new one is too wide for my hands, it's flimsy and will probably tear and fall apart. I asked if the old one was still accurate and I was told yes, so you can still use your old one, thank goodness.
Did you note the size of these new booklets as well? They are "prettier" but much wider. Of course, they don't fit in the black Velcro binders they sold us all to store all our WW materials in. So, naturally, they will come up with a new binder that fits it all that they will want us to buy? I think I'll make myself something instead of buying it. I'm annoyed.
Oh well, I still love WW and have tried so many other ways to lose weight and have not been successful. Even if I'm annoyed, their program and meetings have worked for me.
Linda

Gotta be short......and you have been busy here. I too am NOT happy with the new plan. Techinically I lose a point.........although I will not take it away. (golly I go back to the old winning points when you could bank points, and got a daily range..........I lost then, so it is not a big deal if you go over a point). I still love WW too.....and will stay with it, just am disappointed a wee bit....I did have to leave the meeting after 15 minutes (Christmas shopping of course) so do not know all the changes.

Congrats Paige on the great grades and almost being done with school.
Linda- congrats to your Dd on making her 10%
DJM- well, at least one child is getting better. Let us know what you think of the WW changes.

Me? I was down .6......better than a gain I suppose.
Gotta go get dd into bed....nighty nite!
Ginny

Ginny, congrats on the .6 down, that's more than half a pound! Considering the time of year, that is an accomplishment.
I remember the time when you could bank points as well, I also remember the old plan (still have the materials someplace, I think) where points were not a factor at all. You had to have something like 3 protiens, 5 grain/carbs, 3 fats, 2 milks, etc and then had a list of what qualified as a serving of each. You could have some flexibility with a certain number of calories or servings each week, I think. That is the plan that I was most successful with, it was so much more simple when you think about it. You got double servings of fish, which was a good idea as our society doesnt seem to eat enough.
Linda

Last day of school!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!! Three finals down, one to go! I am so proud of myself for making it through this semester. It has been incredibly tough.

I wonder why WW feels they need to change up the plan every few years? I've been on it off and on for 4 yrs or so, and so far there have been two changes. I remember the Winning Points, and now the Flex. Now that I think about it, I think I even lost more weight on Winning Points and in a shorter amount of time.

Tonight I have a dr appt for an EMG. I've been having a lot of cramping and achiness in my hands, and at first they were thinking that maybe I have carpal tunnel. However, now that achiness has moved to other parts of my body...up into my left arm, into the left side of my back...so I'm not really sure what it could be. It's kind of a weird ache, too, not just like I pulled a muscle or I'm just sore. Aren't I too young to have problems like this?!

My cookie orders are outta here tomorrow. OMG I am so glad. I've decided that I am not doing them next year. I make no money at it (I don't charge enough) and I kill myself getting it all done...partly because I eat some of it and then have to make more! I still have to find time to make a batch of gingersnaps to go on one of my orders. The good thing is that that cake that my neighbor's daughter had wanted me to make, I finally decided to tell her that I couldn't do it. I felt so horrible about backing out of it because she had been asking me for MONTHS to make it...but it wasn't like it was just an easy cake. It was a stinking SCULPTED Eeyore cake. If we were going to be home on Saturday, I probably would of been able to finish it, but with tomorrow being my only day, no way! So that's good...at least I won't have to be worried about eating the cake scraps and icing! Oh that reminds me, I have to ice my sugar cookies! UGH!

Gotta run!

Paige

It was a maintenance week - whoo hooo, I love it.

Okay, after I talked with my leader I feel better about the new program. She says its all a numbers game anyway. I have never used all my 35 flex points - at most, I use 22-24 pts a week so that leaves me 13 to 11 pts a week = with losing 14 pts a week, it leaves me pretty close to even steven. Plus I never use my AP points.

She said that probably 80% of people do not use their 35 points and a good chunk don't count their AP pts. You need the points to lose according to their research. So this is trying to get you to be closer to where you need to be. I'll give it a shot starting next week when everyone else goes to the new plan. WW works for me so who am I to question their research :dizzy:

Paige, get yourself checked for Lyme Disease. I lived right near you when I was in NY and contracted Lyme down there. It was awful and I was full of aches and pains, but also got intermittent headaches, sore throats, etc. from time to time, the symptoms changed all the time so I never really felt I had it. I was on antibiotics over 9 months as they didn't catch it on time. I was a mess and still suffer after affects called "post Lyme syndrome", apparently the joint damage will always be with me.
So, make sure you take care of yourself! I never knew I had a tic bite and they can go unnoticed.
At any rate, sounds like cookie baking has not gone well and it's probably best to not do it next year. We all learn from stuff like that. It's not profitable, it's time consuming and also tempting you to overeat, so definitely not worth it.
Rose, I've heard many a leader tell people that members don't count their activity points and don't use all their flex points, and I wonder about that as I always used everything and was still hungry all the time. Most of the members I know use theirs as well.
Linda