A hare met a tortoise one day and made fun of him for the slow and clumsy way in which he walked.
The tortoise laughed and said, "I will run a race with you any time that you choose."
"Very well," replied the hare, "we will start at once."
The tortoise immediately set off in his slow and steady way without waiting a moment or looking back. The hare, on the other hand, treated the matter as a joke and decided to take a little nap before starting, for she thought that it would be an easy matter to overtake her rival.
The tortoise plodded on, and meanwhile the hare overslept herself, with the result that she arrived at the winning-post only to see that the tortoise had got in before her.
Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.
This comes from a book handed down from my grandmother to my mother to me. The book is so old it doesn't have a copyright date or an author/editor's credit.
That fable has been the motivation for us turtles for about two years. Someone on the ancient WW forum mentioned the fable and I discovered it was very motivational for me. I talked about it in posts and other people said that the tortoise philosophy worked for them, too. So, I started a thread for us turtle types.
We work toward accepting that our bodies have a natural speed of weight loss when we choose to live a healthy life, instead of "going on a diet". Many of us have experienced "the diets" as go on/lose weight-- go off/ gain the weight plus more back.
We choose to perservere with each choice we make throughout the day. We believe that choosing to be slow, steady turtles helps us to learn the skills we need to learn in order to not only lose the weight, but keep it off and become the healthiest people we can be.
So, welcome to all who realize that losing and maintaining a weight loss is a lifestyle change. And who want support as we all learn the skills we need to successfully make the changes that will allow us to reach our goals.
Just checking in to change the thread. It was over two pages the last time I was online.
I'm doing fine. My tummy is finally better. I started my journal page for tonight and wrote a note that I'm finally done with the bland diet and back OP with regular food.
That's about all that's going on. I just got back from a short walk.
Lin,
Glad your tummy is better and you're back on regular foods.
Lauren,
How wonderful to have people at your mtg. thank you for sharing your weight loss history. As we well know, for some of us it's not straight down the slope without any setbacks. And yet look at how much you've accomplished.
Mousie,
So glad you met Lia. I think you two will do wonders for each other. This is a very good thing.
Me==
My leader is the trainer for the county I live in right outside of NYC.
She is absolutely fabulous and inspirational. She's also sensitive and when she knows I'm having trouble, she'll just ask me to check my committment and figure out what's bothering me. Well,
she says it nicely, but I'm in a hurry again.
So--if my leader sounds fab, she is.
I've had tough, tough times since the new year. Too long to be fooling around, but today I had a perfect day and I intend to keep it that way. I made a cauliflower soup and put it in the freezer. I have my lunch packed for tomorrow. As far as emotional eating, I've got to make time to write about my emotions. Lots of little and not so little things going wrong right now and I know this is life, but I'd sure like things to ease up a bit. On the other hand, if I stay with my eating plan, I'll feel so good that I'll be able to put the other things in perspective. If you've got any leftover prayers or good vibes, please send them my way for my family and me.
Love,
Judy
234/my scale's away!!/ 199
Judy, you've got my prayers and good vibes. Here's a {{ hug}}, too. Hope things get better soon. I empathize with your desire for things to ease up a bit. As you know, I've felt that way a lot in the past year.
The good thing for both of us is that we haven't given up, despite the things that have happened in our lives. Ditto for Erin and Lauren and all of the lurkers. (I know the four of us don't rack up those high numbers on the counter all by ourselves.)
That's what will get us all to our goals. After all, life will continue to happen, thankfully. I'd rather deal with life and figure out how to handle my weight loss stuff right along with it. So, if that means an occasional slump, so be it.
Right now, I'm slowly getting back OP. After a tummy bug, I get really hungry. Combine that with TOM, and it's impossible to get back within my range right away. So, I'm gradually decreasing the points at each meal, until I'm back to the average I'm used to eating. I'm also gradually getting back into my exercise program. Right now, it's baby steps while my body gets back to normal.
Gotta get back to my writing. I'm doing research this morning. Afterwards, back to the story itself.
LIn,
Thanks for the support. I know this year has been tough for you and I admire how you keep on figuring out how to make progress with your food and lose weight. Your ideas keep me going.
Today has been a great day point wise. I can tell because I am really ready to eat at each mini meal throughout the day. I am also journaling and the scale is hidden in a closet, so I am doing baby steps myself.
Good luck to all of us.
Judy
234/?/199
I'm glad you're feeling better, Lin. And you seem to be doing better, too, Judy. Something clicked and I'm happy for you. And of course you get my spare good karma!
Got a bit of a slap today. My old boss at the gym told me that actually "given your...problems...and the fact that you left right after the fire pretty much and...well, you have other things to think about right now." I'm glad I wasn't looking at her (we were on the phone) because I got immediately paranoid about my body. I wanted to yell "It's because I got FAT, isnt' it?" but restrained myself (no one needs that level of humiliation). I had already decided that I didn't want to go back--and I've resolved to do at least 2 hours of Physics a day--but it was a slap, anyway. Then she told me that I'd need to buy a membership if I wanted to work out there and I said "Oh, I already joined another gym." And she got MAD! The old gym is 13 miles from my house...my new gym is 1 mile away. The old gym is being built...the new gym is alredy built and has Spinning. The old gym is woman's-only, the new gym is the gym my husband goes to. Gee, which would YOU choose?
So anyway. Possibly she didn't mean to reference my current weight problem but it seemed like it. So I felt slapped. I did NOT eat though--I did Physics. Bleh, but more productive!
So anyway. Spinning tonight and I've got frustrated energy to throw into it, should be a good workout. Then, who knows. 11 points left for the day, was desperately craving noodles at lunch today so I had a bowl of noodles and veggies at a mongolian place. Yummy!
Oh, Judy--my scale is under the sink, they should be pen pals: "It's day 2 here in my dark hole, and my thoughts turn to the past, when I was used but not loved..."
Hi, turtles. I've got the day off so thought I'd grab the chance to write. (Don't envy me too much. I'm taking the day off because I have a dental appointment at noon in a town that's about an hour's drive from where I work. I'm getting FOUR cavities filled. This is round two of the results of not going to the dentist for 7 years, combined with not flossing regularly. )
Lin, glad you're over your bug and getting back on track. I also want to overeat after I've undereaten for a while. I can imagine that would be especially tough combined with TOM.
Judy, good for you writing things down. That's the touchstone for me. When I stop writing things down, I plateau and then gain weight. That's the one behavior I will no longer give up, no matter what. I think I've only missed one day since July, when I returned to the WW meetings.
Mousie, that sounds like an awkward conversation with your former boss. Too bad she got mad about your joining another gym, but yeah, I would've done the same.
I'm down a couple pounds this week from last week, which is welcome. Three more pounds to my April 17 goal and the 180s! I think it has really helped to stop banking exercise points. And I've also somewhat increased my exercise intensity, which can't hurt. (Well, it *does* hurt, but you know what I mean. ) I've also found that if I eat more fruit, I eat less sugary stuff. So I've been taking lots of fruit to work, and that seems to be helping.
Speaking of work, they want to extend my contract through the end of June. I have such mixed feelings about this. The work isn't what I want to be doing, and the company is a political minefield. There's a major atmosphere of CYA and blame there. The person I work for is a friend and a sweetie, and she tries to protect us as much as possible. But there's only so much she can do. And I find the work itself tedious. (Developing training courseware for a horrible software appliation.) On the other hand, the money is good. I do have another job on the horizon -- freelance writing for a local university's development department (fundraising). I did this kind of work in Philadelphia for Univ. of Pennsylvania -- it's writing and designing newsletters, brochures, that kind of thing. I enjoy it greatly, but the pay will be much less (I'm guessing) and more iffy.
I have to make a decision this week. I'm thinking I'll probably do the tedious, well-paying job for my friend, because she really needs me. It sounds like the freelance writing job will always be there at the university. And this would beef up our bank account again.
Anyway, you don't need to hear all my ramblings on the subject. Better go do my workout and get my day in gear. Think of me around noon EST (9 a.m. for you California gals) and send good thoughts/prayers my way. I hatesssss the dentist, precioussssss, I hatessssss it!
Ouchie, Lauren, I will definitely be thinking of you. Try to remember to take deep breaths, okay? They keep you calm(er).
I have quite a bit to do today: a chapter to read, homework for Physics, an hour of Physics tutoring, 3 hours of lecture, 2 hours of workshop, 1 hour of Spinning and one hour of Pilates. I'm done at 7:30 tonight, then I can log on and submit my homework. Assuming, of course, that I can figure it out!
I called DH at work yesterday afternoon before I went to Spinning and told him about the conversation with my old boss. So I went to Spinning, and I'm home in the shower when he comes in. Asks if I have clothes to change into (I did) and then tells me to STAY in the bathroom til he comes to get me. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. So I got cleaned up and dressed and he came for me. Closed my eyes, put something on my head, led me out into the living room.
He had thrown a small party for me! Lia and Tim were there, Cynda was sorry she had to work but said she'd buy me coffee today, no one could find Nicholas, Paul called about 2 hours later and said he was sorry but he wasn't going to make it. We all had on zebra party hats and had noisemakers, and there was a cake that said "Happy Free DUM!" (no room on the cake for the B) and it was my "Free from Dumb Party" (policies at my old gym had a tendency to change according to what was most convenient for the managers and it would drive me NUTS). Cheered me right up, Lia and I were changing out CDs and singing along and dancing, I spent the evening flirting with Tim (Tim's cool, he treats me like a little sister) and snuggling my wonderful DH.
Yes I had cake, but I had it covered with Spinning points. And I had such a good evening! Oh, my, spouses are wonderful sometimes.
Spinning this morning, and I've got a chapter to read beforehand, so I'd best be off. Have a good day, Turtles!
This is interesting. My cat has planted herself in my lap and I'm reaching over her to type. It's kind of awkward, but I'll manage.
Judy, it's so glad to hear such a cheerful post. Glad you're on track and feeling great! Also glad to hear that you're journaling. Hope putting the scale away helps. Mine has to be out because I don't go to meetings, but it's in a place where it's hard to just step on it. I have to consciously choose to weigh myself, which helps keep me off between weigh-ins.
Erin, your old boss had an emotional reaction to you changing gyms, but I'd be pretty uncomfortable working out at a place where I used to work if I'd left under those circumstances. Don't feel bad about changing gyms.
Don't beat yourself up about your weight gain, either. Sometimes when we go through learning periods our weight goes up a bit. I've noticed that. And I've also noticed that once I've figured out what's going on, as you did, I get back on track, as you also did. You're doing great!! And I applaud you for doing Physics instead of eating. It takes a great deal of courage to choose an activity you need to do, but don't particularly like, over comfort eating, which you find pleasurable (in the short run), even if you don't like the results.
Your dh sounds like a real peach!! Glad you had a great party.
OWIE!! Lauren, I don't envy you your day at the dentist. Nor do I envy you the job choice you're faced with. Hope things work out well in both cases.
OTOH--congratulations on the weight loss. You might reach your goal a bit early. Super!!
I've found my key to overcoming the "waiting for the next time to eat" that comes when I'm bored or getting cabin fever from being in the apartment so much. Writing. When I work on my book, whether it's writing the story or working on building the world in which it takes place (it's a fantasy tale), I don't think about eating. My characters do, but that doesn't trigger me to want to eat. Now the trick is to get it done and find someone to pay me for the darn thing so I can justify writing another.
I'm doing fine. You're right, Lauren, that the combination of getting over the tummy thing and TOM at the same time has been difficult. But I'm getting back to eating within my range. I plan to get back to exercising regularly tomorrow. I've had to skip some days because of not having enough energy to do it. I needed to heal, but I should have my energy level back up after another good night's sleep.
Gotta go. I need to do some research, then some more writing.
Lauren,
Ooooooh. Sorry about the dentist. Right now I'm at a periodontist 3-4 times a year for cleaning. The good thing is my gums used to bleed and now they don't. But I have to admit I'm a real wus at dentists, etc.
I am so happy for you in charging into the 180's. I know you work hard and exercise, but I wish I could do this too. I'm up about 5 pounds. Here I go again. Up 5, down 2, up 3, etc. etc. etc. I am journaling, I am eating low points, I am banking points for this weekend, but this lack of determination to fight through all obstacles does get old. I can do this. I will do this. I am doing this. I have to remember not to beat myself up AND to work around the obstacles of emotional eating and eating treats with my family when they come in. I am doing this. Now is not the time for regrets.
Mousie,
I think your old boss was probably cranky, etc. and upset when someone she thought she could count on as a customer turned out to have joined another gym. Bet this had little to do with you and a lot to do with a loss in her business. She doesn't sound too spiffy, so I hope you can shake this off and move on.
Not eating over it was fabulous and hitting the books for physics was absolutely great. Glad you're getting so much exercise in.
Didn't your birthday party sound great? Glad you're having fun.
Lin,
Glad you're getting into your writing so well. and also glad that your food is working out. You're doing terrific.
My Scale to All Hidden Scales,
I don't know what I've done wrong. I feel abandoned and useless. Please someone rescue me soon. I promise to only show one weight: 125#
Thanks for your support, guys, as always you're the best.
Judy, I'm with you--dentist 2 times a year, pap yearly. I HATE it, but I figure that's what preventative medicine is for, right? To catch the little things before they become big things? Wish I had had the foresite to do that with this regain!
I have NO idea what to expect at my meeting tomorrow. I've been eating high in my range all week, but I've been honestly hungry. I've done 5 hours of exercise and I've become a Veggie Soup/Salad Monster. My trousers feel loose but I don't wear them tight, so...well, I just don't know. We'll see tomorrow morning.
Family is coming from England tomorrow, staying for a week. I need to use all my spare time to try to shove some Physics into my brain, so I don't know what kind of free time I'll have. Looks like a busy week, at any rate.
I found this note on the floor in the bathroom:
I replay our last days together in my head. I thought more was better, but she wasn't pleased. What can I do to get her back?
Okay Turtles, I've been putting this thought out of my mind for as long as possible, but having acknowledged it it's haunting me. I have family arriving from England today--just one person, and the person I like best of my extended family, so on that point it's cool. BUT. They're across the pond, see, and they all haven't seen us in a year, and I've put on weight since then, and so has DH, and ...and the thought of any reports about "how they're doing" being about the fact that we have both gained weight is making me sick with nerves. The family also doesn't know really how bad it got last year--heck, my family here doesn't even know--so I'm sure it'll just be put down to eating too much/not exercising enough/"the American tendency to excess". I've been working as hard as I can this year, and I've barely been able to keep up, much less make progress in any direction. I already am aware that "The Family" (they sound like the Mafia, don't they?) regard me as an outsider, with that American decadence, lack of morals, education, and restraint. Or at least, MIL does, and she's the one I'm worried about it getting back to.
For the wedding, MIL called DH (DF at the time) and mentioned that he might want to lose weight beforehand--"After all, there will be pictures, and pictures are forever". DH was stung and hurt and turned it around, and suggested she lose weight for the wedding, too, for the same reason. MIL was shocked and hurt, and hung up soon after. I was having trouble with my weight already, my wedding dress was a mistake that given the chance I would not repeat that stings me painfully to think about, and I know she noticed my weight at THAT time. And now I weigh...what...um, 20 pounds more than then. (From my lowest weight I weigh 55-60 pounds more, depending on how weigh in this morning goes; from the lowest weight she has known me at, I weigh 40-45 pounds more). What it boils down to is that I don't want to get a call in a week when Chris gets home, from MIL, suggesting that we do something about our weights. MY weight.
The ironic thing? Chris is nearly blind. He has a congenital disease that involves the gradual disintegration of nerves (it's not MS or anything you've ever heard of) and he's lost nearly all of his optic nerves. But I'm still fretful about news getting back to my MIL about us gaining weight! How convoluted is THAT emotional mess?
I've got weigh in this morning, Turtles, I AM going, I AM trying, I'm NOT being a decadent over indulgent lazy American, fie on anyone who thinks this evidence of emotional disaster means that!
Ah, Mousie. I can so relate to all that. Sigh. It's easy to say "Just don't care what other people think because it doesn't matter," but it's so hard to actually do.
How cool is the family member that's visiting? Can you play this with some humor and say "Look, Nigel, we all know how MIL can be. Tell her we've both lost 5 stone and are modeling for "Town and Country" on the side. Tell her your camera got x-rayed at the airport and the film came out blank. Tell her we're sober, dignified, and spending all our time in educational pursuits, except for the occasional party at the British ambassador's posh digs on the hill."
And good for you, going to your meeting. It's hard to remember sometimes that we're doing this for nobody but ourselves, that ultimately that's the only impetus that lasts. Your DH sounds like such a sweetheart, and it also sounds like he has his mother's number. That at least is a huge thing in your favor.
I've had mixed success with my eating this week. My exercise is down a little bit, mostly due to either poor time planning or just plain old laziness. I don't want to fall back into old habits -- that's so easy to do! I'm finding it very hard to stay within my points in this new point range (which isn't all that new at this point). Today for some reason my stomach is bothering me -- hope I don't have the dreaded tummy bug.
I told my friend I'd stay and work with her until the end of June. She was very pleased. I think it's the smart thing to do for the bank account, even if I'm not looking forward to all the political battles. After that I'll probably freelance write for the university until something more substantial -- something that I really want to do -- comes along.
I have the house to myself today and tonight -- DH is picking up his mother in Chicago (she's staying with his brother). I love it. If I can get my stomach to quiet down, I plan to go shopping. I'm having a lot of fun trying on clothes these days, even if I usually just buy them on e-bay or at the consignment shop.
Erin, you are doing just fine. Now, you have to believe that. We all want approval from our families, but sometimes that's just not forthcoming. I know all about that one!! Take it one day at a time. Enjoy the visit from your relative. You may be surprised to find that you're "borrowing trouble", as the saying goes. After all, you don't actually know what may happen "tomorrow" when your relative gets back to England. Good luck! Rely on your wonderful dh!!
Judy, you're doing just fine, too. I wonder if it would help to write that little statement you wrote: "this lack of determination to fight through all obstacles does get old" on an index card and carry it with you to reread when you're faced with obstacles. Maybe reminding yourself of how you feel after you don't fight through the obstacles will help you to find that determination. Anyway, whatever you decide to do, I know you will ultimately reach your goals.
Lauren, I'm glad you sound so upbeat about your job choices. I hope you're feeling better. I'm sure you'll get back into your new habits as your life settles down. Your perserverance will see you through.
As for me, I'm not doing great right now. I'm finding out that when I treat writing like a job, I need to deal with my food and exercise differently. I've been just grabbing stuff because my mind is someplace else and I don't want to take a lot of time to fix lunch. Heck, I don't want to take much time to EAT lunch!!
So, I think I'm going to need to make sure I have easily prepared food on hand. Soup. Stuff I can microwave quickly. Or make my lunch in the morning, just like I do when I go to work someplace else. And exercise before I do anything else, like I did when I went to work elsewhere.
Anyway, I'm not expecting to see my weight move while I figure out the best way to deal with this major change in the way I spend my days. I was surprised at how difficult this is turning out to be because I'm working at home. I have my kitchen available and can fix anything I want. I set my own schedule, so I was surprised at how difficult it is to make time to exercise.
It occurs to me that whenever I make a major change in one area of my life, the others go backwards a few steps until I learn how to adjust things to fit it all back in. It's kind of like how a baby learns. If a child learns to walk before she learns to talk, she will lose a little coordination while she's working out talking, then get up to full speed on both. Anyway, I'm hoping that this is what's happening with me, which may mean that time will solve the problem as I cope with each day that comes along. In any case, I'm not giving up and I will figure out how to do all of the things that are important to me.
Lauren, why does your last post say you're a Junior Member...and you've only posted TWO posts? Did you have to reregister or something? Where's your lovely picture?
Lin, I find that happens with me, too. Once life is settled I always find everything coming back, though, so I bet once you get settled your food will figure itself out.
I DID go to my meeting last saturday, I lost 0.4. Given that I had been stress (over)eating the day before about my relative arriving, that's pretty amazing! Said relative is fine, it has been nice, he and his travelling buddy are visiting the Grand Canyon for a couple of days so we don't expect them back til about thursday. Brits always underestimate how long the drive is going to be to get anywhere, no matter how many times I explain that the state (CA) is bigger than the entire UK!
Spinning this morning and I pushed my quads (front of the thigh muscles) hard. Was wobbly and could hardly walk after. Going to Pilates tonight.
Oh, and good news, Turtles! I found the book of my dreams--_Physics_for_the_Utterly_Confused_! Hopefully it will help, I definitely qualify as utterly confused. I'm getting good grades otherwise, so I REFUSE to fail Physics!
Turtle Club #56
And of course you get my spare good karma! 
The old gym is woman's-only, the new gym is the gym my husband goes to. Gee, which would YOU choose? 
