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 three 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 in order to lose and keep off the weight. Our main focus is to 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.
Terri--Your dedication to your walking is terrific! Thanks for the tip on shoes. It's too bad that the best shoes are usually the most expensive.
Kathy--So is your dedication to Curves. Be patient and persistent. You will see success.
Remember that it is not uncommon for weight to go up when you start a new exercise program, especially if it includes strength training.
Enjoy your time alone. It can be a real time of renewal for you.
Kaylets-- Your list is hilarious!!
Judy--You are so busy, but I'll bet that you find a WW meeting that fits your schedule.
I've been super busy and posting is so slow right now. I know that time will get my typing speed up, but right now it's really frustrating.
Things are going great with the water and I'm getting my supplements in. My exercise is improving. I'm walking most days. Food is sort of medium. But I'm hanging in there and looking for progress.
Hi, turtles. We had a lovely vacation; the colors were spectacular this year. Iridescent. As always, the company was wonderful. I relaxed for the first time in quite a while. I miss it already!
On the downside, I gained back about 4 pounds -- in the first weekend! I still can't figure that out, unless it's hormones. I journaled for the first half of the vacation, and I really didn't do too badly. (Even when I stopped journaling, I didn't go hog wild, though I certainly ate more high-calorie foods than I usually do.)
I'm trying to just deal with it and move on, but I found myself skipping my WW meeting this week, and I'm having a tough time making myself journal again. This is how it starts. I do NOT want to gain back any additional weight. So tonight I'll write down my food for today. And I need to exercise again, too -- it's been a while.
But it sure was a fun vacation.
April, I was amazed when you found out I'd lost an average of 1.75 pounds per month. That actually gives me a lot of heart. It's very encouraging and helps me not to lose patience. Thanks.
Lin, what kind of keyboard did you say you're trying to learn??
Welcome back, Lauren. I'm glad you had a great vacation. I'm sure you will get back on track right away.
I'm learning the Dvorak layout. I had the board memorized the first day because I do so much typing. The hard part is getting the speed back up. I see progress, but I've been touch typing with QWERTY since I was about 15. That's a lot of years worth of doing it one way to unlearn. But it's worth it. My wrists don't hurt at all. They never were super bad, but they did ache occasionally. I'm hoping this change will work as well for me as it has for my friends. Hmmm. . .that sounds like a metaphor for weight loss--lots of years of habits to undo.
I had a long walk yesterday. I'm doing fine. But I have to make this short because I must get dressed before the guy comes to replace my defective microwave oven.
I just found out that I'm going to be an auntie again! My sister just wrote and told me she's pregnant, due in June! By odd coincidence I mentioned to my mother LAST NIGHT that I really need to learn to crochet, since one of DH's coworkers has just announced her pregnancy. My mother agrees, now I really need to learn!
In other news, I've lost 4 pounds since trying the combine-nutritionist's-advice-and-WW approach. This is nice.
Just got back from my quilt show...Lin, if you want to go to a nice quilt show, just for something to do (lots of walking so you will get your exercise) it is is really great..It is at the SAnta Clara civic center right across the street from Great America.
Anyway, I had a wonderful time..We went a day early and stayed the night in a cheaper hotel then the one connected to the center. We walked and walked and walked looking at quilts and buying buying buying quilting patterns,and quilting stuff. Took 27 pictures from a cheap throw away..Should have bought 2 more of these cameras...
Eating went ok. Not perfect. Didn't do any journaling..and I did have 1 1/2 margaritas..that was fun...Will start again now..but won't go to curves tll monday..Got a cold/caugh and don't feel like jumping around so I figure I will give myself till Monday to get better. Wish I didn't have to go to work..
I just wanted to tell you I finally got my picture site up if you want to see pictures of me and my quilts.
At least I think that is where it is..if that doesn't work, just go to www.picturetrail and put in kathydavidson and hopefully my picatures will come up to you..I am so happy I finally figured it out..Now I just have to figure out how to get the pictures off the cd...Well got to go get ready for work..
Lauren.....when I saw that you had lost 1.75 lbs. a month...averaging it out....it gave me hope also. I have a lot to lose....at least 65 lbs. ....so I thought...it doesn't matter how long it takes....I will just try my best with the the points. In a month...I do good with my eating probably at least 25 days. When I have a bad day....I just get back with it the next day.....not like before....when I used to give up.
Mousie.....that is great....you are going to be an Auntie!!!!!
Kathy....Your quilts are beautiful.
I don't know if I mentioned it here before....I am leaving tomorrow for a 3 week trip to see my family in Windsor, Ontario. I have 5 sisters & 1 brother there & their families there. So it will be good to see them.
Today I am finishing my packing & doing a bit of cleaning.
While I am away....if I have time....I will check in.
Kathy, your quilts are beautiful! I love the "Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch" one. So colorful and fun. It's wonderful to see you, too! Thanks for posting that link.
April, you're going to be in Windsor??? Would you like to get together? I live just over the border, about 35 minutes west of Detroit. Drop me a line at Lholmes @ earthlink.net (without the spaces). It would be great to see you! You could come out here if you'd like a little trip to the U.S. Otherwise, maybe we could meet in Windsor or something.
Lin, thanks for the big welcome. Good for you, learning the new keyboard layout. I use an ergonomic keyboard, which has made a huge difference for me once I got used to it. Congrats on the walk, too. I really need to get back into that. DH and I walk downtown and back, but that's really only about 20 minutes and not very heavy exertion. Better than nothing, I guess.
Aunt Erin, congrats on the new auntie-ness! And woo-hoo on those 4 pounds! That must feel terrific after being stuck for so long. I'm so impressed with your persistance in this. What do you think is making the difference? What does the nutritionist have you doing that you weren't doing before?
I'm having a hard time getting back on track, though I am writing it all down. (Bleah!) Baby steps. TOM also started today, so no doubt that has been a contributing factor to my bottomless pit condition. Ah, well. Maybe I'll hit that 100-pound mark by Christmas.
everyone is doing such interesting and fun things!! Learning a new keyboard sounds hard!! Good for you Lin!!
Mousie- I just notice your signature line from Victoria Moran. I just discovered her last week. Saw the last 10 minutes of an interview, did some Internet research and then found "Love Yourself Thin" at the library. I really like her writing style- She shares her weight loss experiences with you rather than preaching. I think I can request "Fit from Within" from a different library branch and am looking forward to reading that book too.
Miata- Kathy- I enjoyed looking at the quilt pictures too. My mother is an avid quilter also.- do you ever "swap " blocks?
Lauren- I can relate!! I hadnt seen TOM for about 9 weeks and then it as though I was making up for lost time!! - but seriously, between the rainy weather and TOM I was in bed early nearly every night last week. The magnesium kept the cramps away but I couldnt keep my eyes open!
Hello to everyone else, sorry I'm not listing everyone personally.
Dear Folks,
I just wrote a long e-mail and I've lost it. I thought I could hit post reply for the cute smilies after I wrote on quick reply. That's why you see a blank e-mail from me. Ssorry
Anyway--Cathy--quilts are gorgeous and it's fun to see what you look like.
Mousie,
way to go with such good news about aunti-hood and wonderful weight loss.
Lauren,
You'll get this back post haste and the weight will come off again.
Let's try not too hard to analyze this because weight sometimes just comes on and then evaporates if we stay op.
Lin,
You are the only person I know who is learning a different keyboard. That's neat. I also think it's neat that you're getting in the exercise. Good for you.
April,
Enjoy your trip. Hope you have a chance to connect with Lauren.
Kaylets
Keep your eyes open for the reasons people go off diets. I loved it.
Things not going too well with me. I'm eating over emotions and I have to do a turn around to get back OP. Wish me well and send me any extra hugs you've got.
Love,
Judy
I have not done well at all this past week. I've had too much going on. First I did my first ever product party - Pampered Chef. I had a ball. It was more like a recipe party because I made several items from their cookbooks instead of a product demo. The food was great (definitely did not try to modify to WW) and we had a good time. I was whipped though afterwards from the housecleaning (my boss was coming) and all the time on my feet cooking.
Thursday night was our 4th wedding anniversary. DH sent me the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers - a few roses, burgundy & white lilies, pink daisy looking flowers, burgundy carnations. The smell was so overwhelming it gave me an allergy headache for two days!!!! I've taken lots of pictures so my niece can hopefully recreate it in silk.
Then our big dog Bear had to have emergency knee surgery on Friday afternoon. He had torn a ligament in two in his knee back in July and had surgery then. He tore it again on Thursday and couldn't put any weight on his leg. So big dog has spent the weekend in the house recovering and we have spent the weekend trying to keep him comfortable and the bulldog entertained so she'd leave Bear alone. Bear and I had just started walking again and now it will be another three months before I have my walking buddy back. I'm trying to train the bulldog to be my buddy.
So food has not been good at all. Actually I've been going through a food fest for some reasons; hormones I believe. I have at least been walking. Now, just to get all the pieces put together at one time - I need to get back to planning, journalling, more water and exercising all at once. I do well with one at a time but that doesn't get me very far.
I have a doctor's appointment today to see if they can tell me why my left hip hurts so much. I hope there is a fixable answer.
I better get ready for work. I'll do replies tonight.
The thread has been quiet the last couple of days. I guess everyone has been extra busy.
Erin--Wow! Congratulations! Being an auntie is a lot like being a grandparent, without the requirement that you raise children first. You can play with them and spoil them, then give them back to Mommy and Daddy to repair the damage.
Much congrats on the weight loss, too. You've been the ultimate turtle through this time of figuring out what your body needs.
Kathy--The quilt show sounded amazing. If I had been in the San Jose area I definitely would have dragged my dh there. (He jokes about stuff like that, but he appreciates beauty and craftsmanship, too.)
Your quilts are beautiful. I especially liked Sharon's Quilt. I'm a sucker for sentiment every time. And I liked New Moon.
April--I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to post before you went on vacation. I hope you had a great time.
Lauren--My husband checked the miles, so I know that from my house to the stores at the end of the mall parking lot is a mile. That makes it easier for me to plan a decent exercise program.
Good luck with your Christmas goal.
Kaylets--It's good to hear from you. So, how's it going?
Judy--I definitely send my good wishes. And . I hope things get better soon.
Terri (determined, it is Terri, right? *Lin is trying to learn names)--It sounds like we have a common interest. I used to work in a cooking school/retail store.
Congratulations on your anniversary.
I hope your dog is better. I hope that you are better. Keep us posted.
Things will get better with WW, too. Try the "baby step" method. Do one thing until it is a habit again. Then add one more thing until it is a habit again. Keep adding until you are following the whole program. That makes a sometimes overwhelming task more doable. Good luck!
I'm in the middle of PMS, so things are going OK sometimes and not OK other times. I'm mostly sticking to my plan, so maybe the PMS damage won't be too bad.
Everything else is going well. I'm working on three writing projects. Two of them are for online classes. The other is for NaNoWriMo. That stands for National Novel Writing Month. A guy had a crazy idea and started a web site to see if there were any other people as crazy as he is. Well, there turned out to be lots of folks all over the vorld who are willing to try to write a 50,000 word novel in a month. I decided to go for it this year. So, now I have to finish typing some handwritten pages into the computer so that I can figure out how many pages I will have to write each day. I cannot compose fiction on the computer. So, I do it by hand and type it in later.
So far, so good-- scale was very encouraging on Mon weighin -I'll wait to see if it still looks as good next week- !! Too good to be true--??
Still a little draggy this week, Mon has been the only day I got any "planned" excercise in- Yesterday, whole household overslept, this am, didnt really oversleep but sure didnt get up on time!
Then today at work, seemed like everything that could go wrong did- Full moon? time change ? I give up--
All I can do for sure is count points and drink water and try to move more than yesterday!!
PS-- I've been tucking my shirt( blouse) in all week!!
Hi!!! haven't been doing much at all, no point journaling, no exercise..Yes I have not gone to Curves since last week, had this icky icky cough, but I had to work, no person to call in for me, so here I am registering er pt, with this hacky icky cough. I hate that!!! Me and prob every person on our psr team has something. I hate working sick, so I just havn't been doing anything remotely like sticking to any food plan. I am feeding my cold..Isn't that awful??? Will start again on tomorrow.
I am going to have a nice tomorrow. I am meeting my sister in Calistoga and we are staying at a little place that has lots of mineral pools, steam baths, and also a mud bath place. I finally get my mud bath!!! I am soo excited. We were planning to go to Sac on friday after check out but I don't want to. I hate Friday traffic, and I want to relax and enjoy my drive home, so we will prob drive over this mountain to get to SAnta Rosa, shop and then I will leave my sister at the bus station, and I can continue on home.
Guess where my dh is???? My daughters house in SAc...can you believe that??? He was suppose to stay on the road for at least 3 weeks. it has only been 1. He says he is not coming home for a few days, and I said good cause I am going to go sit in mud.
Well going to go finish my ministrone soup. I haven't made it in a long time, hope it comes out ok. Talk soon
Turtle Club #84
Welcome back party for Lauren. 
Senstional Sunday!
- but seriously, between the rainy weather and TOM I was in bed early nearly every night last week. The magnesium kept the cramps away but I couldnt keep my eyes open!
. I hope things get better soon.
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