If you have 50 or more pounds to lose, this is the group for you! So jump on in and join; you'll be sure to get a warm welcome!

Hi y'all! We're finally back home, had a great time on the cruise and trip to DS's, just got back this weekend. Still unpacking! Did okay with the exercising, but did gain a few pounds, so we're right back OP now. (DH didn't gain a thing! He was so-o-o good!)

Maharet, welcome to the board! I hope you will stay with us, whether you are doing WW or not, that doesn't matter. WTG on losing 26 pounds! We start a new thread every Monday, so jump on in and let us know how it's going.

JOYce, you are such a perceptive person; and I think you're right, it's only human nature to want to slim down for special occasions, and it's not a bad motivator, actually. Glad to hear dgd is holding up so well during basic! I know she'll do just great, since she had such a wonderful example to follow growing up; you are successful at so many things! Hope you're having a terrific time on your camping trip!

Hi Bandit! Good for you, going to your meeting in spite of the weekend glitch! That's proof that you're gonna make it. Kudos also on the OP days and the walking tapes! Re: weekends, maybe you could try banking all your points for them, and having plenty of low pts stuff around. They're hard for me too ...

Linda, congrats on the 1.4 loss! Your salads sound terrific ... thanks for the ideas!

Oops, that was thunder, I'd better sign off ... hope everyone's having a good Monday! Today is our 30th anniversary ... hard to believe! But DH had to start back to work, so we're just counting our trips this summer as our celebration!

Regards,
Jan

Welcome back, Jan! I'm so glad that you had a good time on your cruise -- and your DH didn't gain anything? For heaven's sake, that guy is good. I know that your extra pounds will come off with no trouble, what with your careful eating and impressive exercise regimen.

I spoke with a friend today (we ran into each other at Trader Joe's) who has had surgery to lose weight; she has lost 65 pounds! She said that after she gets down to her goal weight, she's going to join WW. Now that's someone who is really serious about changing her lifestyle, as well as taking off weight.

I think that JOYce will be at her DD's home on Tuesday, so we may get an update on how their trip is going. I miss our daily emails.

The weather here is getting a little less awful -- meaning that it is in the 80's today instead of in the triple digits. It is still fairly damp though, so we still have our windows closed with the a/c going. Hard to breathe, and move very much, in the humidity and the heat together.

Bandit, how's the walking going? I've been on the treadmill for the past few days, it's something I just have to force myself to do, I really lack drive to exercise.

Welcome back Jan & hi to everyone else.

Had a great w/i last night - was down 4.6#. I stayed focussed all week and walked 5 days. Even went out to dinner (had grilled salmon with tomato salad) and to the show (shared large popcorn) so I was pleased with my results.

Linda - if I get my walking down with my morning routine I am fine - if I wait until evening everything else gets in the way or I am too tired.

So Janetmae - sound like you had a good holiday. I am off work next week & will be moving some stuff to bf and spending some time at my trailer.

DD got her licence Fri and we had a few fights already, but I made up some rules that we discussed last night, so I think we will be fine.

Have a great OP day & talk to you ladies later.

Wow Bandit, 4.6 pounds, what a loss! And you are doing so well with all your walking, too! Glad you are getting some vacation time .. hope you can work something fun in, too.

Hi Linda! WTG on the treadmill. DH doesn't enjoy it either, but he's been very good this summer about it when we've been home, and walks outside other places. We both prefer walking outside, but whew, these temps! That's great about your friend who lost the 65 pounds. I'm so glad she's also planning to join WW, but I thought of something .... if she joins at goal and she's not ten pounds higher than their goal for her, they may not let her join. I read somewhere you have to be at least ten pounds overweight to join? So she might want to join when she's close to goal, and not AT goal. Also, that way she can officially reach goal with them and get the lifetime membership, etc. I may be wrong on that, but she might want to check on it.

Having an ordinary day today cleaning house and rearranging furniture, etc. Lots of old books to ship out; I am a real packrat, and have old computer books that are SO obsolete they're useless, science textbooks from college, all kinds of junk around.

Guess I'd better get to work, then! Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Regards,
Jan

Wow, Bandit!!! Down 4.6 pounds at your WI, that is fabulous! Don't you just want to jump up and click your heels together!? Congrats on that great loss! And good for you, keeping up with your walking, I imagine that has something to do with it.

I had a good WI at noon yesterday as well, I was down 3.4. I've lost a total of 8 pounds, I am hoping to get my 10# bookmark next week. I am happy with the results I've had so far being back OP, it really does work, doesn't it! I want to go to the meetings for free again, I am so cheap I hate to write out that check every week to WW, when it could go so many other places.

Jan, I had never considered that my friend wouldn't be able to join WW if she were not at least 10 pounds overweight. Of course you are right; she should join when she's got a bit over that to lose, then get her Lifetime membership! Thank you for pointing that out, I will pass it along to her. And I am a packrat too (both DH and I are), I admire your getting rid of those obsolete computer books. And I love rearranging furniture, have you been tackling that job all by yourself? That should be worth a bundle of activity points!

Congrats Linda on your loss - GREAT!!

Hope everyone keep up the good work!

Way to go, Linda! I am doing the happy dance for you! What a terrific loss, 3.4, and you are so close to your ten pound bookmark!!

Re: the furniture, I'm moving the small stuff, like all the books out of a bookcase, chairs, little tables, etc., but letting DH help with the couch and bookshelves. I don't enjoy doing this kind of stuff, but I really love it when it's finished and I can admire the results! We organized the dining room last spring, and I still love walking in there and just looking at it. Did the kitchen a year or so ago, and it's such a pleasure to cook in there now. So I'm sure I'll enjoy the "new" library! I think getting organized, and having a neat environment, also helps me with my fitness efforts; sort of a feng shui (sp?) thing, I guess, affecting how we feel about everything else.

Whew, sorry for the book! Guess I'm avoiding getting back to work!

Hope everyone is having a great week! JOYce, are you back from camping?

Regards,
Jan

Hi. Just rejoined yesterday (July 30)...a returning lifetimer. I weighed in at 193.5 and would like to go back down to 123. My "www goal" is 134, but ultimately, I'd like to be back in my size 4s. I was there about 2 years ago and then fell off the wagon. Looking forward to supporting and being supported by all of you!

Dawn
193.5/193.5/123

Welcome, Dawn! it's nice to have a new member in the group, so glad you came by! I too, am a lifetimer over goal, I started back to WW about 5 weeks ago, and have another 9 pounds or so to lose to get back down to my goal weight. I'm finding that careful journalling and staying within my range isn't too hard to do this time -- I no longer eat when I'm not hungry (as I had been doing before), and I know that is helping with my weight loss, also. Tell us a little more about yourself.

Bandit, thanks for your encouraging words, I am still in awe of your loss at your WI. Keep walking!

Jan, continued success as you organize your things. I know what you mean about the "feng shui" (I don't know the correct spelling either, but what you typed looked pretty good) affecting your moods -- I think when we feel that everything around us is where it should be, it spurs us on to bigger and better things. How are you doing with your weight loss, are you back down to your goal weight after your cruise?

Linda:

You're smart not to have let it have gone as far as I did!

About me: Realtor, upstate NY, two kids ages 9 and 6 and a husband who is a lawyer/musician (just releasing first independent album). I love to write, travel, read and walk--I want to get back into running and doing 5ks. I also want to start doing more low-fat cooking.

How about you all?

Dawn

Hi, Dawn, we live in Southern California. My DH and I have been married almost 30 years, and have a grown daughter, who is married and lives about 20 minutes from our house. We enjoy reading also, and like to poke around at garage/estate sales to see what treasures we can find to add to our collections (books and otherwise). We have a couple of special used book stores we visit from time to time. My DH was offered a very early retirement (at age 52) a few years ago, and being together every day is like a dream to me. He's my best friend, and we do everything together. We are Christians and many of the books we buy are on that subject, as we want to learn all we can. I was actually thin all of my life, but when middle age hit, the pounds really started piling on. A few years ago I joined WW for the first time and lost almost 40 pounds and got my lifetime status, but in the past three years or so have put a bit of that back on. My "last straw" happened about five weeks ago when I found myself up at 2:30 in the morning, eating a bowlful of frozen Cool Whip sprinkled with chocolate chips. It came to me at that time that I was outta control, and that I needed to get back down to my "healthy" weight.

This is a nice thread to belong to, all of the ladies are very supportive of each other. I'm glad you are here, please post often!

Linda Jean:

Just got back from your neck of the woods--I spent four days with my girlfriend in Laguna Beach and another five in Palm Springs at a conference. I so love it out there and I'm "working" on my husband to move me out of NY or anywhere where I have to endure these depressing cold winters!

I also love garage sales! I usually am looking for chess sets, picture frames, books, videos, unusual earrings--anything to collect that's fun. Sometimes clothes--if they're in decent condition. What I used to LOVE in the brief moment when I was size 2/4 (about 8 months, actually) was hitting the thrift stores and consignment stores and stocking my wardrobe. At $10 and under, I'm much more likely to take a chance at a new look and the best thing about those stores were that the low sizes were usually never picked over and I got my choice of everything I wanted!

My husband and I will be celebrating our 13th anniversary this September. We will be going to Jamaica the week before with the kids to celebrate (we always travel that week between camp and school). Still, I have the prospect of fall clothing and school supplies looming over me--something to take care of in the next three weeks!!! Also pre-school dental and physical check-ups. *sigh* It just never ends!

Best,
Dawn

Welcome to the group, Dawn! So glad you joined us. Your trip to Jamaica sounds like fun! That's where DH and I went on our honeymoon, 30 years ago this very week! We loved it. Sounds like your fall will be pretty busy, but don't let it get to you .... take it in little steps and trust that it will all get done in the end!

Hi Linda! I agree with Dawn, how wise you are to monitor weight and lifestyle so closely and take up the journey again. I'm trying to follow your example as I work to get these four more pounds (eek!) off so I can weigh in "legally" again! (Would actually have to lose about five if I plan on wearing clothes to meeting! ) I'm afraid it's not gonna happen by tomorrow morning, but we're going back to WW anyway and I'll just have to pay! Have been very good this week since getting back home, and have lost a little, but not enough yet.

Still cleaning house and taking out boxes of stuff, what fun, not! I'm so slow; glad I still have over a week of vacation left to work on this and get ready for school!

Hi to Bandit, Maharet, Tonya, Texaslady, Janet, Carol, JOYce, and Hottie! Hope to hear from everyone soon.

Regards,
Jan

Oh my, didn't mean to leave out [b]Kelly & Bluvsu![b] Hope y'all are doing fine too. Let us hear from you ... it's way too quiet in here!

Same ol' same old down here. DH and I went to SA yesterday to a WW mtg; he got another 5-pound star, but (as I knew) I was over by 4 pounds, and had to pay. Not gonna let it get me down, though, and am still working hard on getting back down! We plan to go every Sat. that we can, this month, pay or no pay. Took a long, brisk walk this morning with DH, had an OP breakfast, and watching the scale keep on creeping down!

We even went to this new theater where you can buy wine (my red light!) and I just had an espresso. Enjoyed it, too!

Hope everyone's having a great Sunday!

Hi all.

Went back to my old WW meeting (Saturdays, 8am)...it was so nice...got warm hugs from some other lifetimers and the leader...plus was relieved to find out that I'm not the only one who has strayed from the path. Others' weight gains weren't as catastrophic or dramatic (I'm glad to say for them) but there was an overall feeling of understanding and acceptance...which made me feel very welcome.

I have been OP since July 31 and have lost about 3 lbs, according to my bathroom scale. I won't be weighing in again until next Saturday, so that's about 10 days from the initial weigh-in.

I've walked 3 out of the last 4 days, for a total of around 9 miles. It's good to get back into the habit again...I'm feeling very positive and energetic, for the first time in about 20 months!

Hope all is well with the group!