, We are the Turtle Group here at 3fatchicks.com. We welcome you to join us as we work toward good health and fitness in a persistent manner. As our inspiration we use the race between the turtle and the hare where the turtle was the victor because he didn't give up. We believe in keepin' on even when the odds are against us. We believe in giving each other support. Good luck to us all!
Judy
Itryharder
(for Lin and Lauren)

Hi Turtles,
Yesterday's WW WI was great for me. I undid the damage of the last two weeks and now I'm working on the next bit. I guess I shouldn't have committed to losing 50# this year LOL, but instead might have concentrated on losing one pound a week which is what brought me success in the first place. Okay--deep breath. Been there, done that and now I'm on track for real. Good luck to us all and have a great weekend!
Love,
Judy Itry
234.6/207.6/thinner into onederland

Hi turtles:

Judy - what a great weight in. Good for you & thanks for the skinny vibes as well. I really hope I show a loss this week. Day 4 on Sonoma and am good.

Went to bf last night after work & did some office work there & had a hot-tub. He suggested ordering a pizza & I told him my dinner was waiting for me at home and I didn't even sneak a candy that he has out in bowls. So, I felt good driving home - then had a nice chcken dinner with veggies & rice.

Weigh/in tonight - will post results later.

Hi Mousie!

Bye for now.

Yay Judy! Sounds like you've got your groove on.

And Bandit, way to go! I would have had SUCH a hard time standing up for myself and saying no to pizza...which probably is what got me here in the first place. Chicken&veggies&rice must have hit the spot just right, though. You got to go to bed feeling good about yourself, and how precious is that?

I'm sorry I've been MIA, I've been so busy it's ridiculous. Hubby has decided he wants to shape up, so he asked me for my help. I already do the cooking, so I opened a fitday account for him and started tracking. I bought healthy snacks and portioned them out, then wrote the calorie values on the plastic bags. THEN I put all of "his" snacks in this big box int he cupboard, and told him that he has 500 calories a day to play with on his own, but otherwise JUST eat what I give him. He's started going to yoga twice a week, and tries to use our treadmill once or twice a week.

His first week he lost 9 pounds!

So evidently I DO know what I'm talking about, and I DO know what I'm doing! Sheesh. I'd like to lose 9 pounds in a week, too! Of course, I know it's water weight and "beginner's losses", and it'll slow down soon. But I'd dearly love to get reinforcement like that from MY body once in a while!

Anyway. I'm keeping on with my 1900+ plan, and I DO feel better. I have much more energy, I'm awake all day most days (only take a nap if for some reason I only got 5 or 6 hours of sleep the night before), and I'm having great workouts. As for the weight, well, it's 'official' TOM this week and I don't know. If I feel like I can handle it emotionally, I'll get on the scale tomorrow. My doctor's appointment for blood work is on the 8th, so there's tomorrow and then one more weigh-in before I see her. As it is I believe I'm down (on my scale) about 6 pounds from when I saw her last, so she'll be happy about that anyway. I've really really been trying regarding cholesterol, though, so I hope to get good news there too!

Keep turtlin' on, Turtles, I'll try to check in more often!

Oh my goodness! Are we a bunch of champions or what? for all of us.
First of all, Bandit, I must tell you I have never told anyone my dinner was at home waiting for me--especially when pizza was looking me in the face. But honestly, when you think about it, I like chicken and veggies better than pizza. I bet you didn't feel deprived. And you know what you need for a positive experience at the scale. s: Weigh to go. Your enthusiasm is catching.

Mousie,
Wow! I am so happy for you on so many levels. First of all, I know you and dh will support each other and it's so much easier when the spouse is on the same page with eating programs. Nothing like a little sabotage to make dieters tear their hair out! Also, this is a lifestyle way of eating and it's great you're helping him out so much. By the way, we all know you know what you're talking about. Look at your education and all you've learned since! You're a nutrition/exercise guru!! It is so wonderful that you're feeling better and keeping to the caloric intake you need. Don't let TOM get to you. It's cyclical and something that young women need to factor in. I'm not blase about it; it's just what can you do but be realistic about it? Weigh to go=so glad you sound so strong and healthy.
We're all doing great. Grandkids will be here for a long weekend, so I may have trouble chiming in, but my thoughts and : are with you both.
Love,
Judy

Oh, have fun with your grandkids this weekend, Judy! But remember: in order to be a good grandma to them for years to come, you need to take care of yourself and make your healthy choices. No using their being with you as an excuse!

Okay, off my now.

Bandit, how did your weigh-in go?

I weighed in this morning and I've dropped a pound from last week. I'm back at 275, which was my Christmas goal! Ah well, with what my body is going through right now I'm being sympathetic and understanding.

My body DOES seem to be figuring it out, though, thank goodness! I have FINALLY stopped bleeding (sorry if TMI) and now I'm just waiting for the bloat to drop so I can see my hands again!

I have one more weigh-in before I see my doc. Until then, I'm going to keep up with 1900 calories/day and keep doing my workouts. It's a slow and tedious and sometimes scary thing, but really what choice do I have? At least I have energy and I'm happier when I'm eating more--and I'm still losing, which blows my mind but anyway.

Onward and downward, Turtles!

Hi turtles:

Sound like everyone is doing great so keep up the good work!

I couldn't believe it - but was down 3# at my weigh in & was thrilled.
Afterwards I got in a curves workout then visit with cousin. Had dinner at home before going so wasn't tempted by snacks.

So, seems everyone is right on plan which is so wonderful. So lets keep it going - small steps forward but still we will end up where we all want to be.

So have a really great "turtle" weekend and talk soon.

WOOHOO Bandit! That's a FANTASTIC loss!!

It sounds like everything is really lining up for you, way to go!

Mousie,
I sure as heck wish I had seen your little finger pointing guy before I spent the weekend with my grandkids!!! LOL==of course you know me by now and I take any excuse I can find to overeat. It's not funny, but I had an overeating weekend and of course you're right about it all! My fondest desire is to be healthy and be here for a looong time to really enjoy life. In any case, today has been good==but I'll be seeing the other crew of grandkids this upcoming weekend so I'll have to think of that little smilie on the soapbox (very cute) and make better choices. I will WI tomorrow, but expect it to be really bad. Ugh.

On the other hand, you're doing great. Glad you're back to your 275# and am very glad yougot there by eating more. This is complicated, but you're doing it and that's what counts.

Bandit, wow!!! and That is an amazing weight loss and I'm so happy for you. That's great!

Let's keep on in this positive vein and I know 2006 will be a winning year for us all!
Love,
Judy
Itry
234.6/ugh/thinner into onederland

Hi turtles:

Judy - always challenges. Glad you enjoyed the grandkids and that you are back on track. Good luck with your w/i tomorrow.

Mousie - Nice job on the # loss, keep it up and thanks for the cheers and
encouragement.

Still doing OK with my eating & exercise (got to curves 4 times & did WATP once last week and got in a swim) Have my w/i tomorrow but don't think I have dropped anymore since last week. But we'll see.

Going to bf after work for crockpot chili & a hot-tub, brought my own whole wheat roll so I won't be tempted with other bread choices. You just have to have toast or rolls or something with the chili. So that is todays challenge - not to overeat tonight and stay away from the candies throught his house and skip dessert (still can't have fruit til tomorrow).

Anyway, good luck & keep on doing the "turtle shuffle"

Hi Turtles,
Not so bad at my WI. I was up a pound, but that's not the right direction.
This weekend will be grandkids again, so I have to have something to do with my hands instead of eating. Maybe I can bring a square or so to quilt. I am making sure that I'll have fruit and oatmeal in the house and that will help a lot.

Bandit, good luck with your challenge tonight. Glad you'll be able to start having fruit soon. You've done great with both food and exercise and that's what it takes.

Mousie, continued perserverance with your eating, exercise , and helping dh out. You're doing great too and it is so lively to hear all the good stuff you two are doing.

I do not count myself out. Yesterday and today have been wonderful and I intend to do better than last weekend this weekend.
Good luck to us all.
Judy

Bandit, way to go bringing your own food when you know there won't be good options for you. I'm so impressed by the dedication that shows.

Judy, I love the statement "I do not count myself out". THAT is the fighting spirit of the Judy we know and love!

I'm down half a pound this week, to 274.5. At the moment, I seem to be losing at the EXACT SAME RATE I was losing before--half a pound one week, then a pound, then nothing, half a pound, etc. This is very odd to me. I'm eating 400+ more calories a day! But then again, my workouts have gotten stronger and longer--I worked out 444 minutes since last saturday! So I'm eating more but I'm working out more, and very possibly am still at the exact same balance point. But anyway. I'm not stressing about it, right now. I'll wait and see what the doctor has to say next week!

Keep on keepin' on, Turtles! One step at a time!

Hi turtles:

Stayed the same at ww Thurs night so that made it 3 # I lost on the Wave 1 of Sonoma. I might repeat Wave 1 starting tomorrow since most people lose more. But I think with already eating pretty healthy on ww my loss was low.

So how is everyone's weekend going? Have a great day.

Hi turtles:

Doing Wave 1 again this week - so far, so good.

Last night I shovelled snow for 1-1/2 hours then went to Curves.
My body is tired today though.

Leave for Disney in Florida this Sat so looking forward to that & trying to drop a few more # before, so being extra good this week.

Last weekend wasn't very good with food - had pizza & Chinese (told you when I am bad I go overboard) but threw out 1/2 pizza to squirrels that I wouldn't do before - would eat it then get back on track. So little bits of changes/progress here & there.

Hope you are all doing well. Bye for now.

Bandit,
Weigh to go. 3# sounds like a lovely weight loss to me. And you're right, you have been eating healthily for a long time now. Good for you for tossing the pizza out for the birds. No sense in adding lots of unneeded calories. Good luck on food this week and have a great time in FL. Nice time of the year to go.

Mousie,
Good luck to you. You must be very busy. When do you go back to your doctor?

All goes well here. I was at my ds's for the weekend visiting my ds and grandchildren. I had a great time, was relaxed and although I gained weight I do think a lot of it is water retention from extra salt. I did much better than usual and hope the scale is a : tomorrow morning at my WI.
Take care and be well.
Love,
Judy Itry