OFFICAL "weigh in" thread

[shorthorsemom]

I am going to a family reunion today.. thinking ahead as to what I can eat and planning... I don't want to blow it now just 1.3 lbs from goal. We went to a tractor show three days this past week. I was faced with all kinds of no no foods...

I was proud of myself for resisting...

I found a guy selling frozen bananas on a stick. I deducted the points for that little crust of chocolate and had him put on some nuts for a few more points and I was full all afternoon when everybody else was eating hot dogs and french fries.

I also skipped the shuttle and walked all the way to my car and brought it back to pick up my family. 6 months ago I couldn't have done that walk... Amazing how much more energy you have when you aren't carrying as much weight, it was like walking around with a big bag of dog food all the time, no wonder I was winded.

I think I am in the right mind set for trying to do maintenance and not gain it all back. I had two cool moments last week, Isn't it great when you see somebody you haven't seen in a while and they look at you like "what's different?" then they figure it out. I find I am enjoying the comment "Have you lost weight?"I also liked when I wanted to purchase one of those reflective shiny orange and yellow safety vests at the tractor show to increase my visibility when I am driving my boy Ike and the guys says... "you're a medium, right?"... I haven't heard that in so many years, I forgot what medium felt like.

Anyway, thanks so much for all the support and well wishes. We are in this together... Help me be strong for maintenance.

I didn't work this hard to bring it all back on again.

Stay strong... weigh in on Tuesday... Will see how I did, I thought I was heading for a plateau so that is why I have been trying to walk more. Take care and best wishes everybody! Adair

 

[shorthorsemom]

I hit goal today

Really made me happy. I got a gold star to put on my ww. keychain. Now I have to maintain within 2 lbs of goal for 6 weeks and I earn lifetime. Wish me luck...

Thanks so much for all your support everybody. I don't think I could have done this without all my buddy support

 

[Melinda Dean]

Way to go Adair!

I am so excited for you!

You have worked very hard and it has paid off. How about some before and after pics? I know I would love to see them.

Please keep posting about your experiences during weight loss and maintenance. Your tips have really helped me stick with the WW plan. I know you will continue to find ways to make those pounds stay away.

I think we are so lucky to have this thread and support group. Thank you all for sharing this journey.

Ladies, have a wonderful week.

My biggest temptation will be not stress eating during our hurricane weekend. "Irene" is headed straight for me according to the weather channel, either a direct hit, or off shore. Hubby and I are putting up our storm shutters which makes our house seem like a cozy cave in mid winter. Having grown up in Hurricane Alley, we tend to eat party foods while sitting it out. This time, we have stocked up on fruits, whole grain bread,etc.. I am going to microwave some pop corn to have on hand. Maybe freeze some smoothies so we will have something tasty to eat if the power is off for a long time.

When you hear the news channels talk about Irene and Cape Lookout or Hatteras, say a prayer for me.... that I am not over eating!

The minis and critters will be all snug in the barn, with open exits to the pastures if something happens to the barn. A tree once crushed half of it during a storm and I was glad I always let them come and go as they want. No horses got hurt because they ran outside.

 

[bevann]

Really struggling this week.Starved all the time.Dealing with major stress due to relationship issues of my signifacant other who is a Hoarder.I am feeling smothered by all his stuff(that he won't organize or part with)crammed into every building and cab of every vehicle on the farm.I am a stress eater and boy is this stressful.We have been together over 26 years and I'm not sure how much longer it will last.Got to go grab some veggies and chill.

 

[FrostyMeadows]

CONGRATS ADAIR!!! I'm feeling like I'll never be there. Melinda, I'll be praying for more than just your weight during the hurricane! We will be near there also (visiting Guyton Georgia and Hilton Head Island) so fingers crossed, figures I plan my vacation during a major hurricane.

Bevann, I'm sorry you are struggling, Feeling hungry all the time is a recipe for grouchy

I find the filling up on high fiber foods and supplements really helps the hungry feeling. And I'm really sad that your having a hard time with your relationship. That's so hard. I'm not a hoarder but I do have some issues that I have battled all my life with organization that thank god my husband is patient with. I truly hope you can work it out and support each other through your struggles.

I had a terrible week, my weight stayed the same and I'm super frustrated since I've really tried hard. So in protest I just gave up for a few days and totally didn't eat veggies. I don't even want to know what the scale will say. We are scheduled to go on vacation the end of this week and I don't have anything to wear. grrrr

 

[Mona]

YAY!! A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS Adair!! Best Wishes aklso for maintaining within that 2 pound range each week as needed for your lifelong membership!

I am out of town since Monday morning, won;t be home until late next Monday night, but if I remember correctly, I GAINED 2 or 2.5 pounds this past week. After being away from home all this week, I am guessing next week will alos be another gain.

 

[shorthorsemom]

AWWWW thanks everybody, you are all so sweet

On before photos, I was so phobic about having my picture taken for the last few years, there aren't many but I will look. I might be able to scrape up one from march, but looking at the date, i had already started on ww and had been losing already, ... but I did spot a photo of me from the rear

in my new aerocrown and I filled up the seat pretty darn good. LOL. photo Incentive to not go back...

Hey Bevane, I know just how you feel. I live in a house of hoarders. Nobody throws out anything. When I sneak things into the trash the kids go "dumpster diving" and bring it all back out.

I have an old house and no closets and the piles start to get to me. Sometimes I just put it all in plastic totes and stack them so I have some organization. I do have to pick my battles with my honey. I decided that I would step over his piles and move around his junk and in return he doesn't give me any crud about all the critters I bring into the house. I have a 5 dog crates in my kitchen. I am a nut.

I also stress eat.

Last year, I lost my job and my dad and I went to too many funerals of people very dear to my heart... for my job I was set up to exit after 31 years on December 30th 2010, (my birthday) and I was going to exit one year to the day short for my retirement benefits. To top it off I had major surgery last year and they made a boo boo during surgery and accidently disconnected my kidney and turned 3 weeks off into 9 weeks off work with tons of pain following 9 hours under anesthesia to fix the boo boo. My kidney still hurts and they say it was probably always a problem and couldn't be due to the surgical error. I could go on and on. I ate my way up 20 additional pounds last year feeling really sorry for myself.

On December 17th I found out they would extend me one year on my job to get me to my retirement. I had to learn my whole job all over again and this has been very stressful. I started my new job and again started stress eating and was clicking right up one pound after another. I was stopping on the way home at CVS and buying chocolate and eating it.

I got heavier and heavier and the scale said I was 11 lbs more than when I delivered my son.

Then one day I just kind of gave myself a slap. The doctors had warned me that my pelvic floor collapse that they had repaired last year wouldn't last long with all the extra weight. My friends son died suddenly and left two small children without a dad. I felt really humble after that and I went on a diet and started exercising and all on my own on this diet, I gained 5 more lbs...

It was then I decided to join WW because I knew that if I could gain 5 lbs while starving myself on a diet, then I didn't really know what to do without help.

WW gave me support I needed... This forum also gave me the support I needed. Thanks guys! You have given me strenth on some days when I really really wanted to quit.

PS,. I ate a brownie at the family reunion. It just jumped into my face. My kids did a double take. I took a hard hit on points for that one... It didn't make me as happy as I thought it would either. I think it wouldn't take much to get in the bad habit again, so I appreciate all the continued support. Losing weight is just the first battle, I am told that keeping it off is an even harder battle so lets stick together everybody.

Tip for the day... Don't just eat veggies and fruit.. Don't deprive yourself of the foods you love, watch out for those bouncing double fudge brownies

. Count the points and find ways to make the healthy stuff taste even better.

For breakfast try 3 eggwhites and melt some laughing cow cheese on top. Have a one ounce slice of low fat ham and heat it up and put it on top. That's a three point breakfast that will last you for hours.

Make a smoothie... yogurt, peaches, strawberries, raspberries and bananas in it. If you use stony field yogurt 0% fat (1 cup) you only count 4 points. You can eat two coffee mugs full of the stuff.

Munch on 10 almonds.

Put on a pedometer and track your steps over the day. Try to be above 10000 steps a day.

Thanks for sharing your stories!!!! Bonds us together and shows us that there are many people out there very similar to ourselves. Not feeling alone is a great feeling and a great start to a healthier life for our brains and our bodies.

long one.. sorry, Just couldn't help myself.

 

[Mona]

I have been away on holidays for a week, so never got home until late Monday night, therefore, I weighed in a day late, on Tuesday morning, and happy to say, although there was no loss, there was no gain either! I weighed in just the same as last week!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Week one on maintenance and I practically stayed the same. Up 0.2 lbs. Within the plus and minus 2 lb goal so I'll take it.

Mona, In my book staying the same is darn good. Way to go

Long holiday weekend and picnics coming... stay strong everybody

 

[shorthorsemom]

Hey, How's everybody doing? I am on week 2 of maintenance. Gained .4 but still within the limit of plus minus 2 lbs. I am creeping up and have to crack back down on my eating again. You are supposed to be eating 6 more points on maintenance than on weight loss points, but I think 6 is too much for me. That extra 6 points combined with a few days of "running with scissors" where I went a little bit crazy eating bad stuff. Never went over my 45 extra points in a week, but made some poor choices of food. Sigh, there is still an out of control eater lurking inside me.... I stayed for the whole meeting today, I needed it.

Take care... Adair looking forward to hearing from everybody.

'

 

[Mona]

I am down 2# this week.

 

[Melinda Dean]

Hi Every One

Sorry it has been so long since I posted.

We have been very busy since Hurricane Irene made a direct hit on us. Our county is full of families who lost their homes to flooding or wind damage. I feel very lucky that our damage was not that severe, but tomorrow, the mold and mildew crews are coming to try to dry the entire riverside wall of our house out. They will be tearing out base boards, windows, insulation, sheet rock. Anything that got wet and might get mold or mildew growing. After they get things dried out (may take days), the contractors will get to us when they can, to put us back together again. Our insurance adjuster still has not made a visit to us, but we contacted the insurance company and got approval to begin trying to save our house. I know many of the agents in our area and, boy, are they swamped with claims.

But all the pre storm and post storm work has been good for my weight loss. I have only dropped a few pounds, but my clothes are about to fall off of me. I go to WW tomorrow so will get the results that their scales show, but I think I have lost at least 35 lbs. since I started posting here.

Still have 25 to go, but I know it can be done.

You ladies have been my inspiration. ...........

Mona who keeps shooting down those nasty 2 pounds

Adair who has reached her goal weight and is maintaining

Frostymeadows and Bevann who have posted about things I can really relate to. Hang in there!!

Have a good week ladies, be strong.

 

[Mona]

Melinda, so sorry for the damge to your home. It sure must be frustrating to say the least, but sounds like you're in good hands as far as insurance and repairs go, so that is one less thing to worry about. CONGRATULATIONS on your "downward spiral" of weight loss thus far! I wish I could say I am still going down 2 pounds, but it's an up and down battle for me each week, and will be for life. Just as long as it's not up, up, UP, I'll be OK!

And Adair, sounds like you are doing a marvelous job of maintaing...GOOD FOR YOU!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Melinda you are doing terrific!!!! Wow. Sorry you are having so much trouble from the hurricane. I hope you get dried out soon. We are in SE PA and this second storm has dumped more rain on us than Irene did. I am ready for a break from shoveling water out of our barns. My attic is raining too, so repairs are in order before winter sets in.

Mona, another 2# wow, that is terrific. that is how I lost all my weight, 1-2 lbs a week. I bounce up and down too, more so now that I am on maintenance. Trying to find my balance. It will be a battle for the rest of my life too, but now that we have the tools as to how to do it, it really is just about staying strong. That is where the friendship and support comes in, helps us stay strong and believe we can do it!!

Frostymeadows and Bevann stay strong and hang in there. Hope none of the storms, flooding, drought or fires are affecting you.

Take care and hope everybody has a strong week!

 

[bevann]

Still struggling with the same 5 pounds.I lose 2 then gain 2 back.Past 3 weeks have been tuff-getting ready for hurricane I hurt my knee and back so missed going to the gym for over 3 weeks.Then Dr. put me on blood pressure meds for circulation(I didn't have blood pressure issues but I do now)terrible headaches all day,BP waay up, and sleepy all the time-2 hr naps daily.Stopped the meds since I hate the side effects.I will deal with the frozen hands and feet somehow.Yesterday was my 1st day back at the gym.Boy was I weak.Getting back on track.My goal is 15 or 20 pounds this winter then keep it off.It is going to be a battle the rest of my life.Keep up the good weork.I know we can all do it.Anybody who has Minis is tough and can get things done whatever it is.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Week three of maintenance... three more to go and I hit lifetime. I lost 0.8 lbs this week so I am still in plus or minus 2 lbs range of my goal weight after two weeks of minor gaining I dropped back down a tad. I am finding that balancing up and down no more than 2 lbs is harder than I thought, I am looking forward to not paying for the ww. meetings once I hit lifetime.

Hey bevann Hang in there! You are sweet to share your struggle with us. I know how it feels to have meds that make you feel worse than what you are taking them for. Those hurricanes were the pits. I have shoveled enough water and soaked bedding to last me a while. good exercise, but the pits.

Go back to baby steps, don't feel like you have to work yourself too hard at the gym, start really slow and build from there. You might just try some short walks just to keep moving to start. If you work in a office, you can just use the bathroom down the hall to make more steps and moving around during the day. Put on a pedometer, increase slowly and don't feel like you have to work yourself silly to see results.

I know what you mean about a battle for life... I have been battling the same pounds for years and years. I don't expect it to be any easier now that I have reached a goal.. You are right, horse people, especially mini people are tough

We are all in this together everybody

Stay strong and take it one day at a time. Remember this one.. As small as one pound a week equals 20 lbs in 6 months.

 

[Melinda Dean]

Hi Ladies

Hope all are well and maintaining our healthy life styles. Or at least trying...

Adair, you must be getting closer to life time WW member. Way to go! I will always credit you with that wonderful smoothie idea. Still helping me to hang in there every week.

Mona... keep shooting

. I picture doing this when I am in the grocery store, going past the Ben& Jerry's ice cream. Makes me smile and think of you and those 2 lbs.

Bevann.. I understand your meds stuff. I have arthritis and the cholesterol meds made my joints really hurt. Found one that is okay. Started walking more, then went on Blood pressure med. Made me have to use the bathroom a lot. Is a diuretic. So had to limit my walking to rest room friendly places (or the woods). Plus the more I exercise, the more wear and tear on my joints. They say "if you don't use it, you lose it". Well, I think I am wearing them away. That said, dropping the pounds is helping with the knee and hip pain. I do not work out at the Gym where I work, but doing all the barn chores and house work has kept me moving.

I reached a major goal of mine today. Under 200 lbs., in my naked jay bird suit.

First time in 8 yrs. I went to a Draft Horse event last week end . People noticed. Here is a pic from last summer and one from this AM. I like how I am feeling about myself.

25 more to go for my personal goal, but I am down 34 since I started posting here. Bless you for all the support.

 

[chandab]

WTG, Melinda!

I'm trying to watch what I eat, but had a rough patch, so was just watching it all go into my mouth.

I got a headcold last week, there went my appetite and a couple pounds, so hopefully I'm back on track. I need to get some smoothie ingredients again, they are good and do help wiht the cravings. [i'm out of yogurt, but have some fruit still.]

 

[Melinda Dean]

Thanks Chanda,

Sorry you were sick,

but it does sound like maybe it has helped get you going again.

My WW leader is always telling us that we can start again, every day, every time we eat. We do not have to give up for even one day. I like that. I used to just throw in the towel if I ate something I thought was "bad". Now, no food is "bad", I just have to have less of it and include it in my whole day's plan. Has worked for me so far this summer.

Lately I have been craving salty, crunchy stuff. So I have been popping 2 bags of 94% fat free pop corn every day. I count it, and eat it. But first, I eat a piece of fruit. I know one day soon I will have a blow out. I ate several longed for things the night I got a token award for going to meetings for 16 weeks. They were my celebration. I ate them late in the evening, then started fresh the next morning. Got it out of my system for a while.

I am trying to think of this as my new life style, not my diet.

 

[shorthorsemom]

You are doing terrific Melinda! wow. Nice photos too, thanks for sharing. You are doing a great job!!! Maintenance is harder than I expected. I had a couple of days this week where I didn't count my points...

I started ticking up weight too, so obviously the only thing keeping me steady is following the program. Looks like it wouldnt take long eating my old way before I started going right back where I was. People are noticing me too, it feels nice when somebody says, Hey, I didn't recognize you from the rear... LOL, that sure makes me crack up, I swear that is how they said it. My butt must have been huge.

Hey Melinda, if you are on cholesterol meds get your vitamin D checked. Low vitamin D makes your joints hurt. I spent over a year in excruciating pain and had mine checked and I was so low they put me on 5000 units a day! Pain is gone now. Worth checking out. I went on cholesterol meds and I got so much pain that I could hardly walk. Cholesterol meds wipe out your vitamin D.... I take plant sterols now and supplement vitamin D and calcium.

The only thing getting me through is the smoothie. My new way is to grind a banana into the yogurt, and a fresh peach and a nectarine or a white peach. Then I add frozen strawberries and blend enough in to get slushy like sorbet. Then I add frozen raspberries and stir in to the blended fruit. I also slice in another banana and eat my chunky frozen smoothie delight. YUM.

Adair