Hey team, A new week. I had a cheat day yesterday and didn't go to far out of bounds. I just had a piece of the lower sugar cake. I made it for my sister in laws birthday. I am still walking every day about 10 miles per week. I am just hoping for results this week. I am still getting on the scale everyday and drive myself crazy doing that. I can't seem to break the habit. Well I hope everyone has a great week, I will be checking back in soon.

Good morning, everyone.
Happy Monday!

I notice, April, that you share an "issue" with me - jumping on the scales everyday. I've been working on breaking the habit, and doing pretty good. I'm down to weighing myself about every third day. But I think it is important to break the habit, because I think the number influences your food choices, plus it deters you from setting weekly, or monthly, goals and plans. That's my experience...
For example, before I joined this site, I'd step on the scales in the morning, and if the number was high, I'd barely eat...probably putting myself into starvation mode. If the number looked good, I'd just eat whatever I wanted. I think it totally messed with my metabolism.
Somewhere in all that mess, I stopped giving much thought to "lifestyle change," and eating healthier foods. If I was up a pound or two, I'd skip lunch, but then I'd be so hungry at night, I'd clean out the fridge. If I was down a bit, I'd eat junk food...

Anyway, those are my thoughts. I finally had to put my scales out of sight.

My best success here was when I only weighed myself on Friday, after planning my meals and sticking to the plan. So that's my goal this week...to make a plan and stick with it...and to have FAITH that my body will appreciate my diligence.

Question for everybody...Do you have a certain "number" stuck in your head, that seems almost impossible? When I started this, I wanted to see my weight drop below 130...and it finally did. But now I've got it into my head that I'll get stuck in the high 120s, and I'll never see my weight drop below 125. Crazy. Sometimes I think that the plateau is more of a mental block than a physical one...

I had a "blue funk" night last night. My daughter got invited to a bonfire-sleepover, and for some reason, I felt so lonely in the house by myself. Almost unreasonably so. Sheesh. It was all I could do not to cry...
Maybe because of my age, and Britt being the last child living at home...
Or maybe I need to find a life, eh?

April I am a daily weigher.. I have seemed to come to terms with it. I know I shouldn't but I do.. I usually see the scale move up and down 2 or 3 lbs.. I don't stress about it anymore.. I've been slacking as of late but still weighing myself.. I am hoping one day that I can step away from the scale.. Just try to not let it get to you... Keep up with the walking... I'm on my way to the tread mill right now..

Anita

Morning Cyndee.. Ya know when you ask about numbers, I think my number is realistic of 145 - 148.. My dr said that is a good weight for me and my age.. So that is my goal.. I have come to terms that I wont ever be super skinny and I am not going to focus on that, I want to be healthy.. All these young people lately are dropping like flies so we have to take care of our selves..

My thought for the day is to focus more on health than weight.. Maybe we should stop thinking about numbers so much and think about our health.. Isn't that whats more important in the long run?? I don't know, I do know that I need to go walk

Sorry you were lonely last night.. I myself can't stand being a lone, I'm okay during the day but nights are hard for me...


Anita

I agree...We're all different, which is why I've had to stop weighing myself everyday.
Because I find myself focusing on the numbers, rather than what's healthy.

A walk sounds like a good idea.

Good Morning to All of you

Lulu - nice pictures. I want a place like that to read. I would read more often.

Cindybee - one reason I work nights for 11 years is to keep from being lonely at night - just my way of dealing with it. Numbers for me were set at 160 but I am thinking about changing it to 152. It just depends cause I am happy now but not quitting

Adopt4 - oh adopt 4 an answer to your question about what size at 165 pounds. I weigh 181 right now and just recently bought a size 12 blue jeans shorts. One week later, I can pull them off without unbuttoning then. I bought a pair of shorts Danceskin shorts and capris in a size 8 - 10 They are a little tight but not uncomfortable - another 5 pounds. In blouses I can get in some 12 - 14 but mainly in 16 - 18.

April - I too am a scale stepper but have at times reduce it to three times a week . I don't concentrate on the numbers but concentrate on making sure I do it healthly and exercise and then check the scale to make sure I am in check. If the numbers are up - I think is it from muscle from exercising, water weight, is my sodium in check or TOM? Usually find my answer in one of them or realize weight fluctuates 2-3 pounds anyway. So I set about to correcting what needs correcting. Remember measure yourself, look for difference in how your clothes are fitting, etc.

Healthymom - Hooray on the 14's. I challenge you to buy those 10's - then see how long it take to get in them. My bet is on you doing it girl

Kristi - way to go - getting back in the groove. Hope you have an uneventful week at work

ANITA - STICK TO THOSE PLANS YOU HAVE SET THIS WEEK. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

LI4G - just want to say thanks again for the tips you gave me a month ago on the hibiscus growing. I come home this morning to seeing 5 flowers on it. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I could post a pic on here but completely a retard about stuff like that and don't know how.

Beback later to tell you about my night

Good Morning Team -

Hope all is well with everyone.. STILL NO COMPUTER!!!!! but I am at my mothers checking in..

LuLu Love the new backyard it looks great.. I have been working on our Tiki Bar I have to order the thaching for the roof this week I am hoping to have it done by the 11th cuz I have my nieces graduation party here at the house.. plus it make me feel a bit like i am in Jamaica at times... I also love that pic of the slipper bruise!! to funny boy have i needed that!!! not that i havent been eating healthy just getting to the gym is so difficult without having a car.. I just have been doing what I can around here...which is swimming swimming walking weeding and i am getting board doing the same old same old!!!

April only 14 more days!!! til your here with me.... :-} I told my sister Sherri that you want to go out with her one night she said sure...


and for you team members who like to weigh every day Hide that scale!!!!

Talk to you all later...

Sheila

yesterdays birthday party went pretty good. We had 24 people here. I was really good on eating. I took a tablespoon of the salads and ate half a burger and half polish hot dog with no bun and didn't have any cake. I made a fruit salad that I normally make but it was with no sugar added and fat free ingredients. I was pretty proud of myself. I stayed under calories. I went to the movies after the party and didn't have any candy or popcorn just a diet rite soda.

I weigh myself everyday because it encourages me. I might feel differently when I get on a plateau. I will not let it make me go to bed hungry though. Right now I have losing weight on the brain and soon I will think of being healthy. I am trying to start thinking about life style change.

Cyndee I hate being alone. Until last month I had three 21yr old living with me and my 17 yr old son. The 21yr olds were my oldet son, his fiance and his best friend. I really didn't want my son to move cause he is one of my babies, but they all got an apartment together and moved out. I thought I'd freak. BUt this has been the most peaceful month. I didn't realize how stressed out I was. They were all lazy and gave me a hard time about cleaning up. I'd come home from work and the houe was a mess and I'd get pissed. Now with just Tony home the house is almost spotless. I love it. But when Tony is gone it gets really lonely. I totally undertand the loneliness. I am sorry you felt that last night. Wish we were closer we could have visited or gone out ourselves.

My ex was at the party yesterday with his new girl friend. I really like her. She seems really nice. She's been to my house a couple of times now but I was busy with food and stuff and really didn't get much of a chance to talk with her. Yesterday she said she'd see me on facebook. I guess that means she will be adding me a a friend. I hope that won't be a bad idea. I had to laugh though....The last 3 times I have seen my ex, his is wearing the shirt I bought him in Hawaii last year. Either he likes the shirt or he doesn't have many clothes to wear. I bought him the hawaiiany looking shirt at WALMART!

Well it's a new week. A new chance and opportunity to succeed! No slipper throwing! No brow beating or beating ourselves up. We will all hold our head up high and press forward!

Love to you all,
Deb

You guys are right - it's about lifestyle change, not a magic number. I started out this journey not being able to even think of losing 100+ pounds, it was too daunting. But I thought, I want to exercise more, so I set my goal as 3x a week for 30 mins, and I want to eat healthier. Well the pounds fell off the first 3 months fairly easily before I hit that dreaded plateau. Which reminds me, this is week 2 of eating maintenance - and I LOST ANOTHER POUND!!! That makes 1 pound per week on maintenance! ha!! And because of my hip, I've done 20 mins of cardio in the last 9 days, that's it. So apparently - sometimes less is more when it comes to getting your body to shed the pounds. I'm also finding I eat maintenance cals about every other day or so, I am not hungry the other times... I noticed that when I'm not at home, when I'm hungry, I'm actually hungry, but when I'm at home, I eat more. Which means I'm eating out of boredom, too.

I recently changed my ticker to show my actual weight and my actual goals, and kind of "put it all out there" rather than hiding. I'm wearing tighter clothes, for 2 reasons, one is because I"m tired of wearing tents that "hide" the fat - and really don't. And 2, because I'm buying clothes a bit smaller in order to wear them longer before they become tents on me too. Yes, my rolls show now, my big belly is out there for the world to see... and I no longer care. Because I can last as long as the skinny people in the aerobics class. I outlasted the skinny people in the fitness boot camp. So I am WAY HEALTHIER than a lot - if not most - of the "skinny" people out there. Skinny is easy - starve yourself and you can be thin, become anorexic or bulemic and sure, you can get skinny. HEALTHY, now THAT is hard, and a great thing to achieve. Being able to walk a marathon - run a marathon - those are the real indicators that you are healthy!!

lulu - love the yard, don't think I said that before, and when you sit out there and relax, you can remember all the pounds that dropped and fell right there in the yard, never to be seen again...

ii gang, just a quick check in. I still need to exercise, and then get to work. So far, meal plan is working. I have been drinking my water, so thats all good.

So, all you scale watchers, here is a challenge: What does it mean that we watch the scales like that? I used to do it too. Heaven knows, those of you that have been around a while you know how I was. Geesh! So, the question is, are we watching the scale because when it gets to a certain place, we will somehow magically be "cured" or "better" ??? Cuz thats messed up thinking, but we all do it some. It also might mean, "when I get to XXX point, then I can reward myself with XXX (substitute any unhealthy habit from the past, especially food related.) Or, maybe you step on the scale, get validated (or unvalidated) and use it to frame how you feel and act during the day.

So. here is what worked for me. When I finally stopped getting on the scale to gauge how I am, but started just living my new life, all of a sudden, I started losing weight rapidly. I've lost 80 pounds in four months. And, when I got off track last week, it wasn't the end of the world as it has been in the past. It was just a little bump in the road. Because I have this new life, and I love it, and the scale is just one of many tools I use to stay inside the ride, so to speak.

So, those are my thoughts. Love you guys

Hey guys. I haven't posted all weekend because my bf was home and we were out all day Saturday and Sunday. I think that I did very well this weekend. I did smoke some but I was off my routine smoking habits which is good, I smoked when I felt that I really wanted not because I just ate, or whatever... so I smoked less around my bf which was good. I will probably go back to not smoking for the next 14 days until he comes home again lol. But, we had one fast food meal on Saturday and I went small.. We went to a pizza buffet Sunday and I went with salad, fewer pizza slices, and then no dessert. I even went squares over the triangles because they were smaller. I only had a few though.... I am very proud of myself. I did drink some pop, but I made a deal with myself. I can drink a pop, as long as I drink my full water amount for the day plus extra if I have a pop and I have to be able to burn the calories off. If I don't feel like water, then no pop.


I weighed today. I'm 156. I'm feeling good. We did so much walking this weekend it was great. So, we didn't st at home at all. To top it off today I'm mowing the grass also... and I might go to the park later with the mother in law... not sure yet... My bra is feeling more and more uncomfortable... that right there proves to me more than numbers that I'm losing. I usually weigh myself every day, and I do it because I like to see how it moves. I drink a lot of water and I know that it plays a huge role, but I try to to go maybe 3 to 4 days and then I hop on now. I don't let it get to me. What matters to me, is burning my calories, my work outs, and how much I consume. I feel good. My bra and my pants fit different and that to me matters. It's going to take a while for my tummy to get back to normal, but I'm not going to burn myself out by over working out. I've already lost one inch off my tummy and my arms and my legs. That matters to me also... I am very proud of myself. I usually would have given up by now, but I'm not wanting to.

I must say though I'm so happy to hear about these new clothes shopping sprees, and dropping sizes, and new woggers, and new members... that's great. I don't adjust my ticker if I'm un sure, I wait to the next day and then weigh again.... Watching the tickers go up isn't a great sight, so what if you don't adjust it every single weigh in... record your success... we will all succeed here. We have so much support in this group. It's an awesome group.

Well I need to finish lunch and get back to cutting the grass.

TOM for me.. Uggg.... I must stay focused..

I'm on facebook... Anita Madden Nelson

Everyone have a wonderful day..

When you see the name "Cindy Bailey" come up on Facebook, that will be me, Anita Madden Nelson...

Hey all. Was camping all weekend and did well.
I've been working on reducing my diet soda and...so far today I have not had even a sip. WHOOOT!!!
I'm excited that today may be my Day 1 without Diet pop. I'm so close.....just a few more hours.... I normally don't drink any after supper so...I could actually do this today. Wowwy wow, wow.

I only look at the scale once per week and, I am considering reducing it to once every 2 weeks (or 10 days ...). I use to weigh sometimes 5/day. I have slowed my addiction gradually. Here's what worked for me. On the days that I wanted to weigh myself but, It wasn't my "weigh in day", I put tape accross the numbers that didn't really matter. For example if you weigh 164.2 put tape over the all the numbers exept the 1 and the 6. As long as the number stays at 1-6 - you're good. Anyway, it worked for me and helped me get down to weekly weigh in's.

Have a good evening....Hope I can report tomorrow that I had 1 day without Diet Soda!!!

Hello Just wanted to know how I can join a team?? Sounds like fun and I need some motivation.

sr88201...Way to go on beating the diet soda! You'll make it through the night. I'm sure.

and...euretemari...New members are always welcome. Suggestion...Read back through the posts to see what we're all about, and how we weigh in on Fridays. But we love new members! And I happen to think this is the BEST support group on MFP. Very supportive and caring.

Welcome!

Saw it..

Ok I added those of you on Facebook that had listed their names. I don't check in there very often, but I do every once in awhile.

It was so nice to have the house quiet for a bit today. I haven't heard that kind of quiet in my house for about 10 mos, LOL. The older two went to camp for a few hours and the youngest was in bed. I just sat in the living room and enjoyed the silence. Now I understand the phrase, "the sound of silence".

Missed my trainer appt, shoot. Will have to reschedule.

Doing ok on my food but I am starving now and hubby just started a fire to cook some chicken. Hate when I get that hungry, don't really want to use up calories right before dinner, but don't want to be starving at dinner time, either. Should have snacked earlier. But I'm getting my water in!

Hi everyone ... welcome to the newcomers!

Well I survived Monday ... what a day!! First day of our residential program and I don't think I sat at my desk longer than 10 minutes at a time....and I didn't get out of there till over a half hour later than usual. Mondays are always the hardest at work and to make matters worse I started my TOM yesterday arrrggg!! Question for you all, during this time of month can it make a difference with your weight? I have always been big and never noticed if it does or not because I've never really weighed myself before so regularly.

The weather here has been really crappy since Saturday, rainy and cold, where you just want to curl up with a blanket on the couch and stay there. So after the day I've had and with the weather being so yucky I am exhausted tonight and I just want to go to bed but I still need to walk. I sure wish I had the energy that these dogs of mine have ... they are chasing each other all over the house

Well I'm also one of those people that are addicted to weighing daily ... I'm trying to break that habit but no luck so far

Well that's it for me tonight ... I'm gonna go try and get some walking done .. maybe my energy will increase once I actually get on that treadmill! Oh and if anyone wants to add me on facebook the name is Lori Hall-Snifeld

Have a great night all!!

Thank you ladies, I am glad I am not the only one who is a daily weigh in. When I go to Sheila's I won't have a scale but have to be very careful because of all the comfort foods that remind me of home up there. Like White Castles my favorite Mexican restaurant, Cedar Points famous fries... All that good stuff. I have to keep up with my exercise program too.

Face bookers: Add me to April Ayunuga and believe me I will be the only one up there.....take care and thanks again for all the support...

Wow Lorann looks like even on the computer you ladies all fall into cycle together LOL. They say that women who live together or work together tend to cycle together. It looks like it works even through the computer LOL. No more of those for me for about 11 yrs now. BUt yes it can cause you to gain 5-10 lbs mostly water weight which goes away usually the day following the last day. It's a pain but usually goes away right away don't let it get you down.

Weather here is great finally. Was beautiful for the birthday party. I am thinking about getting a bike. My grand daughter got a bike for her b-day and I thought it would be nice to ride with her. She is heavy also at 9 yrs old and could use the excercise also. I'm gonna go cheap though and look at a garage sale or pawn shop. That way if I fail to use it , it didn't cost me much.

Adopt: the sound of silence is GOLDEN! Cherish it.

I am happy I got our boss to give us Friday off. Last week he announced we weren't going to get it off but we would get 8 hr holiday pay for Saturday. But we all really wanted it off. Soooo last week we got caught up FINALLY and I went to him on Friday and told him we were caught up and infact a little ahead and if we stayed that way next week could we have the 3rd off. He said he would think about it and he did and we get it off!! I became a hero!

I am tired tonight feeling kinda blah. ok just sat here for 15 minutes looking at the screen so I think I'll sign off. NIte all!

Thanks for all the ads to facebook guys. Didnt realize there were that many of us on there. Very cool.

I personally am devastated at the moment as my baby Opa died about at about 6:00 tonight. Aparently he was laying with momma on a rug between the dining table and the back door. My son was sitting at the table and scooted his chair and bumped into momma, so he stepped wide to avoid stepping on her and accidently stepped on Opa instead. He started flopping around and hubby grabbed him immediately and flew out the door to the vet, but by the time they got there it was too late.

Sorry I dont have the spirits to reply to everyone tonight. Thought I would let everyone know that If Im not here for a couple days dont be surprised. I have 3 very devastated kids also and my son bursts into tears every time I look at him even though Ive hugged him a million times and told him that its not his fault.

I am just

Whew ... well the energy came back walked for an hour and did 3.5 miles!!

Crazybeee - hehe it sure seems that way ... makes it hard when everyone around you is on their TOM lots of moody women!! I was also thinking of getting myself a bike ... just that where I live it is so hilly and I really don't think I could make it up any of the hills around here ... maybe I will wait a while before I try that

LI4G - I'm so sorry... that's such a terrible thing to have to go through... you take care of yourself and your children, especially your son, he is really going to need you...

LI4G, soooooo sorry. I know how sad you must be and I feel so, so terrible for your son. What a burden he must be feeling. Just keep hugging him and hugging him. I'm so very sorry

li4g - awww. My condolences.

lorann - congrats on finding your second wind. That has happened to me many times. Go even if you don't feel like it.

crazybee - go for the bike if you want to. I started riding this month after 6 years of ignoring my NEW bike in the shed. It's a great way to exercise the legs and enjoy your family too! Can't wait til my daughter is old enough to ride with me.

My confession: no exercise for 3 days straight and food choices suffered because of it.

Positives:
1. Went out to eat and brought 1/2 home in a box!
2. Took another 30 seconds off my wogging time for 1.5 miles!
3. Starting to listen to my body - "know" when my calories are going over before I log them.

Lifestyle changes, hurray!