sorry everyone who responded back to my posts, haven't had a chance to keep up w/this post, but now I'm going to....

Have A Happy Easter..

Hey everyone!!

Just wanted to see if everyone survived the holiday. I did pretty good with all the desserts we had around, but I did learn next holiday I will have to take a 100 calorie snack pack. We ate a late lunch, then had desserts later in the day. We didn't leave there until after 6, and by that time the little kids had already eaten all the fruit, so it was hard to look at the desserts and then walk away. All and all it was a good day with the family, though.

So how did everyone elses day go? How are we all doing with eating and/or exercise?

We played football yesterday with our boys, that's what our 5 year old got from "the easter bunny" and I lost 2 1/2 lbs!! Wow!!!


Good Luck everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did pretty good!! I didn't make the desserts as I normally do, I figured the chocolate was dessert enough. I did eat ALOT of Gertrude Hawk Mini coconut choc eggs (terrible weakness!! ) But I watched the calorie intake of the them and just went light on the dinner. Everytime I felt hungary I'd either brush my teeth or I'd go for a walk. It's not as hard as I started but I'm doing better. I'm in training for a program for my job this week so I can't sit at my desk filling my face so that's cool!!!
I've also started aerobics. (my way ) Basically I burnt some cranking tunes on CD and just did some running in place and then totally aerobicsed (sp?) to the music for 30min and wholy crap was I sweating....
I actually look forward to doing it every night

b

Well, I did better than I have in the past. I still ate too much, but not so much that I was uncomfortable. We made Sangria, and I had way too much of that, just couldn't help myself. It was a beautiful day and it went down so fast. I had just one piece of chocolate cream pie for dessert, there were 8 desserts to choose from, so having just one was great for me!

Now that its over I can get back to the grind, and will try to get on the treadmill for a bit and see how my heel feels.

Here's something that I have posted next to my computer...it helps inspire me when I don't want to do what is best for myself....

Mental Attitude and Probability of Success:

Mental Attitude------ Chance of Success
___________________________________________

I Won't------------------------------0%

I Can't -----------------------------10%

I Don't Know How-----------------20%

I Wish I Could--------------------30%

I Want To--------------------------40%

I Think I Might---------------------50%

I Might -----------------------------60%

I Think I Can-----------------------70%

I Can--------------------------------80%

I Will---------------------------------90%

I Did!!(After the Fact)--------------100%

Hi everyone,

I've seen this post for a couple of weeks and finally sat down and read thru. I want to join also. I'm 43 years old, 5'4 and weigh 157 pounds. I lost over 100 pounds a few years ago and had maintaned my weight at around 140 for over 4 years until this past holiday season. I have steadily gained for the last few months and now it has got to stop!!! I want to get back down to 140.

Here are some of my rules (which of course I have been really breaking lately):

1. Eat 3 meals a day plus a small snack or two.
Whatever you do, don't skip meals because your body will read it as you starving yourself.

2. NO FASTFOOD!!!! Especially french fries. I would occasionally have a salad or chicken sandwich, but that is it.

3. Exercise at least 5 times a week. I walked everyday for a couple of years and it really makes a difference. You would be amazed how much better you feel when you get up and move.

4. Don't beat yourself up if you go off your diet. Just get up the next day and get back to it. I would eat dessert occasionally, but usually I was splitting it with a friend and we never ate the whole thing.

5. Make a decision that you are going to change your eating habits and try not to call it a diet. I used the Dr Phil book and his eating plan is really good. Also, I think South Beach is good. You still get carbs but just better carbs. When I was losing weight, I followed E-diets.com and went on a low calorie, low fat plan and that is basically what I intend to do now.

Hope I'm not stepping on any toes here, but just wanted to give some information about how I was successful in the past.

Just another little tidbit. I was FAT (250 lbs) for a long time, overweight my whole life. The thing that motivated me to finally lose weight was my grandmother's death from a heart attack and my father's heart disease. I was truly afraid that I was going to die from a heart attack before I turned 40.

Little did I know when I started that I would also gain so much self confidence and self esteem that I had lacked for my entire life. It was partly due to the encouragment of my friends and family, but also because I was really PROUD of myself for my accomplishment.

One more thing and I will shut up. You do not want to lose more than a couple of pounds per week. It gives your body time to adjust and you will be more successful in keeping the weight off.

Thanks,
Cindy

Cindy


You offer a lot of sound advice. Good to hear that it has worked so well for you. Just a lot of good common sense and smart choices!!!


Congrats on your healthy lifestyle!!!

welcome cindy! and good luck losing your weight...I hope you are successful!

I do have a question....at 250, you call yourself fat, as do I! I was just wondering how your body changed physically when yuo lost the 100 lbs. My first child gave my stomach stretchmarks like you wouldn't believe. Just curious..you don't have to answer if it's too personal.

Welcome Cindy!

Lots of great advice!! Now I just have to put it all to work!! The holiday season is over, for some time at least, now it's time to really get serious!!! Any advice that anyone has to offer is excellent! Good luck on getting down to your goal!!

Kitti

mmdd,

I don't have any children and I had plenty of stretchmarks. My stretchmarks are not nearly as noticable now. I had a lot of loose skin when I got all my weight off. That was a little discouraging, but I looked so much better otherwise that I accepted that one inconvenience. Even with the 15 pounds I have gained, I don't feel bad, but I can definitely tell that I have put on weight.

I have read your posts and see that you are struggling. I don't really know what to tell you except that when you are ready, you will make the move. I was so scared (really scared) that I would not be successful when I started my diet. I had always failed in the past, but I guess I was really ready and I changed my eating habits and it worked. I LOVE M&Ms. They are my favorite candy, but I didn't eat them for 2 years. I was afraid if I started eating them that I wouldn't be able to quit. My problem now is that I have been eating whatever I want and have just gone off the deep end with sweets. I know that I cannot control myself and I may end up quitting the cake thing for a while till I can get it under control again.

I wish you much success and if you need moral support, I will be here to listen.

Cindy

I want to join in! I remember reading something about this and lost the thread.. I guess it is all in one thread?
Anyways, I have been working out for a couple weeks now really steadily. I bought Turbo Jam form Beach Body. com and I love it. So fun and I want to do each day. I have only lost a couple lbs though but I have been told that sometimes that happens because of muscle. I hope that is is.
I am 28 5'5'' 171 lbs and this is about the most I have ever weighed other than pregnant with my daughter. I was so busy the last two years with cakes and then stressed with a bad situation with a friend that I just ate out and never got to excersize... so that when I gained. I am slowing down with cakes now because I am going to be closing my business here since we are moving. I have been cooking more and getting to work out regularly. We also want to have another baby so I am tryng to be as healthy as possible and hopefully lose weight until that happens. So anyways, that is my story. I really hope it works this time. I weighed myself after 10 days and with such a small loss I was really disappointed and had to make myself keep it up... I did lose 4 inches though so that helped keep me motivated.

I clicked on the yahoo links... It just went to emails so I am not sure where that is. I didn't get to read all the posts there are too many so maybe I missed something.
thanks!

Wow cindy! I can't believe you gave up your favorite candy for 2 years?!?!?!?! That's really great, and I guess it paid off too. I know you're wanting to lose 15 lbs., but atleast it's not 100 lbs. anymore!!

I get discouraged when I lose one tiny lb when I have so many to go. I know you have to start somewhere,though,and thats the hard part for me!!!

I was curious about the stretchmarks, so thank you for that. I know some skin will tone back up if you exercise & tone your muscles, but I've had 2 c-sections, so...that's really discouraging too!

I keep telling myself that I really need to lose this weight NOW. I tried motivating myself by every means!!!!!!!! But, Just cant seem to give it enough effort...dont be to babble, just really trying to address the problems so I can fix the problem.

I keep telling myself that I really want to lose as much weight as I can before my oldest goes to kindergarten in the fall. I don't want to go there looking like I do!

Hi-
Glad to see everyone is still working hard. I went out to the bar this weekend and danced my booty off, noticed a difference the next morning..
I have found that when I drink a glass of Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice (100% juice content) that really seems to help my digestive system digest stuff properly, and also eating Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats also keeps me regular.
On a side-note here, my husband's co-worker had been trying to get pregnant for a LONG time (and lose weight too). She found that the Atkin's diet was the worst thing to be doing when you are trying to get pregnant. She miscarried several times while on the Atkins diet, so she got off of it right away.

ok so i went back to the dr on friday. i was upset when isaw i have only lost 6 pounds last month. my scale is really wrong need to buy a new one. my scale said 238. but when i got into the exam room and they measured me i had lost 3 inches off my waist. so i was happy. if any one is interested one of the pills i take is a vitamin called CHROMIUM PICOLINATE it promotes sugar and fat metabolism. at walmart or target you can get 100 pills for about 5 bucks. good luck and congrats to everyone for getting through the first week.

G'day everyone!

There are 16 of us doing this together now!

Only two people missed the first weigh - in last thursday! I hope they come back this thursday!

My DH has decided that he wants to join in as well so he is going to weigh himself every Thursday with me. I am so happy he has decided to join in, I think it will make things alot easier as far as eating better now that we are both trying to loose a bit of weight.

Have a great week, keep the weight loss tips coming!!!

Sandra

Hey, socake! Would you mind if I asked you a question about where you live??????????????

It relates to the crocodile dundee movies....but I don't want to offend you; so I'm asking you first if you get easily offended? Because I don't want to be superficial.

i have not had any side effects with either drug i am taking. along with the CHROMIUM i take PHENTERMINE which has to be prescribed. the CHROMIUM is OTC. i know about 4 other people who are taking this med as well and none of them have had any side effects.

I am so glad that we have so many who want change their lifestyles!!!!!
Welcome to all who have joined this week.

I have heard of the Chromium Picolinate but didn't hear that it did much. Perhaps I will go give that a try. I have tried so many of them with no results. The only thing that every worked was the original Metabolife they took off of the market.

Well happy loosing to us all!!!!

Happy losing to us all, lol, that's cute!!

ok, SOCAKE, I was just wondering since you're in autralia....and I'm sure we've all seen the crocodile dundee movies, well I wondered if that's how australians really talked, I saw your greating earlier "g'day" and I just really wondered if you really did say g'day, etc.

I don't guess it's too much to make me superficial or anything but I think I meant to say that I don't want to step on any "stereotypical" toes. IF you do say things like in that movie, do you have that "accent" as well? Were you born in australia? I'll stop now!

I remember when those movies came out, and croc dundee was my brothers hero...always had to watch those movies!!! He always wanted to go to australia. Now, I'll really stop b/c this is turning into a diff. subject b/c I don't have my brother anymore, SO.................g'day mate!!!!

I do use G'day a fair bit but I am nowhere near as nuts as Steve Irwin!!! I call my kids mate all the time!
I was born in Australia, and have lived here all my life. I don't know if you guys have seen the Aussie TV show Neighbours, if you have, that is pretty much how we speak! you realy only get that thick Aussie accent in the country areas.
I sometimes change what I am writing to you guys incase you don't know what I'm saying!!

Anyway,

Have fun doing your exercise today!!!!!

Sandra

I am not sure if the CHROMIUM will work as well with out the other. I had never heard ofit until i went to the dr and got both prescriptions at once. Perhaps you can go to your general dr and ask about it. i am going to a diet dr well i call him the fat dr lol. hi think you can order the PHENTERMINE online from there offical website but i am not sure i would do it with out seeing a dr first.

I've been to a few websites and signed up for a couple of newsletters from them. This is one I got today and thought I would share with others that may be having a little trouble getting started or motivated.

Weight Loss Begins in Your Mind by http://www.caloriesperhour.com/

Hello,

Before you can succeed at weight loss, you must have your thoughts
in order. If you don't, they can undermine your good intentions.

First, evaluate your readiness to make the changes needed for
weight loss. Start by writing a list of the pros and cons of losing
weight. Does the list tip towards the pros? If it does, you'll be
charged and ready for action. If not, re-think why you want to lose
weight.

Once you're ready to begin, you can still get stuck waiting for the
perfect moment that may never come. Avoid this trap by setting a
start date. Then use the remaining time to bolster your plans and
build your excitement.

Lastly, don't waste time and energy wishing for change -- make it
happen. Thinking about all you'd like to do, like giving up all
high calorie foods, is a passive approach that rarely works.
Instead, find a few high calorie foods that you're willing to give
up and start eliminating them.

These thought patterns are a natural part of behavior change. If
you address them properly, they will support you in your weight
loss efforts and you will be successful.

Healthy regards,
Megan Porter, RD
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/news.html

i have been walking!!!!

i walked till i was out of breath on Monday and that wasnt long...lol

then yesterday and today i walked the 1/4 mile to go get my DD from school. then walked the 1/4 mile back. i think that was good walking especially since it is like 100* here. okay maybe not that hot but it is hot here.

i have been eating breakfast too. i bought some of those special K bars and i eat one for breakfast on my way out the door to work then i eat a light lunch and when i get home i eat a yogurt and a light dinner.

how am i doing so far?

ALWAYS eat breakfast!
I have found too, that if I don't eat a mid-afternoon snack I will eat a snack late at night. I don't eat big dinners, so if I don't eat an afternoon snack I am starving 2 hours after dinner.