We're Back!

[lorigaud]

LOL on the post card from Curves Jeannie.... in all the gym memberships I wasted, my gyms never did that! Maybe they should have!

Good for you for on getting motivated to clean the room in the basement to work out there... sounds like a great plan for the COLD winter months. I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to find the motivation to continue going to the gym early when it's so freaking cold out... I may just need to get an electric car starter for Christmas, eh?

How great that your friends had grilled veggies at Thanksgiving... that's awesome! My brother and SIL host Thanksgiving, and since they're doing WW core program, they used "fake" butter and fat free gravy, etc.... made it easier for me too. I did have pie, and admittedly tried a tiny piece of all 6 varieties LOL... but I still managed to lose half a pound during the week of Thanksgiving, so I made up for it! I actually went to the gym in the morning on Thanksgiving LOL! It was open until noon, and boy was it BUSY!

[vweers]

Originally Posted by Vickey Morrissey

I need to start back big time this next week. I congratulate all of you for doing so well. I gained over Thanksgiving and was pretty good...but up 4 pounds...so I just figured what the heck and have been a pig ever since.
So back to exercising and eating right on Monday. Thanks for the kick in the pants!
Vickey

Don't even sweat it - just look at it as you enjoyed yourself and get back on the wagon. I tend to do the same then throw in the towel but i am realizing you need to look at the big picture when it comes to this part. Remember it is one time of your life, yes, you still have Christmas but remember it is the day in and out stuff not the special stuff that you need to focus on. Give your self some slack and then just get right back to it. You CAN do it. IT is a matter of choice, don't let your self get down because you gained some. That is apart of life so you accept it and move on. That is how I have to approach it or I will get overwhelmed and quit.

[lorigaud]

Very good advice Vickie... because it is so easy to beat yourself up over making bad choices, and before you know it that escalates to the point that you're binging on a bag of chips! This time I've managed to forgive myself and move on from those little slip ups without getting completely sidetracked and quitting... that's a first for me!

[jmoody59]

Lori - I think it's wonderful that you lost 1/2 pound over Thanksgiving. I am particularly impressed that you went to the gym that morning. That shows wonderful dedication to your goal!

I lost another 2.2 last week. So I'm down 5.2 pounds. It's small but it's a wonderful start. I never did get to the basement but it's on my list of things to do this week. I'll make it yet.

Next week at WW they're introducing new program materials. I can't wait to see what they are. I love it when they shake things up a bit for us. I know there are people who follow older WW programs because that's what they were successful on and I think that's great. You have to go with what works for you. I, however, tend to change when WW does because I know that sometimes change will help with any plateaus we may have reached. Sometimes it helps if someone ses from Flex to Core to give their bodies a little jump start. I'm no where near reaching a plateau yet but I'll be taking mad notes on Monday nonetheless.

[lorigaud]

Woohoo Jeannie... you are doing GREAT! 5.2 pounds is awesome... don't be saying it's small! Be proud of yourself!!! Now get yourself down to the basement if you haven't already LOL....

I did something today that I wasn't sure I could.... I'm doing the Couch to 5K program and am currently in week 5. Up til now, the most I've run consecutively is 5 min, but today's program called for 8 min jog, 5 min walk, 8 min jog. I surprised myself by being able to do that much! It felt great, I must say... I've NEVER been a runner but I've got my sights on my first 5K race this coming June. A friend of mine that I met at the gym is going to do it with me (we have the same trainer, and he's going to do it with us too!). We're all really excited about it... she's never been a runner either. It's a benefit race for a soldier who was killed in Iraq who went through the school system where I teach, so I'll know other people racing also... added incentive to make sure I finish it. Plus, I just found out today that another digiscrapper who lives in Germany may come to visit to do it with us... her dh is military so she can get a flight to the east coast pretty easily. That would be so incredibly exciting!!!

Have a great day everyone! I'm off to go shopping for the day with my sister and SIL... wish me luck LOL!

[jmoody59]

Thanks Lori. Your comment about not calling it a small loss reminded me of the coin jar analogy. So I scrapped a page for my weight loss journal to remind myself that "small" losses add up. I've started a new thread in our folder for tips, tricks and thoughts and I've included a link to my layout there.

While I'm so sorry that the marathon is being held for a sad reason, I think it is just wonderful that you will be participating. I hope that the German digiscrapper is able to join you. And great job on accomplishing the jog/run/jog!

[jmoody59]

Yo ho everybody! (I know that should probably be 'ho ho' except that I've been watching pirate movies...)

Anyway, I've been away for a bit trying to get a handle on this whole Christmas thing. I can't believe I forgot to come here and do a happy dance on Monday. Down another 3.6 pounds, bringing my total to 8.8. For the first time in almost forever the first number of my weight is now a 2 instead of a 3. I almost cried.

Then I went shopping and I did cry because my feet hurt. LOL. And I came home empty-handed. How can one go to five stores and not find a single thing????

Anyway, as I said last week, this week WW announced some changes to the program. They turned out not to be anything really big in terms of how you count points or anything like that. The biggest change I guess is to the Core side (which I don't do) - apparently they removed the snack list from the Core program. My leader said that she thought that too many people on Core were going a little nuts with the snack list since they didn't have to count them.

Other than that, they did bring out some new tools - the points calculator slide rule is a bit different, they've got new books for 2008 for Dining Out and the Food Guide. They now offer a very nice (although a bit pricey) blue canvas bag you can buy that comes with the Dining Out and Food Guide, a 3 month journal, a cd about the new program, and a book of motivational stories/essays. I bought the kit as a little Christmas present to myself.

I hope everyone is doing well during this rather hectic part of the year.

[sunni]

AWESOME Jeannie!! I am soooo excited for you!! That is a huge psychological kick and really will carry you a long way toward staying with this! Big hugs girl!!

We use the books as well. We also bought one of the WW calculators at EBay and we really liked it...easier than the little slider thingy that my daughter has.

We are finding that our winter clothes that we bought last winter are just tooooo big for us now. They aren't totally unwearable as I just refuse to go out and buy any new winter clothes since we plan to be even smaller next winter. So for now, we just wear baggy clothes!

[jmoody59]

Thanks Sunni! Yes, it is a big psychological boost to be doing so well. It really helps me keep focused on journaling.

And congratulations to you and John for the baggy clothes. . It's always so nice to feel your clothes getting looser. And I admire your determination to have them even baggier next winter!

[lorigaud]

Woohoo Jeannie... that's wonderful! Keep it up! It's such a thrill to see that first number on the scale change!

Sunni... I hear you on the clothes from last winter! I've given away a bunch of stuff that is just too big... I've been shopping a lot at Goodwill and getting hand-me-downs from friends b/c I don't want to spend a huge amount of money on stuff that hopefully won't fit me next year! I did get some bargains last week at the Gap.. I found pants that were marked down from $35 to $3.97... so I definitely grabbed those. At that price, I bought them in size 12 and size 10... so I'll have a pair to "grow" into LOL! I like having goal clothes!
I'm finishing up week 6 of the Couch to 5K... I ran for 20 min straight last Sunday at the end of week 5, and I have to do 25 min this weekend. It's getting soooo much easier... never thought I would feel this way about running!
I hate the weather we've been having... we've already had one snow day, and it's been snowing a lot for December... in fact, there's a storm going on right now. We're supposed to get about 6 inches tonight, and they're talking a FOOT on Sunday. If we're getting that much, I had better at least get another day off LOL! Remind we why I live in Maine again.... ?