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NILLYWILLY
11/29/06 8:49 P
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Thanks for the encouragement, Martha! I think that you are right about watching portions and not tracking because I am just stressing myself out even more because I am not getting it done.
My Curves closed about a month ago. I don't know if I had told you or not. But, I am being faithful. I get up every morning and alternate days doing either an aerobic tape, a stability ball routine or walking 2 miles. That is not a problem. I am back to trying to get my water in too.
But, I just don't think that with the holidays I am going to accomplish the tracking.
Today I worked at my volunteer job at the local historical museum. Then I went to the post office for Jim's mom, the library for my mom. We designed and made Christmas decorated doors for both sets of parents at the
retirement apartments. I went to the grocery and I had choir practice at church. I am very tired!
Bet you were glad to see your girls. Since this just seems to be us talking, do you want to keep writing here or do you want to switch to spark mail? Let me know. Thanks for the prayers. I will keep you in mine.
Have a great day tomorrow! Nancy
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Thankgoodness you are still here! I think both of us are busy...I didn't celebrate Thanksgiving up here, but my older daughter was home from university for the weekend, and my younger daughter was acting in a play at school on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Just seems like life in general is flying by--it will be like this for us until Christmas is over!!
You know what? Why don't you forget the food tracking for a while? You already know what you should and should not eat. Last year I was seeing a bariatric doctor, and he told me to watch portion sizes. But the best advice he gave me was that when I fill up my plate, make sure veggies cover half the plate, meat covers 1/4 of the plate, and carbs cover the other 1/4. (Obviously, the plate shouldn't be a huge one, but a smaller one!) You could just do that for your main meal of the day.
The other secret is to eat small amounts of food throughout the day. I usually eat breakfast, then a snack at the office, lunch, a snack in the afternoon, and then supper. Seems to keep my blood sugar at a level where I never get so hungry that I grab whatever is handy to eat!
Do you get exercise in? I just walk on my treadmill usually.
Nancy, you and I have to do this together. I am like you, I want to get out of plus size clothes!
Of course, I will pray for you....let's pray for each other! And don't be afraid of the scale!!
WE WILL DO THIS! Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
11/28/06 6:28 P
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Hey, Martha!
I bet you thought that I forgot you. No way! It has been a hectic time. My mom's birthday was 2 days before Thanksgiving. Then Lindsay came home and we had THanksgiving. She was home most of the weekend. It just seems like I am busy all of the time. Sometimes I wonder how I ever tracked my food and wrote on message boards and read articles, etc. I can't even find time to sit down now! I didn't weigh on Monday. I was too scared after Thanksgiving.
I haven't accurately tracked since then. I did a couple of days on paper but not the computer. I am still frightened. I seem to be struggling so to start again. I don't want to gain it all back!
How are you doing? I know that you have been and will continue to be an encouragement to me. Besides writing to me would you please pray for me?
Thanks!
Do you have a lot of holiday plans and things to fix food for?
One of these days I will send you some Hawaii pictures. Hope you are doing great! nancy
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Oh, Nancy, I am so glad that you are getting back in the groove! Don't worry about the scales...the advance planning of calories and portions is great!
Wish I could see the pictures!
I belong to an Anglican church, and we have about 300 families (500+ people) on our parish list--but like most churches in Canada, our average attendance on a Sunday is sparse, about 80 - 90 people total over two services.
This year we have the 5 services on Dec. 24 because Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday. The regular 8am and 10:30am services that day are normal. Then in the afternoon there is a creche service for families with little kids, and then our regular Christmas Eve eucharist services at 7pm and 11pm. It will be busy!
But I am off work from Dec. 26 - Jan. 9 -- HOORAY! (I just have to come in periodically and check the mail and the phone messages and make sure we have no burst water pipes!)
So now I am going to enter my lunch into the tracker and then go do some Christmas shopping! I like to get it all done before the rush. Talk with you tomorrow, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
11/20/06 1:50 P
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Thanks for the encouragement, Martha. I successfully tracked yesterday and I am doing it today. We are having Jim's folks for dinner to show our Hawaii pictures and I have already figured out my portions and calories. I feel good about that. I forgot to weigh this a.m. though. It may have been unconsciously avoiding it. I'll try to remember tomorrow.
How has your day been? I know that you are going to do great because you have a wonderful attitude! How big is your church that you are having 5 services?
We had a little snow this a.m. and I am in heaven! I love it! Talk soon. Nancy
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Nancy, I know you can do this! Just have one goal this week to track your food. I had gotten away from doing that on a regular basis, and then I put my weight back on slowly. Until we get probably 20 lbs. off, we both have to watch food so carefully.
And make up your mind to enjoy Thanksgiving! It's not about food...it's about FAMILY! I will do better keeping in touch with you this week. Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
11/19/06 2:22 P
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Oh Martha, I am struggling so! It is so hard to get back to tracking. I think in my mind "you can do it without all that, you have a lot of counting experience" But....it doesn't work! I know that I said the last couple of weeks that I was going to get started, but I just haven't been faithful. Well, I started today and I hope to keep it going. I was on the computer every day several times a day before vacation. Now I feel like I don't have time. Part of that is probably with all of the holiday stuff but it's really an excuse. Please help me stay accountable this week!
Congrats on your weight loss! That is super. I'll do my very best to get on here every day this week to encourage you to continue! Have a great day! nancy
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Hi Nancy! I have been crazy busy this week at work. Guess it will be this way until after Christmas...I am already working on Christmas Eve bulletins at church! We have 5 services that day!!
I was in a challenge this week, just to track my food more strictly; it worked...I lost 1.5 lbs. But I am STILL not below 200!! It must be a psychological barrier for me! Maybe next week.... But I am determined to track my food closely again this week and try to stay on the lower end of my calorie range. Hope this will work for me.
What about you? Let me know how you are doing! Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
11/10/06 9:38 A
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Hey, Martha!
Sorry that it has taken me so long. I am having a terrible time getting back into the routine....not only tracking and eating but just the normal routine of my life. Vacations are great but they sure do take a lot out of you!
This is the first morning that I have actually been able to get up on time, do my Bible study, my exercise, and all other normal morning things without just dragging around. Hopefully, I am now on the right road.
My eating has not been perfect but better. It's amazing how being tired can just drag you down and make you not care what you do. I am committed today to tracking and eating right. I sure don't want to stay in this limbo forever.
It sounds like you had a big day at church! I love to clean out and pitch things. So it sounded like great fun!
I am glad that you are having a good attitude about your weight, accepting 4 pounds a month. That's great! I am scared of the holidays. It's my favorite time of year and I love to bake and make candy and do all that fun stuff. I just hope that I can stay in control.
Well, I'll try to get back to you sooner the next time. Take care! nancy
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Well, for me, today was pretty good. The birthday cake is almost gone (she says, with crumbs on her chin -- haha). My husband and I and another friend worked like dogs at the church today. We hired a dumpster to get rid of the trash from our Oct. 28 church flea market, and also went all over the building and in every cupboard and threw out broken chairs, broken tables, trash, and the oddest assortment of stuff! Took us three hours, and many trips from the basement level up to the dumpster. I got my exercise today!
The weather here is perfect for fall. You could go around with a jacket rather than the heavier winter coat. We managed to get home in time to cover a couple of shrubs with burlap and do a little raking.
Now I am heading into the kitchen to fix supper--I have started being very diligent again about tracking everything I eat. I didn't lose anything as of yesterday's weigh-in, so now I am back in "serious" mode. Glad you are too!
You got lots of great exercise on your vacation! Even if you might not have lost weight, you probably lost inches!
I would love to lose 8 lbs before Christmas, since it appears I am losing at about the rate of 4 lbs per month. We'll see--I just have to keep at it. I already decided I am not going to do the amount of Christmas baking that I usually do. None of us needs to eat it!!
Let's keep checking in with each other every day and stay on the "straight and narrow"! Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
11/6/06 6:00 P
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Hi, Martha!
Yes, let's get going again. I did pretty well yesterday but not so good today. Once a year I make apple dumplings for my family and parents, etc. Today was the day so I knew that I would be eating one. That really sent me over on the calories. However, I did start back on my exercising this a.m. Of course I did a lot of walking on tours in Hawaii, including a hike up to the top of Diamond Head. So, I did get exercise. Actually, I had to get weighed before I got on the helicopter on Thursday and I had only gained 2 pounds which I believe was water because my feet were swollen every day!. I have not weighed however since I got home. I don't want to discourage myself. I just want to start again and get going. So, let's get back to checking in with each other every day and really encouraging each other.
How's your weather now?
Hope that your day was good. Hi, to Gloria and all my other friends from this site! How's everyone doing? Nancy
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Hi, Nancy! I am so glad you are back safe and sound. I know what you mean about the plane travel, though--I have never flown as far as you did, but even about 6 hours is my limit! After that I am like a "caged animal", and forget sleeping on a plane. Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful time while you were there!
Would you like to start SparkPeople again with me? I have just been through the renovations plus my husband's birthday yesterday....the birthday cake is constantly calling me from the kitchen..... Let's make a pact that today you and I start back FOR REAL!! Okay? We can do this, you and I both know that we can. So let's DO IT!! Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
11/5/06 8:43 A
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| Hello, everyone! I've safely returned from my cruise. It was a great time, but I found out that I do not do well with that long of flights! I don't lose sleep well and it was hard on me....up almost 24 hours going both ways. I did pretty well on the cruise as far as eating, but the days since then have been trouble. This is my new beginning as I am back on SP now and ready to start counting, tracking, etc. It is amazing and scary how fast one can lose their new habits and revert to the old ones. So, I will probably need some help to get jump started again. Anyway, it's good to be back and hope to hear from you soon~
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| Have a great time and come back and tell us all about the cruise. I have never been on one so I want you to tell all. Gloria
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NILLYWILLY
10/20/06 8:42 P
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| Thanks for all of the encouragement, ladies. We leave the day after tomorrow for our cruise. It scares me a little that I will gain a lot of weight but I am going to try to keep portions small and enjoy the food without stressing about it. I will let you know how things went when I get back! Nancy
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| I stayed stuck on the same weight for almost 2 months and then finally a break through of down 2 lbs. So just hang in there and keep doing what you are suppose to and one day the scale will move again. It is flustrating as the devil but this does work, just not as fast as we want it to. Gloria
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MARIJEIGHN
10/16/06 1:57 P
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| Hi Nancy I dont understand why sometimes we dont lose either. I have had a few really good weeks kept right on track with calories and am getting lots of exercise but I have only lost 2 pounds in 4 weeks. I guess our bodies just do things in their own way LOL. Have fun on your cruise and then climb right back on the healthy eating track. Hope you have a swell time !! MJ
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SAMSGRANNY
10/16/06 1:55 P
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 don't dispare, as u exercise you gain muscle mass, which replaces that other stuff and will often put u on a plateau, use a tape measure to gage your success, u could be losing inches but not pounds at this time.
Good luck and enjoy the spa and excercise room on the cruise...
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NILLYWILLY
10/16/06 1:45 P
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Hi, Martha and Gloria and MJ and anyone else I've missed. Well, still no good news for me. AFter 5 weeks I am still stuck. Not one pound gon e! I am amazed. How can I have increased my exercising so much and cut my food so much and not lost anything for over a month!!! It's a mystery.
Anyway, I am not giving up. Of course I am supposed to leave on Sunday for my cruise and so of course I don't expect to lose anything on that. Oh well at least I am trying to stay positive.
Congrats, Martha! That is great news! I must admit I'm a little envious but I am very happy for you and so proud that you didn't give up! Nancy
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MARIJEIGHN
10/15/06 7:14 P
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| Oh Martha I am so glad you are feeling better. You and everyone else here is a blessing to me. I am glad that I found Sparks and all of you. MJ
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Hey, MJ and Gloria! Thanks so much for supporting me. I finally moved into a more positive place after my venting all the frustrations last Tuesday. Guess I need to learn patience and know that I am going to plateau for weeks and just not worry about it. I must admit, I feel better when I track my foods.
You are all a blessing to me!! Hugs, Martha
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| Way to go Martha. It is hard not to get discouraged when that scale refuses to move but you can out wait it and it will have to give in. Proud of you. Gloria
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MARIJEIGHN
10/15/06 1:18 P
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| Martha That is so great. I am so proud of you for not giving up !!! MJ
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Nancy, I finally have good news to report. After 4 weeks, I have dropped 3 lbs! I was dead on 200 this morning!! Boy, was I relieved.
What about you? Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
10/14/06 10:34 A
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Martha, Sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to you. I hope that you haven't quit yet! Go back and read all of those encouraging words that you said to me and then take them to heart. I get weighed tomorrow and am a little unnerved by what that will be, however, I keep telling myself that I HAVE
changed the way I eat and it is impossible not to lose after awhile. This is probably the point that we always give up and I don't want either of us to do that now. Persevere! Try not to stress about it. Just think.....okay, I am doing the right things and sooner or later it will come off. I think we get caught up in wanting it all off right now. It sure would be nice but it isn't going to happen that way. You can do it. Don't beat yourself up for a little Thanksgiving rebelling and just get back to doing what is right. I know that you can do it! Keep communicating with me, please. I really need it! Thanks Nancy
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Hi, Nancy! I can tell that you feel better, and thank goodness you saw your doctor! thyroid problems can really play havoc with your body!!
I am in the same boat as you right now. I have lost nothing over the past three weeks...in fact, I have put on a pound over that period of time. I am so mad at myself and just want to quit. Trying to follow a diet is just too stressful for me.
I was expecting the scale to be back down to at least the 202 that I had reached 3 weeks ago, and I even did mega-exercising last week to get back down. But I was the same as last week, 1 pound up. What a bummer! Seems I can't do whatever it takes to lose weight.
It is very depressing, to say the least. I didn't do any exercising yesterday because I was so mad, and I had Thanksgiving lunch over at a friend's house and had two glasses of wine and dessert, just to rebel even more.
My daughter wants me to keep on the SP program, but I am not sure if I want to -- no positive results for 21 days is a really good reason to quit! My only real reason for doing this program is to lose weight, and it's not happening.
So that's my rant for the day! Good way (NOT) to spend Thanksgiving, huh? At least your news was good!! Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
10/9/06 1:01 P
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Thanks for the good advice! I had to see the doctor today for some blood work to check potassium level and thyroid level. She said that the extended plateau is not unusual for someone with low thyroid issues such as I have. She is going to check on that and see how the numbers are to maybe change my med to help get the ol' metabolism kicking in again.
Anyway, I took Friday completely off and Saturday I had a lazy morning. Both of those were great. I had an unexpected visit from my sweet daughter on Sunday afternoon and that helped my spirits a little bit.
I have a great female doctor and she said, "OH, Nancy, I'm so proud of you!" She is the first doctor I have ever had that ever gave me any encouragement. I thank the Lord for you guys and for her and for my family who continues to encourage me. I know that I will get over this hump sooner or later.
Hope that you are having a great week! Nancy
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Again Martha is giving you excellent advise. Such a wise woman! Can you prepare a lunch to take with you or some veggies that would not have to be refrigerated. I find that eating out increases my sodium levels a lot, when I eat at home I use very little salt and can really tell the difference in my body.
Well, I have got to get ready for church. Hugs to you both, and don't give up. Gloria
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Nancy, seems like with the start of the fall, everything is back to high speed again. And it is so much harder to follow an exact program while trying to do everything we have to do. Why do we do this to ourselves?
Stress plays a big part in this whole weight-loss (or "non-loss, I should say). You sound like you are bone tired...not a good thing! And tears tell me you are at the breaking point. Try to get some extra rest. Take off an hour every afternoon and read a good book if you can.
Can you carry some healthy snacks in your purse or car? I found I was eating breakfast at 6:45am and then working right through until I got home at 2pm...with nothing to eat in between. Now I keep Kashi TLC Crunchy granola bars (extra protein) in my desk drawer, and I have one around 11am with some coffee. Then I don't over-eat when I get to lunch.
But it is so hard to eat at someone else's house and then try to account for calories. Just keep to small portions and don't worry too much about it. The more you stress about it, the less chance you have to lose the weight! Vicious cycle, eh?
This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. I am so thankful for an extra day off work!!
Take care of you!! Cheers, Martha
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NILLYWILLY
10/6/06 10:28 A
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Thanks girls! I am shedding a few tears as I write this. I guess that right there should probably tell me that I am not in a good place for me. I am really tired! I have been going very strongly now with lots of physical work besides my exercising and I am worn out. It was so good to open this up this morning since I didn't have any time yesterday and to see 2 people encouraging me and sharing the same problems! Thanks so much! I am drinking a lot. I think that part of the problem has been that I have been so busy that I haven't eaten at home a lot lately. Even though I try to have small portions, it's hard to know exactly how many calories I am eating when other people are preparing it. Plus, when I am putting my food in at the end of the day because I have been so busy, it's too late to eat less if I have gone over. I don't know how I am going to change this right now, but I think that I must look at a way to have some more time for myself and to cut the activities for awhile.
Anyway, you both were great to encourage me. Thanks!
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