Dess for success.

You cannot climb the ladder of success dressed in the costume of failure.

Zig Zigler

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

I love the above quote when I found it, and decided today would be a good time to put it into the e-mail. I can only account for my own feelings on this subject, and as I write I may step on a few toes. So remember you have been warned. ha

Did anyone but me walk into Weight Watchers with the thought of ''this is not going to work"! I have said this many time, "I walked through those doors kicking and screaming." My mind all made up that I was going to fail yet again. It was all those voices in my head, and the one telling me the loudest that I would fail was my very own voice.

Since I have been on maintenance, and by the way, I'm on my 4th week. One thing keeps ringing in my ears and that is Cara's voice (picking on Cara now, ha). Cara was the first person I ever heard being completely honest about maintenance, she was the only person that said, ''Welcome to Hell." That one sentence has helped me so much, thank you Cara, cause if Cara had not said this, I would have stepped into my first week of maintenance thinking, ''I lost all this weight, then maintaining will be a breeze".

Since I had been forewarned that this may well be ''hellish", I have been prepared. There are some days I do feel as if I am walking on a frozen pond and its beginning to crack. So worried that I may fail, but I realized something.

As long as I am dressed for success, and that dress is, my weekly meetings, my daily e-mails, my weighting and measuring of my food, getting in my activity, and not allowing those old voices to continue to play in my head. I may miss a rung on that ladder to success, but I will not fall all the way off.

I do not believe for one minute that anyone can be perfect while on this weight loss journey, or while on maintenance, but we can pick ourselves up when we stumble and continue on. One slip up does not mean ''its time to throw in the towel and resume my affair with Ben, Jerry and Russell."

No names being used here, but a conservation took place yesterday and the person I was talking with was telling me of a health problem a family member has. Something was said about ''this person has always taken such good care of themselves, exercises daily, eats right, kept their weight in check, and still they get this." It is sad that someone that has been so tireless in taking care of themselves has bad things to happen to them, but think how bad it could have been if they had not taken the precaution of taking care of themselves. So just because ''you'' are pretty sure you'll end up with something just because it runs in your family does not give you the ''set on your butt and eat Twinkie's pass. What I was hearing was this, ''I'll probably get something bad as well, so why should I try to take care of myself now?" I hope I am wrong, but that was the message I was getting.

We have choices, we are the ones that decide what is best for us. We can go ahead and dig our grave and wait for the Grim Reaper, or we can dress ourselves in the Armour we need to be successful. Ask yourself, ''am I worth it?"

Wishing Everyone a great day.

Hugs,

Joan

OBSTACLES. What are yours?

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.

Anonymous

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

We all have obstacles to fly up in out faces, things that throw us off track. It maybe a birthday party, right now it could be vacations or weddings, or dare I say....all three. Now, that is just mean when you have all of those things to deal with. If you do have all of these coming up, I hope the wedding is the first one due to we always want to look our best for that, and with birthdays and vacations, wellll, sometimes we feel that is when we can really ''let go."

It is fine to ''let ourselves go", but you also want to remember vacations can almost be like the months of Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas, and we all know how much damage we can do those three months. Just try and stay focused.

For the first time in my life I have finally realized just how hard I have worked to get this weight off, and I sure don't want to risk putting the weight back on. We all have seen and heard the statistics of "when a person loses weight they may keep it off at most five years." Right now five years sound good to me, but I think I can take it for the long haul, I think, no, I know if I stay focused, stay motivated, and keep going to my meetings, there is no reason at all I cannot, for once in my life find the true meaning of, ''lifetime member."

I want the feeling I have about myself to last forever, that feeling of accomplishment. There are so many of my Sister's not only here, but those that don't do Weight Watchers or any other plan, I want them to have this same feeling that nothing can stop us. Its being empowered as if no matter how big the challenge, or the obstacles we can either go over, around or right through the middle and come out on the other side just fine.

We all have different things that can and will throw us off track. The first part of last week for me it was the Vita Tops, deep dark chocolate chip. Sisters it was not a pretty sight at all. Good news is it happened in the beginning of the week, and I learned two things.

1. I still cannot be trusted when it comes to portion control on something like that.

2. I was able to re-group and still have a excellent week.

Maybe your obstacles come in the form of stress from work, personal stuff, maybe your having a health issue right now. There is always going to be something, but we can beat the obstacle instead of it beating us. We stand straight and tall, look it right in the eye and stare it down.

Wishing everyone a great day,

Hugs,

Joan....3rd row

Is your end in sight??

Begin With The End in Sight

Stephen Covey

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

I failed to mention in yesterday's e-mail that Sharon was missing as well yesterday. We were down in numbers yesterday, and that always worries me. So hope everything is alright with everyone.

I hope everyone's Saturday went well yesterday. I really did like yesterday's topic at Weight Watchers, ''Fail to plan. Plan to fail." I don't know of an quote that I have ever heard that rings truer than this one. So what kind of planning are you doing to get ready for the 4th of July weekend?

As I mentioned yesterday, I am a person that cannot have what I would call a ''free'' day. For me that turns into a ''free week" and it gets me no where real fast, except for the scale creeping up. I don't think it matters how much we plan for ourselves, there are always going to be those ever lovin' food pushers out there. Some of them really do mean well, but we do have to deal with those that are just jealous of anyone else's success, so they are double trouble.

Now if you know there will be a lot of fun stuff to do over the 4th of July weekend, start planning now. Make up a pot of that 0 point Weight Watchers vegetable soup, save up those 35 bonus points for Friday and Saturday, and if you get in activity points you have those to fall back on as well, since now they can be ''roll over activity points."

Just don't begin the week with, ''oh joy, oh rapture, we are not having a meeting on Saturday, and I have two weeks." Do not fall into that trap. Be accountable, set a good example, if not for someone else set it for yourself. You are the one that counts anyway. Just remember how hard you have worked to get where you are right now, and do you really want to mess up now? Trust me there will always be something to celebrate, and as we all know our celebrations tend to revolve around the food and drinks that are being served. So here is my advice....for what its worth.

Plan, Plan, Plan, and keep the end in sight.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday,

Hugs,

Joan

Taken 06-26-09

Here I am at a new lower weight. As of today I have lost 96.8 pounds while doing weight watchers.

However, in the past almost 11 years I have lost a small country due to I have lost over 150 pounds.

Saturday 06-26-09

Good almost afternoon Sister W.W.F.F. (Weight Watcher Friends Forever),

First off we have a new person to welcome, however, she does not come to our meeting but she attends the meeting in Shelbyville, and our receptionist Julie S. said Becky C. is having a bit of a struggle right now, Becky C. we are here to help if we can.

As you all know its always about me...;) Today is no different. Today I have lost a grand total doing Weight Watchers....drum roll please......96.8 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, doing the happy dance here.

Toni we missed you, and for some reason we had a lot of people missing today, some I know where you were, others....I shall be looking for you, just kidding. Rhonda, Jana, Liz, Sharilyn, Anne (she was there, but had to leave, she is walking today), Angie, Jennifer, Amy and if I missed anyone I am so sorry, but these are the ones that I did notice were not with us today.

Today's meeting was ''PLANNING FOR SUCCESS".

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We have each and everyone been there, done that and have the t-shirts to prove it.

Now think about this. Are you happy with the way your weight loss journey is going? I know some of us are, but there are also some of us that are dog paddling, and seem to not be getting anywhere fast. So dig out those books we have all been given this year, and years before, dust them off, read them, and I bet you will find new inspiration, and new ideas.

I challenge each one of us to plan our week, and oh yes, make sure you plan that activity, it is just as important as getting that food planned out. I know, I know, its hot, and trust me I don't like to sweat either, but trust me when I say this.... the pay off is awesome!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend. Remember we won't be having our meeting next Saturday, July 4th, but there is no reason that we cannot find a meeting to go to before Saturday. Weight Watcher meetings are like churches here in Louisville, ''you can't swing a cat without hitting one".

Hugs to all,

Joan

Yesterday was a better day.....

I am so pleased that yesterday was a much better day for me. I did have a plan for all my meals yesterday, somethign that I had not been doing...planning....and when I fail to plan, I plan to fail. So failing was exactly were I was heading. I am just so grateful that I got my act together before it was too late.

Inventory.

Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer.

Marcie Wieder

Good Friday Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

I realized yesterday that we were exactly at the 6 months mark before Christmas 2009. OK now, stop yelling at me. Ha. This did get me to thinking about the year that has already gone by, and I began to look back a little and do a little inventory. That inventory brought up some thoughts and questions, and this morning I thought we would do a little looking back.

Did you make a resolution in January that this would be your year to get to your goal?

Did you resolve to be just the most perfect of all Weight Watcher members?

Maybe your resolution was something as simple as tracking, honestly and religiously this year. Did you resolve to exercise each and everyday, taking only one or two days off for rest?

All these things I have asked are no doubt the things that all of us at some point and time have done at the beginning of the year. I know there was not a year that went by that I did not promise myself , ''come this years birthday I will be under 200 pounds". It has taken me all of 39 years to actually see that resolution finally come true.

The year I was turning 50, I had every intention of being below the 200 pound mark, however, my 50th came alone with a big Hawaiian theme party thrown by my three Stepsons, and I do have pictures, and as I look back on them, I realized this, ''there is nothing any sadder than a 300 pound person in a coconut bra and grass skirt acting as if they are having a good time." However, at the end of 2002, I was still hovering around the 300 pound mark. So I stopped making New Year resolutions.

This year I never made any resolutions, but this year I will be celebrating my 57th, birthday by not only being at my goal weight, but hopefully staying below that number. That is my gift to myself, and I cannot think of a better gift to give oneself.

Sometimes I think, we need to look back, take an inventory and see what we have accomplished, and also look at those things we need to work on. Its not too late we still have six months left this year.

Wishing Everyone a good day.

See U Lighter tomorrow,

Joan

I seem to be struggling a bit.....

I am not sure just what is going on with me, but ever since Monday, I seem to be struggling a bit. I can't say I have been into Bob's candy, or that I have went out and bought ice cream, but I have been eating too much of the thing that are good for me.

I am not sure if its just stress due to my being worried about Bob or I am returning to my old bad habits. I just know that I have to get a handle on this before it gets completely out of hand.

Are we Gardening or What????

You will never plough a field if you only turn it over in your mind.

Irish Proverb

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

I hope everyone has been paying attention to our 3rd, row Lisa, she is really getting it with the activity this week. WAY TO GO SISTER LISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I will pick on 3rd. row Lisa a bit, only cause she is doing so great, but here is a perfect example of today's quote. Lisa has put her thinking into action by picking up some loaned exercise video's on Saturday and using them this week. She IS ploughing that field for real.

We all have times where we think about doing things, but there always seems to be something that gets in our way. Right now I bet one of the reasons some might not exercising is due to the hot weather. Trust me I don't like hot weather, so I get up way before the sun even thinks about waking up and I go to the gym. In today's world we don't have to sweat like we have had a tub of water poured over us. We have gyms that in my case as of Tuesday there was no hot water for showers, so you sure did not have to worry about getting too warm. Yes, its been hazy, hot & humid, but we have Malls for walking that are nice and cool. Also if you are up later than I am go out for that walk after the sun goes down. Of course pick a safe place to take that walk. We have talked about using things around the house for resistance exercise, using cans of vegetables as hand weights. If we just think about it there are so many ways to get in some exercise without having to spend money or even leave the house. You will be amazed at just how many steps you can get on your pedometer by just everyday walking around your house.

It is fine to think about doing something, but to really get your hands dirty, you have to actually put forth the effort to make it happen.

Wishing everyone a wonderful day.

Hugs,
Joan

Have you chosen your goal?

This one step-choosing a goal and sticking to it-changes everything.'

Scott Reed

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

Here we are again, in the middle of the week and only three days until we get on that scale again. Hope everyone's week has been going well so far.

Lisa T. ''YOU ROCK'', with using those exercise tapes. We want to send a shout out and add some good vibes to our Cara for here visit with the Ortho today. Cara, we all wish you the best and hope whatever has your foot bothering you, the Ortho will have some answers this time.

Just in case you all have not been noticing we are on a ''goal theme'' this week. So why change things now, let us talk some more about our goals, and you never know it maybe time to change those goals around a bit.

When you have done Weight Watchers for as long as most of us have, we can fall into a rut, with our eating, our activity, and oh yes, even our goals. I think we have to have a goal to work toward, does not matter if it has nothing at all to do with weight loss. Even when we begin to do Spring house cleaning, our goal is to get it finished, not stopping until every single one of those Winter Cobwebs have been swept out of the corners.

Same deal with our weight loss journey, we set a goal weight to get to, but what do we do after that goal is met? I have actually heard people that have made it to Lifetime membership ask the question, after they have gone through maintenance, ''what am I suppose to be working toward now?" I have wondered about that as well, and the only thing I have been able to come up with is, ''my goal will be staying within the set goal weigh range."

So many people that have made it to Lifetime member status, get their six weeks maintenance in, and then maybe the first month or two we see them for that once a month weigh in, but then they begin not to come and weigh in. So many times this is just a recipe for disaster, for putting those pounds back on. Does not matter that they weight every single day in the privacy of their own home, and there is a really good chance they see that scale creeping up, and they promise themselves, ''I'll go back to Weight Watcher and weigh-in as soon as I get back down to goal." We have all heard the stories, ''I put on 5 pounds, I thought I could get it off before coming back, then it turned to 10,then 20 and so on and so on."

We have a wonderful group of Lifetime members here, and they show up every Saturday morning, they have become my anchors, as well as my mentors. Does not mean I love those of us that are not as of yet at Lifetime status, but having such a group of Lifetime member there each and every Saturday, goes to show us, ''WE CAN DO THIS, AND WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT, WE STILL NEED THOSE MEETINGS EACH AND EVERY WEEK!"

Have any of you ever been to an AA meeting? I have and just recently it came to me just why those meetings are so packed, these people want to stay sober, and they know they cannot do it without those meetings. Yes, they have a sponsor, someone to call when they are ready to dive into that glass, but you know we have that opportunity as well. Sometimes we just need to hear someone say, ''I am here if you need to talk". Sometime that is all that lies between our getting to our goal and staying there.

Maybe a goal change could be, ''before I jump into that half gallon of ice cream, I am going to go for a walk, or call a friend." Change is good, and sometime that is all we need is just a little tweaking.

Wishing everyone a great day.

Stay Strong,

Hugs,

Joan

Goals

The goal you set must be challenging. At the same time, it should be realistic and attainable, not impossible to reach. It should be challenging enough to make you stretch, but not so far that you break.

Rick Hansen

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

First off I want to congratulate Sister Lisa (Love's wife) she did one of the exercise video's she took with here Saturday. What a great beginning to the week. Lisa T. YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we are going to talk about ''goals". Not long after I reached my goal weight someone close to me ask me, ''what made the difference this time? How did you reach your goal this time when always before you stopped way before you ever got close to your goal."

The difference (for me) was this time, I went to my doctor, we sat and talked, I still was going to have a lot of weight to lose, but this time I did not look at the big picture. I looked more at the ''snapshots". I began with just that very first week, I never looked any further beyond the first week. When I had that under my belt, then it was onto ''wonder can I make it the second week?" After the first two weeks is when I began to look at just losing 10 more pounds. I say 10 more pounds due to my first week of Weight Watchers I dropped 9 pound. So that is when I began looking at the ''snapshots'' of my weight loss journey. I knew I was not going to stick with it. Yes, I actually said that, ''I know this is just a fluke, and I'll stop way before I get too far down the road."

It has been different this time, and I think, no, I know its has been lots of different thing. Here are my top three reasons that I feel I have been able to reach my goal.

1. I came to Weight Watcher, ''kicking and screaming", but it was the best thing I have EVER done for myself. People that come just for the material you get at that first meeting and in their minds they have already decided, ''I can do this at home, and not have to pay the weekly fee." Trust me, that weekly fee, for me has been money well spent. You need that support, and as you all will agree our Saturday morning group is a very good reason to wake-up early and get there.

2. I set small goals. I stopped looking at how much weight I had to lose, but celebrated each and every ounce I did lose. With almost a 100 pounds to lose, when you really think about that, my first thought was always, ''that will never happen." That much weight to lose is very over whelming.

3. I got off my butt. I began to exercise. Oh it was so very hard at first. Years of being overweight, resulted in bad knees, worn out hips and a back that was not happy either. So trust me, my body parts were not happy at all.

I feel as if those three things are just part of what has gotten me where I am at this moment. Bet you have at least three things that have gotten you to where you are right now as well.

We all have set a goal of some kind. It may at this point have nothing to do with weight loss, but we have goals set and goals to achieve. BUT, are those goals realistic and attainable? Give it some thought.

Wishing Everyone a wonderful day, and try and stay COOL.

Hugs,

Joan

Destiny.

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.

Napoleon Hill

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

This will be short today due to....for me I overslept....ha. I know, you all have to be thinking how can 3:30 be oversleeping? Trust me, for me it is.

When we all joined Weight Watchers we had a goal set, it may not have been, quote un-quote, ''get to the BMI " weight, but we had some sort of goal. For me it was just to get to the 200 pound number. Deep down I never really thought that would happen, but I always felt, ''if I could just get down to 200 pounds, I could get the rest of the way".

I began, like everyone else, by being on the honeymoon stage. Going to the grocery store and it taking me twice as long to shop as it normally did, due to I was reading labels, I was checking the points value on EVERYTHING. Not even going down those isles that carry my trigger foods.

After I lost that first 50 pounds, then I got sloppy. I would splurge on the weekend, using those 35 bonus points up very quickly, but that didn't stop me, after the weekend, I still wanted the treats and such, so I'd just go ahead and eat them, and no ,never wrote them down. All my tracking, measuring, reading labels, checking the points, oh and checking the serving size, all went by the wayside.

My chance was this, I could get to my own personal goal of 200 pounds, if I did the ''honeymoon'' stage, and we all know which one I chose to do. I have come to terms with, it has taken me a long time to get where I am right now, but then again it makes me mad to think, ''I could have been here so much quicker if I had not chosen to get lazy". BUT, I chose to believe there was a bigger reason for this to take me so long and that reason was. I was not ready to get to my goal and stay there.

I think we have to be ready mentally as well as physically not just to get to our goal, but to be able to maintain that goal. I think if I had gotten to goal within that first two years, I would have been one of those people that got to goal, stopped coming to Weight Watchers cause I knew all the answers, and would have gained all the weight back.

Our goals, whether they are with our weight or some other aspect of our lives, have to be achieved, but sometimes there maybe a little waiting period there, until we are really ready to take on the responsibility of hitting and staying at our goal.

Now honestly did you all really believe me when I said this would be short, ha ha.

Have a wonderful day,

Hugs to all,

Joan

Bob, Father's Day 2009

Happy Father's Day Dear one.

Lookin' good.

Father's Day....2009

HOW'S THAT WORKIN' FOR YA?

Dr. Phil

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

Today is the first official day of the Weight Watchers new week. I know its Father's Day and no doubt something is planned, and no doubt it revolves around food. I think this is great, due to this is a time of testing. How are you going to handle it, if your taking Dear Dad or hubby out to eat. Are you going to begin on the left side of the menu and order both sides? Or are you going to be sensible and ask for that take home box at the beginning of the meal. Just a few things to give a little thought to here today.

While on another site I came across something I thought was very interesting. It was titled ''Strategies to Be Successful in NOT LOSINT WEIGHT." So I am leaving a copy here today, read it and see how many of those either fit you right now or at some point in your life. For me, I got the whole 10, not something to be proud of to say the least.

Strategies to Be Successful in Not Losing Weight
or
How to Stay Fat in a Changing World

1. Beat yourself up … daily, or even more often.
2. Hate fat and fat people and make every effort to dislike yourself. Call yourself names, such as “you fat pig“ or “oinker.” This goes along with method #1, beating yourself up.
3. Sit around a lot playing computer games, such as Scrabble or casino games while thinking about what constructive things you should be doing; have snacks while doing this to maximize the results.
4. Make lots of lists of things to do—diets to follow, exercises to do. Then sit back confident that you’ve done the right thing. Kick back and reward yourself with some TV watching or more computer games.
5. Buy only low-calorie foods, such as sugar-free ice cream and 100-calorie packs of cookies or chips or candy. Then eat it all, secure in the knowledge that it’s lo-cal and can’t be that bad for you.
6. Go shopping—preferably before lunch or dinner when you’re at your hungriest—to buy the one or two things you need. Then browse through the store, picking up cake, ice cream, sourdough bread, peanut butter, and other necessities. Then go home and eat what you bought, but be sure and throw any leftovers away so you can start out your diet fresh in the morning.
7. Use food as entertainment. Take yourself out to lunch at a Mexican restaurant, preferably one with huge baskets of chips as appetizers. Take a good book along and relax and eat and read and eat and read. What fun.
8. Tell yourself that you absolutely HAVE to go on a diet and stay on a diet. Then rebel and eat whatever you want.
9. Have convenient lapses of memory, forgetting that you’re supposed to be eating right, and pig out before remembering your eating plan. Start again tomorrow.
10. Cut your exercise times short. Maybe just do 15 minutes on the treadmill or bike, thinking that you certainly don’t want to injure yourself. Skip a couple of the weight machines at the gym because someone is already on them and you certainly don’t want to sit there and wait till they’re done.

The above really did hit home for me. I know that I have said and done every single one of those sentences at one time or another. So think today, have a wonderful day, BUT don't let food be the center of attention.

Wishing Everyone a wonderful Sunday, and try and make Dad's day a nice one. I'm letting Bob sleep until 5:45 this morning.....I know I'm such a good wife. ha ha.

Hugs,

Joan

Picture of Bob

Here is a picture of Bob, when he was just a little guy. Bob said he was probably 7 or 8 years old.

A ladies man even way back then.

Saturday after Weight Watchers 06-20-09

If you are reading this you will know Bob and I have our electricity back. Of course it waited until I had filled all the coolers with ice and began the ''big transfer", but you know what? Not a big deal, I am just looking at that as ''MORE ACTIVITY POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!" Thinking positive here. :>)

We had several "missing in Action" today. Liz, Jennifer D., Anne, Alicia, Betty M., Denise, Mary Mac, Jenny, but I know where Jenny is. So if anyone else was missing and I failed to name you, just know you were missed, but I took notes for you all.

Today's meeting:

Mother was right!!!!!!!! Well, about eating breakfast anyway.

1. Breakfast deserves Variety.

2. Stretch your breakfast with filling food. (peppers, spinach, etc.)

3. Power up with Protein. (I think we forget just how important it is to have some protein at each meal) Just my opinion.

4. Favorites make them fun. Eye appeal is as much as anything else. Don't just glob it on your plate, make the presentation look nice. Yes, it maybe just for you, but are you not worth that little extra effort?

Our challenge for the week is to eat something different for breakfast and Toni gave this recipe and I promised I would put it in the e-mail.

Weight Watcher Maple Brown Sugar oatmeal 1 container.

1 small can peaches or pears, or whatever fruit you may like, but it has to be in its own juices.

Now this is what you do.

Spray a Pyrex dish with Pam, drain your fruit, set the juice aside due to you will be using that later. Pour the fruit in sprayed dish, then add the one container of W.W. Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, spray some butter on there, ''I can't believe its not butter", ''Brumble & Brown" the stuff in the spray bottle. The pour your reserved juice on top of that. Put in a 350 oven for 30 minutes until done. This makes one serving, and I know the oatmeal is 2 points, but don't know how much the fruit is.

So there you go. Already, we have a new recipe to begin our new week with.

It was great seeing everyone today. I was down .4, I was up .2 last week, but I've lost that plus .2 extra. So I think I am doing pretty well for two weeks on maintenance.

Wishing everyone a great day, and a great weekend. Let's not forget its Father's Day.

Hugs to all,

Joan

BE BETTER STARTING TODAY!!

The great thing about tomorrow? I can be better tomorrow than I am today.

Tiger Woods

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

A couple of reminders here this morning. First if you are interested in the exercise video/dvd exchange bring yours tomorrow, make sure your name is on there, so if someone takes it with them you will be able to have it returned.

Second, if any of you remember Toni mentioned this weeks topic was going to be about breakfast ideas. So come with your breakfast ideas to share with the group. Also in Hungry Girls' e-mail yesterday or the day before, can't remember which, but she had some great microwave ideas using eggs. If anyone does not get Hungry Girls' daily e-mail let me know and I can forward it to you.

Commercials are over, now back to regular programming. ;)

I saw this quote yesterday morning and just knew it was going in today's e-mail. Think about it, if yesterday was a fall flat on your face day, and boy I sure hope it wasn't due to we ''meet the scale" tomorrow morning, we can always do better today. Does not matter that we are just one day before our weigh-in, what matters is, if you have been struggling all week and only realized how close Saturday was when you saw this e-mail. Don't throw your hands up and say, ''well, I might as well just wait now until next week to get serious." Today!!!!!!!!!!!! Today!!!!!!!!! IS THE DAY TO BE BETTER!!!

I know myself, when I get into that frame of mind, I can really pack on the pounds. A lot of that gain was water weight due to when I am not doing what I know is the right thing I tend to not drink my water, so with no hydration, and all the crap I would shove into my mouth, oh yeah, I could be up 5-8 pounds really easily.

The other important thing here is if you are remotely thinking, ''I've had a bad week, so I'm not going to show up tomorrow". Oh my, just don't go there. Its those times when we need to be at our meetings the most. It is those times we need to surround ourselves with the people that really do understand all about struggling with our weight, due to every single person here, I guarantee has one time or another fallen off the wagon, got caught in the wheels and dragged down that road in which I like to refer to as, ''road to self-distraction". Yep, distraction we lose focus, we stop tracking, then we stop exercising, then we begin the stinkin' thinkin'. That is how we get dragged through the mud and ran over with the wagon wheels.

So if yesterday was not a good day, if the whole week has been a lot to be desired, remember today is a brand new day, and why not begin today with a clean slate.

Hope to See Everyone tomorrow,

Hugs to all,

Joan

Are You Parking???

The road to success is dotted with many a tempting parking places.

Anonymous

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

Last Saturday Toni mentioned to the group about doing a six weeks activity challenge. The challenge is just for ourselves. Question here is. Has anyone challenged themselves this week? Are you putting a few extra steps on that pedometer, or maybe you are just now deciding to wear a pedometer to check out your steps daily. Just wondering how it is going for each of you. For me, I have been trying to get in a few extra miles each day, and so far I have done really well except for Tuesday, but Tuesday was not a bad mileage day at all.

So here we are its Thursday, we have today and tomorrow before we step upon that scale again. Are you feeling pretty good about your week so far? The above quote make me think of myself, when I read it. Due to for over a year and a half I did feel as if I was setting parked somewhere. Oh, it had nothing to do the Weight Watcher program, it was all due to me. I think when we have a lot of weight to lose we do get to a certain point when we are able to buy smaller clothes, people are giving up compliments, we can actually walk without passing out from not getting enough oxygen, and we think, ''oh I can maybe not work so hard now". I think we get comfortable and yes, we find a parking space, and we park there for awhile, and then we like to call that a ''plateau" when in reality, its just us not working as hard as we should.

So if you have found you a parking space, and you have been setting there for awhile, maybe its time to step on the gas put it in drive and leave that parking space. Maybe its time to do what you know deep down needs to be done. No one said this was going to be easy, but really what worthwhile thing have you ever done that when you succeeded has been easy. It's the same with our weight loss journey. I call it a weight loss journey, due to it is never going to end if we are to become and remain successful.

Wishing Everyone a wonderful day,

Hugs & Stay Strong,

Joan

GETTING UP AGAIN & AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up.

Vince Lombardi

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

Quick shout out to Edi, who may still be in Wisconsin with family, Betty & Denise who I am missing, and trusting everything is going well with both of you. Our Jana is back from vacation, and I heard it from a very good source she exercised everyday she was on vacation. Our Wisconsin Sally is right now kicking butt she is so motivated. Sally had dinner with some gal pals last night, and we all know that can prove to be trouble. First Sally walked around the Mall, and when her meal came she asked for a take home box before she took her first bite. Very proud of you Sally and what a NSV (Non Scale Victory) that is. Christiane, I hope your dinner out went as well, and you were able to walk out of there feeling empowered.

We have all at some point in our lives have gotten knocked down. Oh my, have no idea how many times I have gotten knocked down on this weight loss journey. I could have thrown in the towel and walked away when the going got rough, and I have done that so many times before. I think, no, I know one of the big reasons I have stuck it out this time is due to the wonderful support I get from each of you. I can honestly say at no time in my life have I ever enjoyed getting together each week, and each morning with a group of ladies.

If one of us stumble and fall, we have 37 more to come help pick us up. No we cannot do the work for each other, BUT, we can offer the support that so often is missing. We want to help lift each other up, we don't want to see one of our own struggling. We reach out and offer a hand. However, as supporters, there is only so much each of us can do. The real job falls on our own shoulders. Are we willing to do the hard work, or had we rather set on the sidelines wringing our hands while saying, "I am doing everything right, but the scale just won't move downward". So first off, here is what we have to do.

1. Dig out those Weight Watchers books that at the beginning of the year we received each week. Blow the dust off them and re-read them. You will be amazed at what you might learn.

2. Get out from in front of the TV or computer and go for a walk. Trust me, I know the weather is hot and humid, and we are dodging rain on a daily basis, but if nothing else walk around your house. Put that pedometer on and watch those steps add up.

3. Be honest with yourself. I know at one time I had myself convinced I was doing all I could do, and the scale just hated me. In reality, yes, I was doing all I could do NOT to succeed. There were these two men I had been having an affair with.....have I gotten your attention yet.....Ben & Jerry, they will forever be the love of my life. However, we have had to end our torrid affair and guess what, doing that I finally made it to goal.

I am sure there are many more things the rest of you can come up with. It is no sin to fall down, the sin is laying there wallowing in the self-pity that comes alone with not getting back up. So if you have been struggling lately, you/me/we have at least two choices. Get up dust yourself off, look in the mirror and say, ''I AM WORTH ALL THIS HARD WORK!" Or, you/me/we can continue to flop around like a fish out of water.

Falling down is the easy part, the real courage is in getting back up.

Wishing Everyone a wonderful day,

Hugs,

Joan

Gotta Have a PLAN.

A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow.

General George S. Patton

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

Hope everyone had a good Monday, and I hope everyone was able to up the activity a bit more. I went for an extra walk yesterday morning. Had my cell phone with me so I did the ''walk and talk" thing.

What kind of plan do you have in place for today? For me being able to stay on track and stay focused has so much to do with planning. If I don't have my meals already planned either in my head or down on paper, then I am like a fish out of water. Setting myself up for a day of flopping around grabbing this and that stuffing my face, but never feeling satisfied.

Now I am not saying that on the days that I do have everything planned that the stuffing my face part does not happen. It does. Yesterday for some strange reason was one of those days. I had all my 35 bonus points, I had not only done the elliptical for 50 minutes yesterday morning, but I has also gone for another 30 minute walk. I am not sure what brought the grazing on, but I was a grazer yesterday. I did keep track of everything, I did dip into my 35 bonus points, but was miserable all day cause I just wanted to eat all day. I really don't like days like that.

I think one thing that was going on there, was I was tired. Being tired can get me into all kinds of trouble. So to make sure I do not have a repeat performance of yesterday I sat down last night and drew up my plan. Food is there, points are calculated and yes, I am off to the gym in a bit. So I have implemented my plan and even though it may not be a great one, it is a plan. A map if you will, to guide me back to making better choices. The food I ate yesterday was all healthy things, just way too much. I thought about our Lisa B. yesterday at one point when I was eating out of the grape tomato bowl that sets on our kitchen counter. I have heard Lisa B. say so many times, ''We don't have a weight problem due to eating too many vegetables", that always makes me smile. No, I don't think eating too many grape tomatoes is a bad thing, but to be honest, the acid in them has sure played a number on my mouth, ha. I over indulged on those and now have little ulcers in my mouth. I know what tomatoes can do to me, but it never stopped me. I also know what eating too much of the healthy foods can do to me as well, but that didn't stop me either. Live and Learn all over again.

Do you have a plan today? Or will you be flying by the seat of your pants?

Just a reminder of the exercise DVD/Video exchange. Bring any and all exercise tapes with your name on them so if someone borrows them they will know who they belong too. This is such a great way if someone has never tried one of the exercise video's to get a chance to do so.

Wishing everyone a great "PLANNED" day,

Hugs to all,

Joan

Getting back up again.

Fall Down 7 times Get up 8.

Anonymous

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

I hope everyone had a good weekend, both socially as well as food wise. Sally left for home yesterday, and I am pleased to say she made it home safe and sound. She will be back in September for Bob's blow out birthday party.

Fall down seven times get up eight. Boy, does that ever hit home for me, but I just bet it does for the rest of you as well. We fall off the wagon, we get caught in the wheels as they roll over us, and it seems that just as we get to the point of throwing up our hands up to call it quits, the wagon stops, we get up from underneath the wheel and we begin again.

We have all been there, it maybe an up-coming wedding, or a vacation that we want to lose those extra pounds for, and as soon as that event is over, the weight seems to find its way right back to our butts and thighs. All that hard work to have it short lived. That got me to thinking....why do we do that to ourselves??? After we worked so hard to get the weight off. Was it not what we thought it would be? Were we expecting our lives to change in some big way? If we answer no to these two questions, then what is the answer?

Like I said, I have been giving this some serious thought due to I don't want to repeat my past and I think if anything I (and I can only speak for myself) become careless. All those times before when I have gained and lost weight, but I only did Weight Watchers once before this time, so it was not like I kept returning to the same things. I would try anything and every thing that sounded new, easy and of course it was advertised with models that you could already see their rib cages, no flaws on those people.

This is real life. Real things are going to happen to throw us off track. There will be times when we do want to throw our hands up and say, ''I QUIT!!" The good news here is I know we are none quitters. Yes, there are times whether it be due to illness or injury or just our own selves getting in the way that we fall from the wagon get wrapped around the wheel and are run over time after time, BUT, we don't quit. We keep thinking, ''this maybe the time", this maybe the time I actually get it right. So I have to try one more time.

So if you have been struggling for awhile, don't give up, remember this, falling down in the easy part, getting up is the part that takes real determination.

Wishing Everyone a great day,

Hugs,

The New Joan.....

Here I was yesterday exactly one week being at goal.

Changing/Exchanging?? Which do you need to do?

Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.

H.L. HUNT

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

What are you willing to exchange to get to your end goal? Or if your already a lifetime member, what are you willing to change to stop the ''flip flopping"? Both valid questions.

For me I had to do a ton of exchanging and even now I have to decide what else I am going to change to get myself into what I like to call, ''maintenance rhythm". Last week was my first week on maintenance, and I was up .2 pounds. I had already been told I would probably have a gain, so I was prepared for that, and since it was such a small gain I feel pretty sure it was not really anything that I had done wrong.

We do need to think about the things we can change to make our weight loss or even maintaining our weight loss to go more smoothly. Yesterday we had our weigh in, and yes its the weekend, and I know that most all of us have the hardest time during the weekends. I always did until I got my mind set in the right direction. I cannot treat Saturday and Sunday any different than if it were Monday-Friday. I still get in my activity, it may not be going to the gym, but I make sure I exceed those ten thousand steps on my pedometer so at the end of the day I have a nice number of steps added up.

I found out--something I knew, just did not want to admit to it--I cannot have the treats on the weekends. In fact I am not one of those people that can be trusted with a treat, as I know many of you share that same addiction. So back in January I just had to tell myself, ''you have this control problem when it comes to food, there are some thing you are just never going to be able to have."

For a while it was as if someone died, and yesterday I got tested right there at our Weight Watchers meeting. The Ginger Snaps are back and they are back for a limited time. My first thought, ''go get your wallet, buy three boxes?" My immediate second thought was, ''ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" I was so about to set myself up for a disaster. Oh it would be great if I could just eat the one package and move on, but no if I had purchased those three boxes that I first thought about getting, before I went to bed last night they would have been all gone, and what would I have accomplished? Nothing except some really negative thoughts and feeling that would have followed, and I know myself well enough to know, it would have been just the beginning, I would not have been able to say, ''I am on my second week doing maintenance".

So I have changed. I have changed my thinking, I have decided what is more important, that instant joy I think I am getting when I was sneaking and eating out of Bob's Russell Stover's candy at night, or being able to say, "I am more important than any chocolate martini (which I have never had), I am more important than that ice cream sundae, I am important enough to do the research and plan before heading out to eat, I am important enough to myself and to my goal to ask for that take home box before I even begin my meal.

I am, You are, WE ALL ARE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MAKE CHANGES. We are worth the effort it takes to get up and get excited. Ladies today is a brand new day, make changes if you need to, if you find you are struggling call a friend, heck you all have my phone number and if you don't here it is 423-8294, if I can't talk trust me, Bob is great in talking people off the ledge, ha. All joking aside, we need support and we try to give it here, we get it at our weekly meetings, we need change, and change can be scary, but you know it can also be really good.

Have a wonderful Sunday, and STAY STRONG,

Love to all,

Joan

Saturday after Weight Watchers 06-13-09

Good almost Afternoon Sister W.W.F.F., (Weight Watcher Friends Forever),

First off I want to welcome Angie and Annie to our daily e-mail group. Ladies, just jump in wherever you like. Some days we have lots of replies and there are days that no one talks. So just make yourselves at home.

I also want to congratulate our Christiane for reaching her 10% this week. Christiane, you are doing so great and you look wonderful. Keep up the great work.

Our Jennifer D. did her first marathon last week. That totally rocks, and even though she thought she had a horrid week food wise, the scale proved to still love her. Great job Jennifer.

It was so great to have Randy, Becky and our Lisa B. back, you all have been missed. I'm sure there were others on our e-mail list that may not have been with us today, and please forgive me for not giving you a shout out, but know you were missed.

Today's meeting notes:

Fifty ways to leave your lover OR 22 ways to lose...weight.

1. Walk....you can walk just about anywhere.

2.Cycle...indoors or out

3.Run...if you can

4.Play...its summer get out with the kids

5.Get with your best friend (call a friend and take a walk)

6.Step it up (do a little bit more)

7.Fitness DVD's (remember the DVD exchange for next week)

8.Skip...be a kid again

9.Dance....4 fast songs will result in 2 activity points.

10.Clean up.....cleaning you house from top to bottom each week, in one year will result in 50,000 calories burned.

now that is a really good reason to clean house.

11.Dig for Victory....work in your garden...get your hands dirty.

12.Isometric exercise....these are much more effective that people really give them credit.

13. Pilate's...harder than it looks, but great results.

14.From the kitchen....police your kitchen, clean out those pantries that are holding all that stuff that can get you in trouble.

15.#15, I can't make out what I wrote...sorry.

16. Yoga....very effective from what I have heard.

17.Simple stretching. I love this one, it does make you feel really great.

18.Make exercise your entertainment. If you have time to set at the computer, then you have time to get up and move.

19.Use local facilities.....we have so many places right here in the Louisville area.

20. Websites....google, you will be amazed at what you can find. Here are the two websites Toni gave us today....

healthierus.gov

simplefitnessgear.com

21. Work outs from the TV

22. Become an opportunist....park further away from the front door of stores. It's summer if you have access to a pool....use it.

Challenge:

Set a 6 weeks activity goal. Come up with some new ideas and new way to get more activity into your day.

Next Week: Breakfast ideas

Thought for the week:

Hiring a Personal trainer

Good

Going for a walk with a friend.

Free

Saving money while getting healthy

PRICELESS.

Wishing Everyone the best weekend possible.

Hugs to all,

Joan

Are you ready for some change.

The first step toward change is acceptance....Change is not something you do, it's something you allow.

Will Garcia

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.,

Here we are at the end of the week again. Can it be Friday already? This has been my first week to be on maintenance, and I think I have done pretty well. If you ever thought adding a few points to your daily food intake would be easy, well it's not hard, but I do have to do a bit more thinking and planning. I keep thinking, ''now wait a minute, I had to give up points as I lost weight, now you want me to add points". As I said, I think I have done pretty well, due to I have not been overly stuffed, but I have not been wanting to graze either. It is learning, and it is change, and I guess that is why its called MAINTENANCE.

Each and everyday our lives change in some way or other. Sometimes it is for the good other times we may stand back and ask the question, ''why now"? While I was gone on vacation and Kevin and Marc stayed with their Dad, Bob twisted his back. Now we all know how bad it is if we hurt our backs, but just think about this. Here is a man than has total body ankle-lotis (no joints move & I know I have not spelled it correctly), his spine does not bend, his left arm is the only limb he has that will bend. He walks on crutches, and has done that since he was a teenager, and then his back gets twisted? This change is not something any of us actually allowed, it just happened. Now trust me if that were me, I would be so pissed at the world and looking to the Heaven's asking God, ''now just what kind of warped sense of humor do you have?" Now that is what I would be doing. Not Bob. Bob even though he is much better, his back is still painful, but Bob looks to the Heaven's and says to God, ''do with me this day what seems good in your sight". Bob has uttered that same prayer for as long as I've know him, and I knew the man 15 years before I married him nearly 11 years ago. I asked him one day, ''why do you say that prayer every morning?" His reply to me was, ''well, it has worked so far, so why change it now?"

Things are going to change. Sometimes it will be for the good, and sometimes it may be just because we need to stop look at whatever it is that has changed in a whole different light. Yep, change happens everyday, sometimes we see it and sometimes it happens and we never even realize it did.

Hope to see EVERYONE tomorrow,

Hugs,

Joan