Monday August 31, 2009

A word of encouragement during failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.

Anonymous

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.

What a beautiful weekend we just had. Hope you all were able to get out and enjoy this fine weather. As we all know this is not typical August weather.

Have you ever felt as if you just cannot go on one more day on your weight loss adventure? Have you ever just waited for someone, anyone, to say the one thing that is going to finally make you snap out of it and get back on track? Wonder how much damage is going to be done before someone says what we need to hear?

Just a thought here, wonder if its already been said, but for whatever reason, you've just missed what was said? As we have been told over and over again, ''no one can do this for us." As I have said before I will never use the phrase again, ''if I can do it anybody can," due to, that is not true. Yes, anyone can do what I and many others have done, BUT, they have to want it as bad as we have. You have to have that burning desire to make changes, and yes, it has to be worked at every single day.

I have heard so many time, ''I just can't get up early like you do." Trust me, its not what its all cracked up to be, but for me to be able to get my exercise in before my day begins taking care of Bob, then I know I have to get up at dark 30. I understand about not wanting to track everything that goes in our mouths, I understand wanting to scream that we have to look up one more food item just to see what the points will be. I just hate it that someone else can't do this for me. Sound familiar?

I get up earlier than I really have to, for another reason as well, and that is I want to have this e-mail out for when you all wake up. I have just wanted to encourage those that struggle, and celebrate with those that are moving right alone getting closer and closer each day to their goal.

I asked a question yesterday, got some replies, but what I really hope is that the question just made you stop and think. Today is a new day, maybe the weekend was a total eating, drinking and being merry fest, that was the weekend. Today sharpen up that pencil, and begin writing, you know don't write what your eating down, write what you are feeling. Maybe that is where you need to start.

Sunday August 30, 2009

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.

Willie Nelson

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

I have a question this morning, and I know for some this question does not apply, but asking it anyway.

If the weeks you tracked your food, got in your activity, and came in weighed and had a loss. Then why would you ever want to stop tracking and getting in your activity?

I'm waiting for answers on this, cause I really want to know.

Saturday 08-29-09

One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.

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

Great meeting this morning. We missed those of you that were not there. So I have to tell you, ''Joan is at a new number on the scale......170!!!!!!!!!!!! Color me happy.

So good to see our Betty back today, and she gave herself the best birthday gift she could and that was re-committing to her weight loss adventure. Way to go Betty, and if you need help we are all here for you.

Today's notes

Building healthy habits: Re-discover our week 4 book. Read it people.

How many times have we tried and think we have failed? We learn from our experience.

Manage your environment.

Here is where sometimes we need to be a bit selfish. Put those thing out of sight. Out of sight out of mind. It's okay to be selfish. Even at work we need be good to yourself, don't let those goodies rule us.

ATTEND MEETING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So much cheaper that therapy :). This is a great way to get motivation. There is always someone with a new idea. We get to laugh, and maybe too much at time, but it is just a great way to spend time together. Like it or not....we are family.

Next Week's topic: Lose for Good.

Quote:

Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up. Kamazes.

Friday's Thoughts.

Positive thinking won't let you do anything but it will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. Zig Ziglar

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

First off, want to wish our Cara a great time this weekend. She is going to be in Wisconsin for a Parrott Head Convention.....actually a Jimmy Buffett concert. So Cara have a fun and safe trip. We expect story upon your return.

Found some things that we may need to be reminded of.

10 ways to think thin

1. Set reasonable goals.

2. Go out to a restaurant and watch other people eat. Compare how a thin person and a heavy person eats.

3. Don't weigh yourself too often. Too easy to get discouraged. Once a week is enough.

4. Take a ''before" picture. Great way to see how small you are really getting.

5. Take up a new hobby instead of eating. Keep those hands busy.

6. If you serve your food family style (bowl passing) serve from the kitchen stove instead. This way the food is out of site.

7. Don't attach your weight loss to a specific date or event.

8. Don't list too many forbidden foods for yourself.

9. Don't watch TV or listen to the radio while you are eating.

10. Chew each mouthful of food 20 times before swallowing.

Wishing Everyone a great day.

See most of you all tomorrow,

Much Love,

Joan

Thursday

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.

Mary Engelbreit

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

It seems there are many struggling right now, for so many different reason. Children leaving the nest, things in our personal lives not being just were we would like, maybe you have a loved one your caring for. There is always something to attribute to the struggles we have, whether it is with our weight loss adventure of just struggling through life in general. That is why I liked the above quote.

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Our adventure is at least 85% mental. If we don't think we can do this, then it is a pretty sure bet we won't be able to succeed.

We don't like tracking. Well, we have been given other options for that other than actually writing it down in the little book. There is the clicker, there is the fast track in the back of our tracker, there is the e-tool's if you have the internet. Don't get me wrong there may actually be some people that can keep track in their heads, but I know for sure I am not one of those, due to way too much other stuff in my head.

We don't like exercise/activity. Notice how much better you feel after you have gotten in your walk, your gym workout, whatever it is you do to be able to add those activity points. I just don't have time. If you have time to sit and read this, then you had time to take a quick walk or even jog in place.

I don't like all those vegetables. I'm with you on that one, but you know what, I have for years had broccoli barred from even being brought into my house. Until, the latest edition of the w.w. magazine came out. There was a coupon for the Green Giant Single Serve microwable vegetables in there. Well the only thing my Kroger had to offer was the broccoli and cheese. Yes, I bought it. Hey I had a dollar off coupon :). The amazing thing is I found out, I LIKED IT!!!!!!!!!!! One evening I did one baked potato and split it between Bob and I, I nuked the broccoli and cheese thing and dumped that on my potato, and guess what, I HAD TWO VEGETABLE SERVINGS RIGHT THERE. The important thing is it was good. This year I have found out the same thing about sweet potatoes, never liked them, and there is a story behind why I never liked them, but I tried them again, and with some spray butter and splenda brown sugar, you have a very nice dessert there.

I don't like getting up early to go to meetings. Then find a later meeting. Trust me it won't be as much fun and entertainment as our Saturday morning meeting, but it is a solution.

I hate getting on the scale. Well who doesn't especially if its been a week that you know you were not as good as you should have been. Think of the scale for what it is. It is something to give you information. It may not be the information you want, but at least you will know what has to be done.

I feel deprived. Why? There is nothing you cannot have on Weight Watchers, but you do....and if we had been doing this all alone we wouldn't need Weight Watchers or anything else.....have to watch portions, and make sure you have points to cover yourself.

There is something about everything that we all don't like, but we have the ability to look for change. All changes won't work for all of us. We each have to find what works best for us.

Make it a good day,

Wednesday

You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.

General Colin Powell

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

Today let's keep our Sister Becky in our thoughts. Today Hannah goes off to college. We are here for you Sister Girlfriend.

I thought this morning we would have a little fun. I don't know how many of you get the ''Dottie's " newsletter. Her website is not recognized by Weight Watchers. It is my understanding that she and her husband are both Weight Watchers member, and its like most sites, there are times there is useful information, and there are times......like my e-mail......you have to sit back and say, ''hum, she must not be having a good day.

Anyhow, the following came from her newsletter this month, and I found it amusing and thought I'd share it with you all and let you see just how many of these things you can identify with.

You Know You’re a Weight Watcher when:

• You accidentally swallow toothpaste and wonder how many POINTS it had in it.
  
• You stand in the aisles at the grocery store with your WW Points Finder figuring POINTS before you buy.
  
• You feel your collar bone/ribs/hip bones and think you need to call 911 because something must be broken.
• This one I actually had happen to me, but it was my knees. When I would go to bed at night, I lay on my side. Well, I could not figure out why on earth my knees touching hurt so bad. It was cause the padding (fat) was disappearing. So now I sleep with a pillow between my knees.
  
• Everyone at your lunch table is asking you to figure the POINTS on their lunch. I know we all have done this one.
  
• You threaten to put your cat on WW.
  
• You figure the POINTS on cough syrup.
  
• Your child says there are too many POINTS in something s/he doesn't want to eat! This one sounds like something Lisa B.'s youngest would say, ha.
  
• You don't want to share ANY of your food with anyone because you've measured it and know exactly how many POINTS are in it. Of course that is a no brainier.
  
• You know where every public restroom is wherever you go . . . you need it after drinking all that water!
  
• You realize "gram" is a four-letter word.
  
• You weigh yourself before and after the bathroom just to see how much of a difference it makes.
  
• You don't mind "seeing stars."
  
• You ask your WW leader to bring in a curtain so you can weigh-in naked. Cara, this one had your name written all over it. ha ha.
  
• Your child gets an "A" in English for turning your journal in as a book report.
  
• You convince the grocery store owner to organize the food aisles according to POINTS values. I'm calling my Kroger store today. Great idea.
  
• You hang your 5-pound bookmarkers from your car antenna. Only if I wanted to lose it.
• You replace your college diploma with your 50 lb. magnet (now which one is actually tougher to achieve?)

~~Author Unknown

I wish you all a wonderful day,

Much Love,

Joan

Mums' everywhere.

These are the red mums I put in our courtyard.

Bob after his martini.....feeling no pain.

Bob....the soon to be birthday boy.

Yellow Mums.

I got a new camera yesterday, and I am learning all the new stuff there is. So today, I have learned to download my pictures from the camera to my computer, I have learned to print from my hp picture printer, and now I have figured out how to post a picture of my mums, I bought for Bob's upcoming 90th birthday party.

Twist & Turns.

A bend in the road is not the end of the road.....unless you fail to make the turn.

Unknown

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

Are you in the bend of the road with your weight loss adventure? Are you not sure if you want to make the turn to get back on track or not? I think we all get to that point at sometime or other. I think we get tired of feeling deprived, even though we know we can have whatever it is we want on this plan, but we should have enough points to cover whatever it is. I think that is the thing, we get tired of having to make sure we have enough points.

Right now you maybe at the bend of the road, the reason could be due to the empty next syndrome, it could be something else that is bothering you. But as Dr. Phil would say.........................................

You can never, ever, use weight loss to solve problems that are not related to your weight. At your goal weight or not you still have to live with yourself and deal with your problems. You will still have the same husband, the same job, the same kids, and the same life. Losing weight is not a cure for life.

I have said this before. I had been told many times, how much better things would be in my life if I lost the weight. Health wise, yes, but ''in my life wise", not true. Things really never change, what has changed is me. My attitude toward so many things have changed, my attitude toward myself, the way I allow people to treat me has changed as well. I realized I do have ''worth". Yes, it was there all alone, but it was hidden deep down from all the food I kept stuffing down to ''ease the pain."

Things are going to happen. Life is going to happen. If its not one thing, trust me it will be something else. There are always going to be something to celebrate, something to mourn, letting go of our children so they can experience new adventures in their own lives. What we have to do, is try and settle ourselves and make peace with our mistakes where our eating is concerned. Maybe the food is the ''hug'' you need right now. That is okay. That does not mean your a bad person, my advice is just go with whatever it is you need to do, get it out of your system, stop beating yourself up, and then move on. No one is perfect, at least no one that will read my e-mail. ha.

Are you the mountain here??

It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.

Edmund Hillary

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

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and I can see by the picture our Rhonda sent that she did have sweets over the weekend...eye candy...is what I'd call Keith Urban. You go Girl!!!!

Found what I think to be just the perfect quote for those of you that ''hate'' tracking. It's not the tracking we need to conquer, its ourselves. I have to truly be honest here, I don't know what the problem is about tracking. I write my food down every day, the same way I take my hormone medication everyday. It's just something I do. I know what is going to happen if I don't take the hormone pills, I will be having hot flashes, Bob's life would be in danger as well as most anyone else that dared to walk through our door. So I also know if I don't track my food that by the end of the week, when I climb onto that trusty scale, there is going to be a gain, and there I stand saying, ''how did that happen?" Of course the entire time, we all know there is something wrong with Toni's scale, or someone has sneaked up behind up and placed their toe on the scale. Yeah, we have all the answers, does not mean the answers are correct? Or do we have the answers.....or are they excuses?

We have been told over and over, ''it takes 3 weeks to form a new habit." Well why not begin today as the first day of your "3 week" plan and start tracking your food. You maybe surprised how if you actually stop fighting tracking so much, that you may well make a habit out of it.

Some may well be able to keep track in their heads, not me, I have way too much other stuff jumbling up my head. So I have to track what I eat. I can look back at my online weight chart, where I enter my weight each Saturday after our meeting. The weeks I did not track are the weeks, I had the biggest gains.

Yeah, I am harping on tracking, cause sometimes when things are not going as well weight loss wise as we would like, we have to stand back and look things right in the eye, pull up our big girl panties, pick up that pen, pencil or log onto your e-tools, and ''JUST DO IT!!!!" Or could it be your afraid to succeed?? Hum, now right there may well be a whole new e-mail for another day.

For anyone not tracking, I challenge you to begin today. It's like bad tasting medicine, just hold your nose and get it over with.

Most everyone that has ever taken home the traveling tracker, and actually tracked their food, saw a loss that week. So if it works with the traveling tracker then why on earth would you stop after you turned in the traveling tracker?

Ok, now you can let the replies begin. :)

Wishing Everyone a Glorious day of TRACKING, :)

August 22,, 2009

Hey there Sister W.W.F.F., (Weight Watchers Friends Forever),

To begin with I want to welcome our latest ''victim'' :) to the e-mail group. Kathy Fox, she started Weight Watchers today, and we want to welcome her not only to our meeting, but to the group here, and hope that you will feel comfortable in asking questions if you need to, if you have a recipes, please feel free to share it, anything that is working or not working not only for you, but anyone else, this is a great place to bring it up, due to we all know how to ''reply all." :)

We had some M.I.A.'s (Missing In Action) today. Actually several. Just want you all to know you were missed. Clare, Christane, Randy, Michlele, Lisa B. (we know where you are), Jana, Betty M, (must still be playing with that new grandbaby), Lisa S. (she may still have her grass skirt on), Denise & Amy W. Just want you ALL to know its just not the same with you not being there.

Now onto the business of the day. For those of you that were not at the meeting today, here are the notes.

Are you stuck?

Are you coasting?

or

Are you moving ahead?

Possible causes of plateaus and slowed weight loss.

*Relaxed efforts= we think our idea or plan is better.

*Too much weight loss to quickly= Now this was is really hard due to I have to be honest I don't know of anyone that this has happened too, but I do know from what I have read if you lose too much too fast you are also losing muscle.

*Body's changing needs= The test that is on e-tool and in our week 1 book you need to redo that each 10 pounds you lose, and for each birthday you have.

*New Medication= Always, ask your doctor ''will this cause weight gain?" Many times the medication will cause a weight gain, and you have not eaten more. So always a good idea to ask. Hey that is why we pay these people.

*Body adapting to exercise= I know for a fact when you begin a strength training exercise, that you muscles normally get sore, well that is due to extra fluid that builds up to protect those muscles, and yes you are going to show a gain. I was also told by a trainer at one time, ''if you have never been one to exercise and you begin an exercise program, it will take at least six weeks for the loss to start showing up on the scale." So your clothes may well be getting looser, due to you are losing inches, but the scale may well be taking its good old easy time showing your loss.

Tips to get Back On Track:

Boost the amount of filling foods your eating. Eat more of the ''green diamond'' ones. Fruits, vegetables, and protein for sure.

Recommit to tracking. We all know this works, so why on earth fight it like we do?

Double check portion sizes, and remember 1/2 cup frozen yogurt does not mean a 1/2 cup packed. Yeah, I know all the tricks too. :)

Get back into an exercise routine. 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week, and you don't have to do 30 minutes at one time. Break it up a bit, do 10 minutes 3 times a day, or two 15 minute sessions. Just get up and MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Mix up your activity. Do something different. Make it fun. If you Mall walk, instead of coming in on the same side all the time, there are other doors, try a different beginning place.

Weight Watchers has the 4 way approach. Today we covered two of the four.

Eat Smart re-read book 1

Move More re-read book 2

What change can you make to keep eating and activity fresh and exciting.

Next week's topic: Additional skills for getting back on track.

Quote for the week:

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

Remember Sister's this is a ''NO GIVE UP" zone.

The Week in Review.

Patience, persistence and timing reaps rewards.

Anonymous

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

Well we have made it to Friday once again. So let us do a little review of this weeks, e-mails. We have talked about:

How close are you to where you want to be on this weight loss journey?

Are you getting new strength and new hope?

Are you really serious about what your doing?

Are you hitting the floor running toward your goal each day?

and last so far.

Are you at the end or starting on a new beginning?

I have to admit as I look over these things, it gives me even more to focus on, and to think about what my next adventure is going to be. I call it an adventure, due to it sounds more exciting than always using the word ''journey". I think the adventure, for me anyway, comes in each week due to I don't get on my scale here at home, so the adventure is getting on the scale at the meeting each Saturday morning. May sound silly, but you have to go with what works for you.

I hope the e-mails this week have given all of us time to stop, look and listen to our inner voices. I probably should not be saying this, but sometimes we do need to just step back and re-evaluate what we are doing. Maybe we have been more or less doing nothing for the past few weeks, months or even a year or more. I think each of us have to decide ''what is it I really want from this, and just how much work am I actually willing to put into this?" It's not an easy question to have to come face to face with and then we also have to deal with the answer we may get.

For myself, and I still have trouble actually believing I made it to my goal. One thing I do believe with all my heart and that is this, "if it had not been for the constant support I have been given from my sister's at our Saturday morning Weight Watchers meeting, I would have quit a long time ago." We can plan, we can track, we can exercise, we can show up for the meeting, but unless we have a network of good solid people/friends who have our backs, who help to hold us up when we think we can't stand one more minute, who are there for us for the bad stuff in our lives as well as the good stuff. If we did not have each other, then I cannot see how this would ever work and how we could ever be a success at this.

In my eyes we are all a success story, some of us are still adding to that story, but it is still our story and it does not matter how damn long it takes to write it, cause its going to have a great ending, I just know it will.

Is it the End or Just the Beginning??

What appears to be the end may really be a new beginning.

Unknown.

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

The question I am about to ask came from someone else's meeting, but I liked it so well I thought "today I shall borrow that question."

If you fell down one step would you just keep on until you fell down all of them or would you get up and then move on?

I pretty well know the answers I would get, but it is something to think about, and also how it falls right in there with our daily weight loss journey. We stumble by getting into those trigger foods we all seem to have. We allow something to upset us. A lot of times it is just that life gets in the way of our good intentions. The important thing is if we do stumble on that first step and fall, we need to get ourselves back up as quickly as possible and move on carefully.

It's hard, and we all know that it is. There does not seem to be a magic pill as of yet. Even though nearly everyday you can turn on the TV and hear some very sleek, well built person telling us about this amazing program that will just have the fat melting off of you while you eat whatever, whenever, and as much of your favorite foods as you like. It's one of those ''if its sounds to good to be true, then it probably is."

We are all going to have days, sometimes even weeks when we just cannot seem to get back into the groove of eating on plan. Sometimes we just have to ''get it out of our system". Maybe we've been doing this so long we feel we just need a break. Now don't get me wrong I'm not telling anyone to quit Weight Watchers, but what I am saying is this, ''maybe you do need to step back and look at all the reason's you started this weight loss journey to begin with." I think this journey is like just about anything and everything else we do, there are times we need a break. However, the break does not mean we throw caution to the wind and move our reading lamp into a Baskin Robbins. Maybe you just need to re-evaluate your goal, have you ever thought that maybe your goal is set too low and if you are struggling to either get there or stay there, this could be the reason. The most of us on here are older, and why on earth would we even think about wanting to weigh what we did when we were in our teens and twenties. Things change, our bodies change. Now after I wrote that about not weighing what we did in our teens and twenties, well to be quite honest, I weight a whole lot less now than I ever did in my teens or twenties. But, I am maintaining , and my weight is not Weight Watcher BMI, it's Joan and her doctor's recommended weight, its something I feel I can live with and maintain without having to live on water and toothpicks, and so far it is working.

So have you fallen down a step or maybe even two? Are you going to continue the free fall? Or are you going to make today your new beginning? We all have choices, just make sure you make the one that is best for you.

I am a Survivor.

"Every Morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning the lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." Unknown

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

Now I ask does the above quote not just make all the sense in the world? So how did it go yesterday, were you able to give any thought to the question yesterday about being serious about your weight loss journey? I know some of you did, due to I got e-mails, and I thank you for the replies. Some of you may still be pondering the question, and if you are just know that you have a whole slew of sister's here and each and everyone of us have your back.

I've had several things to more or less make me stop breathing this week. Now when I say this I don't mean I am physically not breathing and turning blue. But, I do become overwhelmed and end up having to make a phone call and have someone tell me, ''just remember breath. In with the good out with the bad." Thanks Sally. :)

What happens when we let ourselves become overwhelmed with the things of everyday life, not to mention the extra's that we put on ourselves. We tend to turn to comfort, and with people like us it normally is food. So this is another reason I have to get up and hit the ground running. I have to do something to make sure I'm not just standing with my head in the pantry, or the fridge eating with both hands. Each morning I have the gym, and on some days, I actually run over to the mall and get a walk in there as well. If I don't have some distraction, then the next thing I know I'm going to be back to having that torrid affair with Russell, Ben & Jerry, and trust me, I DO NOT want to go back to those guys. I have had to find something to replace the need and desire to eat without control when I have that feeling of being overwhelmed. So right now I have the neatest and most organized walk-in closet anyone could hope for. Also I am finding things in that closet that I had forgotten I even had.

I do not know of anyone that their life is not hectic in some way or other. Maybe your a caregiver for your spouse as I am, maybe your the caregiver for your parents. Whatever it maybe I know we all can become overwhelmed and that is when we need to just take a little time for ourselves. It maybe nothing more than making time for a walk, locking ourselves in a room with a book and a cup of tea for an hour. I found out recently that I have to be selfish, otherwise I am not going to be any good to Bob or myself, and yes Bob needs me to be tip top for him, but you know I owe it to myself to be tip top for me. So I get up early and I hit the ground running cause I am, like all of you a survivor.

Are you serious?

Are you serious about your weight loss journey?

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

The above is a real question, not a quote I found in a book. But, I feel the question needs to be asked, ''Are you serious about your weight loss journey?" Or are you doing everything in your power to convince yourself you are doing all you can do? Are you sitting on your pity pot for whatever reason, just knowing that the entire world is against you, and no matter what you do or how hard you try things are going not going to change.

I think the questions that I am daring to bring up today need to be asked, and we need to ask them of ourselves. Here is another question, ''why is it we can be on track one week only to fall off the next week?" Are we afraid of success? Or do we feel we are not worthy of looking and feeling better about ourselves?

As for myself, I could find right now 101 excuses to go right over to Bob's box of Russell Stover's, and finish off the rest of it before heading for the gym this morning, but trust me, if I ate the rest of his candy the gym would be the last place I would be planning on going.

As you all should have realized by now as long as I have been doing these daily e-mails the only thing that is really planned is the quote. We are flying by the seats of our britches on these each and everyday. Some days, I get replies, some days I hear nothing from anyone, and those are the days I have to wonder, ''hum whose feelings got trampled on?" So let me say here and now, these e-mails began as a way too keep myself on track. I needed this as a, ''mini meeting". Something to get me through the week until we actually have our real meeting on Saturday. Sure I could find meetings to go to each and everyday, but like everyone else, life gets in my way.

Here I am going out on a limb, but I get the feeling we have lost the excitement we once had. So I have to ask the question, ''where did it go?" Could part of it be that we have lost focus too why we get up every Saturday to get to the 8 a.m. meeting? The premise behind Weight Watchers in not only to teach us how to eat healthy, but also have a group setting to have the support to continue on.

As has been mentioned before, even when you make lifetime its not over. That is when the work increases. Good news is I had a heads up on that one, so I was prepared to have to work harder, and I'm okay with that. But, I want the joy back, I want the feeling I was having, of "oh great its Saturday and I can't wait to see how I've done this week". I cannot blame this lack of enthusiasm on anyone else but myself, I have to look at myself and ask myself all these same questions, I have been asking here today. Some I have the answers to , some I am still asking and working on finding the answers.

Just in case anyone has not figured it out yet, "no one can make us do this, we have to want to do this!" We have to become accountable for our own short comings and we have to get back up, dust ourselves off and try again. It is a vicious circle, and even when you get to your goal it never ends we have to look for new goals.

So each day I have to ask myself, ''am I serious about my weight loss journey or am I just taking up space?" Just a few things to think about today.

Much love,

Joan

New Strength and New Hope

With the new day comes new strength and new hope.

Eleanor Roosevelt

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

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Today is a brand new day, and hopefully you do have new strength and new hope to continue on with your weight loss journey, or just the maintenance part of it.

I can't remember if I read this in the latest edition of the Weight Watchers magazine or if I saw it somewhere else, but the article was about "Starting New Now." Really made sense to me, because in a very short time we are going to be into the 3 months that for some will make or break us with our weight loss plan. It has always seemed to me that from October through December it is nothing but an eating frenzy. Halloween has become almost as big an event as Thanksgiving or Christmas either one. So the way I see it, you have a good month or more to work hard or harder toward your goal before the food pushers show up at your house or you begin to look over all those tried and true holiday recipes that you've always made and naturally have to sample while the whole time we are telling ourselves, ''the family will really enjoy this."

Why let ourselves go with the thought , ''there is always January, I'll get back on track then." If this is the cycle you have been a victim to then why not stop it beginning today. Today is the best day to start brand new. We have had the Spring break of 2009, we've had the vacations, there have been celebrations of all kinds, birthday's, weddings, anniversaries, vacations, you name it, we celebrated it and most likely with plenty of food and drink. Nothing wrong with that, but here we will be coming upon those three months that can make or break us, and a lot of us it will break us due to we don't want to hurt Aunt Maude's feelings that we are turning down here double fudge chocolate whatever, that when you eat it you begin to have heart palpations.

If you have not thought about all of this like I have, then now is the time to begin your ''plan of attack." Begin today by making smarter choices, getting in more activity, getting to a meeting, calling a friend, whatever it is going to take to get you back into the groove, then do it. You don't want 2010 to get here and look back and say ''I wasted the entire year of 2009", where my weight loss journey was concerned.

Our health is an investment. To me it is like when we have to have maintenance done on our house or cars. We have the roof check on occasion, we have the oil changed in our cars regularly. We do these things to make sure there are no big surprise. Same thing with our health, we exercise and eat right and go in for check-ups to try and ward off anything major going wrong.

Today is a new day, today is a new starting point if that is what you need. Start today and get a jump on the holidays, and when 2010 rolls around hopefully we won't be thinking, ''oh great now I have to re-lose my holiday pounds." Cause you know what, in 2010, there will be Spring Break, birthday's, anniversaries, etc. You get the picture.

Wishing Everyone a great day,

Much love,

Just where are you??

How close are you to where you want to be?

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

To begin with I want to wish Lisa S. a wonderful safe trip. Lisa S. and her daughter leaver early tomorrow for a trip to Hawaii. Okay, I'm jealous, but I'll get over it, so have a wonderful time.

Also our Lisa B. hum, seems to be a ''Lisa" week going on here. Is off to California with her oldest daughter to begin college life. Let's send up special prayers for both of our ''Sister's" that their journey's will be safe.

How close are you to where you want to be in this weight loss journey? Have you allowed something to get in your way? Or have you allowed someone to get in your way? For many of us we have been coming to Weight Watchers for a long time, some of us its not the first time, and for some of us it won't be the last time.

I think if we are not where we want to be in our weight loss journey, then we should examine the reasons why. If ''something" has gotten in your way, maybe its health related. I look back and in the almost 4 years I've been doing Weight Watchers, I had to have procedures on both my legs for bad veins, then last year, there was the hip replacement and then a few months later the knee replacement. It would have been so very easy for me to have thrown up my hands and stopped right then. But I made the choice to move on from that ''something."

Maybe we have allowed ''someone" to take the joy we were experiencing about our weigh loss journey. Maybe we feel we have to prepare two different meals, one that is points friendly for us, and one the rest of the family will be happy with. As you all know I DO NOT cook separate meals anymore. If the family is coming over for dinner then they eat what I'm going to eat. So many of the recipes from the Weight Watchers cookbooks and from the online e-tools, are not bland, and unless you tell people they have no clue that it is even healthy.

Has it been someone, that has taken the joy from you. Has it been someone that you thought would lift you up, someone that would stand by your side, have they let you down? If this is the case, I say for your own well being, ''take your joy back!" Remember, no one can make you feel bad about yourself unless you allow them too. So I say don't allow that too happen. Take your control back. There will be things on a daily basis fly up to try and derail us, but do not allow another person have that kind of power over your life.

Maybe you have even thought, ''What's the use? I should just stop coming to meeting." Well, let's look at that, isn't that what we all have done at some point, and is that not why we are back at the meetings. One thing I know and that is this....we are so blessed to have a group as strong as we are, we give support and we receive support. We celebrate with one another when the good stuff happens, and we weep with one another when the bad things happen. So the way I see it, even though we are not (at least some of us are not blood related) we are still family. If one of this family quits for whatever the reason, then we feel the loss as if it was a true death.

If you are not where you want to be right now, then I suggest you take some time and think about just why your not where you want to be. I also say, move whatever it is that is trying to stand in your way, and never ever allow anything or anyone to take your joy away.

Wishing Everyone A great Week,

Much Love,

Joan

Keep On Trying....

Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again.

Anonymous

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

Weigh-in day is upon us yet again. We all know how hard it can be to face that scale each week. Sometimes we know we have had a really good week, we have tracked, we have eaten by the book, we have gotten in our activity, we have done everything that should make that little metal box we step on, show just how great our efforts have been.

• Then we have that week where we weighed in on Saturday, decided that ''ok, the weekend is mine, and I am going to enjoy it!" The enjoying part, as a rule is surrounded by the thoughts of ''what foods shall I indulge in?" Nothing wrong doing this, nothing at all, however, just make sure you can and do get yourself back on track after the weekend. Otherwise, come the next weigh-in your going to be kicking yourself, calling yourself the world's worst failure, and remember, ''this is the NO NEGATIVE talk zone." Then we have those thoughts of just throwing up our hands and never, ever trying again. Sound familiar?

We have all been there, done that, and have a few t-shirts to prove it. The good things I find is knowing at least the 46 people that I sent my early morning, daily e-mail too, some have tried, some have failed but we all keep going on. Here is the secret too all of this................You are not a failure until you decide to never try again........None of us should ever think of ourselves as being a failure, we are like the mighty oak tree standing strong during the storms of life. We may bend and we may sway, but it takes a lot too actually break us.

So if your reading this, and have had or are having the thoughts of ''I should just give up, I'm not working this program as I should ." Before you give up, stand back and look at how far you have come, NOT have far you still have to go.

Wishing Everyone A great Day,

Much Love,

Joan

Facing Forward.

Even if you fall flat on your face your still moving forward. Peter Gallagher

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

First off want to let everyone know Nancy (my TISSter) is back home from the hospital. From what I understand she is doing fine. Welcome Home Nance.

Today's e-mail is all about getting up, dusting ourselves off and trying again. Jefferson County schools start back today, so in a few hours there will be lots of hustle and bustle going on in homes, as well as on the road ways. Now maybe during the Summer you were a bit more relaxed with your food choices, and no doubt if you have children in school or if your a teacher, and if you are, you have my highest esteem. It may take a week or so to get back into that routine again. Its the same way with our weight loss journey. If you have been lax during the Summer, and if you had a vacation where you threw caution to the wind, then you know it takes time to get back into the swing of things. However it can be done.

We fall into that trap of things being more laid back. Maybe our eating was not more scheduled nor was our bedtime. When I worked I always had such admiration for the other women I worked with that had families they had to care for. Here they were working long hours, and then went home and it continued. The cooking, cleaning, all that stuff has to be done, BUT, it does not have to be done all at one time. Also it is quite acceptable to share this work load. As for dinner, get that crock pot out, get it ready and have it cooking away while your at school or work. That way a nice meal is ready when everyone does come home, and a lot less chance of the ''grab & go" problems. Also believe it or not, you can find points friendly recipes to use in that crock pot.

It's going to take a while to get back into the swing of things, but we all know it can be done. It just takes time and planning. Something we should have been doing all alone.

Wishing Everyone A Wonderful Day,

Much Love,

Joan

It is Possible.

Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible & suddenly you are doing the impossible.

St. Francis of Assisi

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

A couple of things to mention here this morning. First off Nancy (TISSter) is getting to come home today from the hospital. So that must mean she is doing well. Also our Jenny is leaving today for Florida, she is doing a talk over the weekend with some Artsy friends and even though it will be nerve racking, I know Jenny will do great. Safe trip Jenny.

Has anyone ever told you ''you are not going to be able to do that?" Or better yet, have we told ourselves that. Oh yeah, seeing lots of hands going up on that one. The kicker to al of this, is ''how do these people know we can't do something?" Is it due to they have tried and failed? How do we know ourselves we can't do something until we give it our best shot? I think the reason we are so quick to say, ''I can't do that", is due to we look at the what ever it is we are trying to do in the big picture form, instead of taking it in small easy to handle steps. Breaking it down, and taking it little by little.

Our weight loss journey can be this way. As I have mentioned before there was no way I could look at all the poundage I had to lose, way too overwhelming. So I began with what was necessary for me, and that was breaking the poundage down to what was not so scary. I began with just a goal of losing 10 pounds, found out that was possible, moved on too the next 10 pounds, and the next thing I knew I had lost 50 pounds. It took me a while too continue to lose, part of it was due to just the normal slow down of weight loss, part of it was getting too comfortable at my new smaller size and not working as hard. Then the light bulb came on and next thing I knew I was doing what I had always not only been told, but thought was the impossible.

The work is still not over. Those of us that have reached our goal know that it is a daily battle of finding the right mix of points to maintain our goal weight. But, we know it can be done. Its possible, not impossible.

Being in the right mindset, meetings, tracking, activity, being honest with yourself, and having our Sister Weight Watcher Friends Forever at hand. To me these are just some of the key things we need to do to make what seems impossible, possible.

Wishing Everyone A Great Day,

Much Love,

Joan

It could be that last ounce you've been waiting for.

It's usually that last ounce of effort that tips the scales of success.

Anonymous

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

I was afraid there might not be a early morning e-mail today due to we lost power last night, when the storm came through. We lost power around 8 p.m., and it came back on around 11 p.m., I have to be honest part of me was happy about the power being out cause my thoughts were, ''oh good, I can't get the car out to go to the gym in the morning". Power is on, and I am dressed for the gym. So I am putting forth an effort.

I think we have all been to that place where we just feel we cannot go on any longer. The scale is not moving, we have lost all motivation, we are using only negative talk on ourselves. We view ourselves as the lowest form of life there is, all due to we are struggling.

I think these are the times when we need to step back and re-group. I think we need too think about what we really want. Maybe we need to re-evaluate what our goals really are. Maybe we need to re-think the reason we are trying to lose our weight. Those are the things I can come up with and I bet there are other things each of you can come up with on why your not getting to where you say you want to be. So what is holding you back?

Look back at the last 8 months. Back in January did you set yourself a goal to be at a certain place on your journey by now? Where are you right now on this journey? Are you moving toward that goal each week, or have you just been spinning your wheels? Have you been making excuses and convincing yourself you have done all you can do? I know, we go out we get in our activity, but then we come home a eat a jar of peanut butter. Serving size is 2 TBSP. not an entire jar. So really doesn't matter that we walked from here to Spinghurst, or we feel as if we walked that far. If we come back home and continue to screw up what we just did, then the results are going too be the same. As we all know too lose weight we have to burn more calories than we are taking in. At some point today, I say stop and think about what you are doing.

Not always is it we are doing something wrong, there are times our body is trying to tell us, ''take me in for the 3000 mile check-up". So if you feel as if you are doing all you can do, maybe it is time to make that doctor's appointment and get checked out.

Don't give up, that is not an option. You never know that last ounce of effort maybe just what it take to push to too that goal.

Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Day,

Much Love,

Joan

Plant something Positive.

Plant positive thoughts in your mind and expect a harvest of great possibilities. Anonymous.

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

Want to give an update on Nancy (my TISSter in Oregon). I actually got to talk with her yesterday, she sounds great, but she didn't think she would get to go home yesterday as first planned. I think its best she stays in the hospital for a few more days. When I spoke with her around 12:30 our time, since Thursday night, all she had gotten to eat was a cup of coffee, some clear broth and a couple little jell-o cups. So as I told Nancy, sure bet that scale is showing a lower number now. Nancy told me to pass alone to all of you, her thanks for all the prayers and thoughts that were sent her way.

Trying to plant some positive here this morning. :) Loved the above quote when I saw it I thought, ''this is a weight loss quote if I ever saw one." We have all been around people that are what I like to call the ''nay-sayers'' about almost everything that comes out of their mouths. Those are the people that I want to wrap the yellow caution tape around and put a few of those orange cones around as well. Even doing all of that, there are times they can still creep into ''our space", that is when we need the duct tape for their mouths. :)

I think being on a weight loss program is hard enough. But, to have to listen to others give you negative feedback well, that is just the pits. I have told you all before that I've had trainers from Urban Active actually tell me, ''that Weight Watchers program doesn't work." Now the entire time, they are looking at the picture of me when I weighed 327 pounds. Do I think that Weight Watchers is some magic plan, heavens no, far from that. I do however, think any plan whether it is Weight Watcher, or one your doctor may have you on, if you do not work that plan in a positive manner, then ''no, its not going to work." I was talking with someone yesterday and was asked, "what do you contribute your weight loss success too, self-discipline, food choice or portion control?" My reply to that question was this, ''Not only did it take all three of those, but it also took my having to up my activity, making sure I tracked everything, going to meetings cause that is the place I have the most positive network and keeping a positive attitude."

I have never believed that there is just one or two things that help us to get to our goal. Just like there are many things that have to help us to maintain after we get to our goal. I believe a good attitude is as important as all the activity, all the food tracking, and all the meetings we attend. Without a good positive attitude, we will not last long on this weight loss journey. Do or say something POSITIVE to yourself today.

Wishing Everyone a Great Monday,

Much Love,

Joan

Difficult times.

When we long for life without difficulties, reminds us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure. Peter Marshall

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

Want to begin today's e-mail with a welcome to yet another new member on our daily e-mail list. We have another Rebecca with us. Rebecca Wilson, and Rebecca lives in Colorado. So ladies we are trying to cover the map. Welcome Rebecca and feel free to chime in at anytime. You will find this group to be very supportive, and loving.

We are beginning another new week here. School will be starting for Jefferson County this coming Thursday. Teachers our prayers go with you. A teaching profession, I think, would have to be the world's most difficult job. So for all you teachers out there thank you for what you do. OK, I know by my writing you cannot tell I ever entered a school, but I did. ha.

Here we go. Anyone having or have been having a hard time with their weight loss program? No, not a trick question. Today's quote was loaned to me by our Becky (teacher's pet) :) great quote cause in our family we were told that things that were hard just made you stronger. Never knew that was true until I got older.

Today I pick on our Lisa (Love's wife). Lisa, like myself has been struggling for sometime with gaining pound and then losing a few pounds, only the next week to repeat the same cycle. Recently her doctor told her to ''this week just count calories". So our Sister Lisa counted calories, that first week, I believe the weight loss was 2.4 pounds. This week our Sister Lisa continued to count calories, and track her food and was down another 1 pound and some change. Lisa's words and I quote, ''who would have know that tracking really works?" Lisa and the rest of us have known tracking works, but sometimes we are just too bull headed to take the time to write it down. Calculating in our heads might work for one meal, but if your trying to do this for the entire day, trust me you are going to really fall short.

I had a thought yesterday and shared it with another one of our Sister Girlfriend's, and here is my thought. We have no problem getting a walking buddy, exercise buddy, someone to help keep us accountable for getting out and getting in our activity. So here is a thought, if your having trouble tracking, then why not find a tracking buddy. Fill out your tracker each week, and ask someone that you feel will be honest with you and ask them to take your tracker each week and review it. To see what you are eating. Now here again, you have to track and you have to be honest about what you write down. Sometimes we just need that accountability to someone else. Its like I have heard Toni say many times, "at the end of the day does anyone pat you on the back when you have filled your tracker out?" As a rule we are the only ones patting ourselves on the back for that job, and sometimes we could use a little extra back patting from someone else. So just a thought, and as I said I think it would be a great way to actually get some feedback if you have stalled or even new ideas.

No one said this was going to be easy, but we are strong like the mighty oak tree, and we are as beautiful as those diamonds. So this week I say we just show ourselves how really strong we are, by taking things One Day At A Time.

Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Sunday,

Much Love,

Joan

Review of last week

I can go a really long time without another week like this past week. The stupid thing that happened to some of us last week after the Weight Watchers meeting left several of us struggling. Good news, for me anyway, is I did not do any damage weight wise. I don't like letting someone have that kind of control over me, and that is just what happened.

Our group is a very strong, supportive group. However, the person that should know that better than anyone else let us all down. It is sad, but we will get over this feeling.

This is a new week, and a new out look on things. Moving forward.

Scratching Away.

The secret to success is to start from scratch and keep on scratching.

Dennis Green

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

Today is my TISSter Nancy's big day. Her surgery is scheduled for noon Pacific time 3 p.m. Louisville time. TISS, I know your going to do just fine.

There seems to be a lot of struggling with our eating this week. Could be just getting off vacation, that is always a let down. It can also just be the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For me on Tuesday it was the weather. Rainy days, when I don't want to get out and about, and trust me Tuesday was not a day to be out and about, all I want to do is eat. Don't have to be hungry, but I guess its I feel comforted by the food.

When I saw the above quote, I realized that is the answer. We have to start from scratch. Begin at the beginning. Get out that collection of books we have been given, blow the dust off of them, and begin re-reading, or dare I say ''read them for the very first time". Does not matter if you have or have not read the books, it never hurts to go back and review. If you have never looked through these books you are missing some really good recipes, plus helpful idea.

Maybe it is time to start from scratch. Going back to spending a longer time in the grocery store, reading those labels, not just grabbing what you ''think'' might be points friendly. We probably need to get back to the portion control as well. I think the only food I can actually hit right at a 1/2 cup without the measuring cup is the Fiber One cereal. Can't tell you how many time I have poured that into a bowl then decided, "I should measure that", and it will be exactly 1/2 cup.

One that I have to always measure is my fat free half and half I put in my morning coffee. I could have a good 1/4 cup in my first cup of coffee if I am not careful.

I know, I know, we will go kicking and screaming cause we have to start over, but if we want to be a success or continue being at our goal weight, then starting from scratch may well be just what has to be done. Trust me we will be ''scratching'' many times while on this journey.

Wishing Everyone a Great Day,

Much Love,

Joan