09-30-09, Wednesday

"Procrastination is attitude's natural assassin. There's nothing so fatiguing as an uncompleted task." Unknown

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

How many times have we been struggling to NOT just sit where we are, but to actually get up and do what needs to be done. Doesn't matter if it has to do with our weight loss journey, or cleaning out our closet's, getting rid of all those ''two big'' things, so we don't have them to fall back on.

We as women seem to have this problem of setting time aside for ourselves. We are there for everyone else, but ourselves. We keep telling ourselves, ''one of these days, I am going to do this or that." So seldom do we ever get that day. We seem to be the caregivers of the world, we take care of our families, if our friends need us, we try to be there for them as well. But, there are times we just need to stop, take a deep breath and do something ''just for us.'' We are worth that effort, and trust me I am the world's worst at not taking time for herself. Now did you really think I liked getting up at dark 30? We need to carve out some time just for us, whether it is to do nothing, but set for a bit and read. We need to recharge our own batteries as well as recharging everyone's around us.

We tell ourselves, I know I should be doing this or that, and if we can't meet our own expectations, then that can be draining. So today make a list, a wish list, of those things you want to do just for you, and make sure you get to check off some of those wishes. For me, I have two wishes on my list right now.

1. Go to the mall for a make over.

2. Begin swimming lessons

Today I am going to the mall for a make over. I have never done this because I felt as if ''I could use that time for something more constructive". I am going to be using that time for something constructive, it's called ''ME''.

The swimming lessons were suppose to begin tomorrow evening, but they have been put off until next Thursday, but you know what, ''they will get checked off my list," then I can add something else to my list.

It is all about taking some time for ourselves, instead of just always saying, ''one of these days I am going to do this or that." Maybe today is the day, you start your list, maybe today is the day you begin to check something off that list. That is your nudge, go for it.

09-30-09;;;;;

09-29-09..Tuesday's post

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." Dale Carnegie

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

Do you ever just fell as if, ''I am never going to get to my goal?" I think we have all been there, and some of us have been there a really long time. The amazing thing is "We did not give up on ourselves!" Does not matter if we are a half pound or 50 pounds from our goal, the important thing here is we have kept on trying. As I've said before, and yes, it's worth repeating I have not found an ''Expiration" date on any of the Weight Watchers material or one stamped anywhere on our foreheads.

As most all of you know I have been working at this weight loss for the past 11 years. There are some people that when they hear this, their first reaction is, ''wow, that long?" That used to bother me, it did make me feel a bit like I was failing, then it finally hit me, ''if I had not been doing something, trying to take the weight off, I can only imagine how much bigger I would have gotten." I bet by now I would have been getting very close to the 500 pound mark. That is such a scary thing to have to think about, but it is that fear of ever being over 200 pounds that keeps me working as hard as I do. In those 11 years, I have done Jenny Craig (2 times), I did the Adkins low carb diet, now I did take 50 pounds off with that and I did keep it off, somewhere in there I had joined Curves to exercise. But, the last five years (in October) and my getting to goal has been due to the Weight Watchers program, but mostly the support I get from our Saturday morning group. The support has truly been the thing that has gotten me and kept me on this journey to better health.

Does not matter if you have 5 pounds to lost or 55 pounds to lose, it can be done only one way, and that is a pound at a time, and one day at a time. There are no magic bullets, and even when you get to goal we are not cured, we will still face all those things that make us want to eat as if it is going to be our very last meal.

So if you feel as thought getting to goal is hopeless, just remember...things are accomplished that seem hopeless.....so if your struggling, time to pull up those big girl panties/thong and get down to the business at hand. Today is the new day. Today is the day you start down that road to success.

09-29-09..

09-28-09.....Monday

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

Anonymous

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

Hope everyone had a nice weekend, and you have to admit, yesterday you could really feel Fall in the air. Love it. Spring and Fall my two most favorite times of the year. Rebirth in the Spring, and slowing down in the Fall. Or at least that is how I've always viewed it.

Do you ever feel as if you have done everything by the book and nothing is working in your favor, not even that little metal box? There are times we have to just sit down with a sheet of paper and list the things we are doing. Your tracking your food, you can check that off, you are following the healthy guidelines, you can check that one off as well. Then we get into our sleeping patterns and our stress levels. Now those can be hard to check off. As everyone knows, I am an early riser, have always been that way, but I am also one that has to have her sleep, may not be a lot of sleep, but I have to have it each night otherwise, I begin to hit that invisible wall. I also have to have at least an 30-40 minutes after getting Bob in bed for the night, to just get myself calmed back down. I used to watch TV before going to sleep, and I have stopped that....except for Tuesday night....and I have to say I sleep so much better. I have since May begun reading those last 30 minutes or so before calling it a night. I am getting a much better nights sleep and I have found I actually enjoy reading, something I was never that crazy about before.

We are all going to have stress in our lives. If its not caused by our immediate family, then our extended families find ways to help out with that one. So hard to try and tell people that there are other ways to deal with stress other than eating. We have talked about calling a friend, we normally don't even thing about that until we have already consumed way too much. Go for a walk, there again, maybe after we have tried to relieve our stress with food, but going for a walk is still good, even if you have over indulged.

Life happens, and something's we can avoid, but there are other things, like sickness, death and taxes that we have no control over. But, we cannot just sit there, we have to move off the track otherwise we will get run over. Moving, there is a key to a better lifestyle. Make a habit of moving a little more each and everyday, you will be amazed at the end result.

09-27-09..........Sunday

"Courage does not always roar, sometimes it that small voice at the end of the day saying, "tomorrow I will try again." Unknown.

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

Isn't it great that we do have the option of "trying again." We all talk about how hard the weekend's are for us and our eating, and no truer words have ever been spoken. If you can handle taking your weekend and eating, drinking, partying and are able by Monday to get right back on track. I say MORE POWER TO YOU!!!!!! I would also like to add that any of you that can do this, I am so envious. It takes discipline to be able to do just that. It also takes courage to even step out and try the indulgences on the weekend.

I know we all have families that get together over the weekends, or it may just be friends, and all this can be very trying. But, pat yourself on the back if you can eat, drink & be merry and get back on track come Monday morning. From where I sit that is an amazing accomplishment.

Something to ask yourself and think about this week. Where do I want to be in my weight loss journey by this time next month? Do I want to be losing? Do I want to just maintain? Where do we want to be?

09-26-09.........Saturday

Your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what is possible for your life.

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

I felt like the above quote was perfect for today considering we had a really good group today, I counted 35 bodies, and some had just weighed in and left, before I began counting. So slowly, but surely they are using their road maps and are returning.

We are still missing some of our regular's. There was Barbara, Cara, (we know where she is), Betty, we know where she is as well. Good news is our Clare was back and so was Rhonda, and Lisa (Love's wife) was back this week as well, so was Dana, see I do remember some of you all that are absent, and Lisa S. was back and I got my hug, thank you Lisa S., so alls well in our world.

Today's notes:

Got Goal? Same as ''are we there yet?"

We have to be smart. Yes, we all want the weight off in no more that two weeks, but we also know that is not SMART. So to be SMART, we have to......................

S-Be specific- Where do you want to be?

M-measurable- Can you measure up to the task at hand?

A-attainable- Is your goal attainable and I don't mean within two week.

R-realistic- Being realistic. If your in your late 50's early 60's do you really want to try and weight what you did when you were 18?

T-timely- Take your time. DO NOT get all caught up with, ''I have to be at goal by such and such date" trust me you will be setting yourself up for disappointment.

Action Steps:

1. Make short term goals. Achievable goal, and it does not necessarily have to be a number on the scale.

2. Identify required behavior. You are going to have to make some changes and that means changing habits to get where you want to be.

09-25-09.....Friday

If you have made mistakes there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you chose, for this thing we call ''failure'' is not the falling down, but the staying down. Mary Pickford

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

I do not think we appreciate the fact that we do get a clean slate to begin each day with. Whatever mistakes we made yesterday, whether it was with our eating, or saying the wrong thing to someone. That was yesterday and today, we get to begin again.

Never liked that word "failure" due to I think a person becomes a failure only if they give up all hope. Sure we have told one another when we're having a bad week, ''I'm such a failure", but you know what, it may have taken us a day or so, but we did get right back up and start all over again. Where there is a glimmer of ''hope'', then there is a chance for success.

We are fast approaching the end of another month, and look out ladies, we are going to be heading into three months of social events, which will no doubt include lots of food and drink. We all know it's coming, it comes each and every year, same time. So did you go through the entire Summer with thoughts after each and every birthday celebrated, each and every wedding you went to, each and every vacation you got to enjoy, was it at that point you said, ''now its time for me to get back on track?" Now it's time for , Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas.....death too most healthy eating plans, and weight loss......you are kidding right? It does not have to be that way. Hard to believe I know, but these three holidays can be enjoyed without gaining those 10-12 pounds we hear about or that we have fallen victim to.

It is never too early to make a plan. We all know the Halloween candy is out there, we all know that Aunt Ellie will be making her world famous whatever that she only makes at Thanksgiving, and yes Christmas only comes around once a year.....the thing is these holiday's, these free for all eating days come around same time each and every year. So get a head start, begin planning today. We shop early for Christmas gift, why not give yourself a gift this year by planning ahead. What can it hurt?

Tomorrow is Shariyln's Mom's funeral service. Sharilyn, you are in our thoughts and prayers. Cara and Dave will be leaving on Saturday for Mexico, have fun you two, be safe. Our gal pal Jana is not really leaving us, but due to "life" getting in the way, Jana will be taking in a different meeting, but has promised to drop in on us from time to time, and you better, due to ''I know where you live". Our Betty is still on vacation. Betty, hope you are having a wonderful time, you are missed.

I hope to see the rest of you all tomorrow, whether you will be lighter or not.

09-24-09.....Thursday

"I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday"

Unknown

**Don't forget your non-perishable's this week. We are suppose to bring the amount of weight we lose for the week in the form of non-perishable canned goods. I have to bring extra this week due too I have forgotten the past two weeks, so I have to play catch up** Just wanted to remind everyone, it is for a great cause.**

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

Have you ever walked in to your Weight Watchers meeting, got on the scale and uttered the words, ''will I ever get there?" I just bet there is not a one of us, that has not had that thought at some point, and sometime if your in a stall that statement is followed by, ''what's the use?" When I saw the above quote, I thought, ''that should be stuck on every bathroom mirror in every home that has someone doing the program." It is very positive, and you are letting yourself know, I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!!!!!!!!! We are not quitters, we will trip and fall from time to time, we may even think about quitting Weight Watchers, but I always come back to this, ''if we were not doing this program, if we were not getting up to be at our Saturday morning meeting, if we were not touching base with one another through out the week, then where would we be?" Even if there are times we are not the poster child for Weight Watchers, but we still continue to go to our meetings, the thought, idea, dream is still ever present in our minds, that ''someday maybe I will make it to goal."

Just think, if for one full year, you were able to lose just 1 pound per week. I know one pound does not sound like much, BUT, in one year by doing this you would have been able to remove 52 unwanted pounds. One pound per week is doable, it's letting go of 500 extra calories per day cause it takes 3500 calories to make a pound, and 7 times 500 = 3500. Just one pound per week, that is all you have to do. Now if your really gung ho, and go for the 2 pounds per week, well look out you've hit the triple digits.

So many times we think, ''hum, one pound that is not much." However, when it is all added up, it turns into a lot. So you may not be there yet, but if your following the healthy eating guidelines, you are closer than you were yesterday. Stay Strong, Stay focused and the rest will fall into place.

09-23-09...Wednesday

Health: Visualize the goal. Have the desire. Be determined to win. TAKE THE FIRST STEP. Unknown

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

I want to begin today by saying "Hi" to Sharilyn, and letting her know she is still in our thoughts and prayers, during this difficult time. Take care of yourself.

Then we have our Betty M. out and about on vacation with her husband. Betty hope you both are safe, well, and having a wonderful time.

I had a N.S.V. yesterday...big time as a matter of fact. Had my one year check up with my Orthopedic doctor's. Dr.Sweet and Dr. Kate. Got a great report, plus got my ego boosted and got hugs from everyone. So good day all the way around, and I don't have to go back for three years, unless I have a problem.

Today's quote was loaned to me by my Oregon TISSter Nancy. Nancy has this in her office, and when she was telling me about it, I immediately asked her, ''can I borrow that one?" Every single work speaks to us and the journey we are on.

When did you take your first step. Was it the day you walked into the meeting? Or are you still waiting to have that first step? I used to think, ''if I show up for the meeting, and sit with the normal sized people.....yes, Cara & Rhonda, that is why I sit with you guys, ''your regular size', I thought, just maybe it will rub off on me. Well I sat there for over 4 years before I finally came to terms with it has nothing to do with my sitting with the regular size girls.

I could not visualize myself at a normal size. So I had to visualize the number on the scale, I had to begin to zero in on the number I wanted to hear on Saturday morning.

The desire? I think I had the desire, I just was not putting in the work needed to get the outcome I wanted.

Now all of you that have know me just since I joined Weight Watcher's going on five years now. Know that my real determination did not strike until January of this year. I finally got that fire in my belly, and this time it was not heartburn. I finally came to terms with, ''if you can do this, then why on earth are you not doing this?"

Yes, I have been going to the meeting's for a long time, but my first steps in earnest came in January when I was finally ready to become that normal size person that was deep inside me. I took action. I stopped my nighttime raid on Bob's candy box, I began counting b.l.t.'s (bite, licks & taste), something I never did, I upped the exercise, in other words, I stopped making excuses.

I shared with someone the other day, ''it has taken me a long time to lose the weight, but I think if I had reached my goal in the first year, I would not have been able to maintain the loss. I was not ready to be there just yet." So maybe that is why you have not gotten to goal just yet, maybe your just not ready. If your reading this and your like me, and had never been a normal size, it is a scary thing, to catch a reflection of yourself in a mirror and wonder, ''who is that?"

I used to only go on diet's to lose weight to look better. Feeling better seldom even crossed my mind. However, now as I get older, for me its more about the health benefits. The looking better is just the cherry on top.

So are you ready to take that first step? Are you ready to do the hard work? Are you ready to make lifestyle and lifetime changes? These are questions we probably should have asked ourselves sometime ago, but you know what, there is no time limit, there is no expiration date. So ask yourself, ''why am I not getting closer to my goal?" When you come up with an answer work from there.

09-22-09 First Day Of Fall

"Look at everything as though your are seeing it for the first time, with the eyes of a child, fresh with wonder. Joseph Cornell

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

Want to welcome Clare & Rhonda back. It maybe today that Clare gets back home, but Rhonda was suppose to arrived yesterday. You two were missed, and now our gal pal Cara is gearing up for a vacation.

The quiz I sent around yesterday, I found it on the Weight Watchers website. If you read the quiz then you know it was about going back to the basics, going back asking yourself, ''why did I begin this journey?" I believe that one of the best ways to get back on track to get motivated again is to just, ''begin at the beginning." Very simple. Go back even if you need to stay and have the program explained to you again, nothing wrong with that. Are you still reading labels like you did in the beginning, where are those measuring cups and spoons? These are the things I can think of just off the top of my head, and I bet each and every person that reads this, can think of a few on their own.

Yesterday I wrote about dreams and how really they are the blueprint for our journey we are on. Today, is for looking at things in a new light. Looking at this program as we have never seen it before, going on line, checking out the Weight Watcher website, amazing information can be found there as well as new ideas and new recipes, talking to our Sister Weight Watcher buddies.

I stumbled, crawled alone not even half way doing the program like it was written. I did the first year and a half, but after that I became lazy, I decided I had a better way of doing this, and if any of you have gone that route, you know what my next line will be, ''it did not work." Earlier this year, I came to the conclusion I had to buckle down and work this program as it was meant to be worked, not Joan's program. Hey, let's face it, Joan's program was not working, nor had it ever worked. I had to get excited again, and I see that same thing in some of you, ''the thrill is gone." We tend to work the program as if we were robotic. Same thing, day in and day out. No wonder when we fall off the wagon it is usually with such a thud it can be heard for miles.

Life is hard no matter how happy we maybe, and I found this quote that was written by Jim Valvano, he was at one time a basketball coach for North Carolina. The quote is about enjoying life, and when I read it, I thought, ''maybe this is part of the problem, we don't enjoy what we are doing anymore."

"I urge all of you to enjoy your life, ever precious moment on this earth. Spend each day with some laughter. Don't be afraid to feel...to get your emotions going. Be enthusiastic, because nothing great can be accomplished without enthusiasm. Live your dreams." Jim Valvano had been given only six months to live when he wrote this.

So what are you going to do? Are you going to look for the things that will get you excited again? Get our those picture of yourself when you were a smaller size, remember how great you felt? Put that picture where you will see it everyday, and remember, no one can take your dreams away from you.

09-21-09 Monday and we start again.

"To dream anything that you want to dream; that is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do; that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits; that is the courage to succeed." Bernard Edmonds.



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

What are your dreams. Most of you with children and Grandchildren, I bet that dream would be for them to grow up healthy an strong, to have as few problems in life as possible, and that is all well and good, but ''WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS FOR YOURSELF?"

I think we all need to have dreams for ourselves, and I ran across this poem that just seem to have been written for this journey we are on , so this morning I would like to share that poem with you.

Build your castles in the air.
Set no limits.
Lay your foundations in the clouds.
You are the builder.
Color your life with the pictures in your mind.
Set no boundaries.

Let your imagination be the canvas.

You are the artist.
Find Knowledge in the Universe.
Set no obstacles.
Life is your classroom.
You are the teacher.
Your dreams are your realities.
Dream on.
And let your spirit soar.

If you can see it, you can have it.
If you can feel it, you can be it.
IF you can dream it, you can achieve it.
DREAM ON. Maureen Weiner

When I read the above poem, I could find so many of the things we have talked about in Weight Watchers. We build our castles, with the image we have in our minds. In the beginning we set no limits, nothing will get us off track. We lay our foundation, by reading labels, tracking, getting in our activity, and going to meetings. We have a picture in our minds, of what we want to look like, maybe it's in that red hot jump suit. We do set boundaries, we have to. Our imagination, is allowed to run wild, day dreaming of what will lie ahead, and how excited we will be to make it to goal.

We get to be the ''artist'', the person that paints the outcome of this journey. We look for answers by asking questions, and searching the W.W. website. Oh but there are always going to be an obstacle or two, and as a rule that obstacle has a name, ''ME". The classroom is all those that have become lifetime members before us, we learn from them. They are our teachers. Our dreams can become our realities. It is so important to dream, and we can let our spirits soar to new hight.

All this falls again to, ''How badly do you want to lose the weight?" How badly do you want to feel better and feel better about yourself? Yes, if you can see it, you can have it. If you can feel it, you can be it. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. So dream on, and follow that dream.

09-20-09..........Sunday

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose."

Dr. Seuss

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

First off I wanted to let you all know that I heard from Sharilyn via e-mail yesterday, and her mother's funeral will be next Saturday in California. She, her brother & sister-in-law have been busy as you can imagine, but they were taking sometime to take care of themselves as well. Sharilyn, just know our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

What an exciting meeting yesterday, our Jennifer made goal, and waking up this morning still finding it hard to believe. Trust me, I am that way each and every morning, wondering, ''am I truly at goal, or is this a dream?" You will begin your six weeks on maintenance and that can be a bit scary, but just remember what you did last week, and how well that went for you, and I think you will do fine. We are so very proud of you.

We can steer ourselves in any direction we choose. When we make those food choices that are not the best for us, it is not because someone tied us down and force fed us. I choose to eat the candy and have those drink last week. I have found out yet again, ''I am not ready for such things." I am also coming to terms with, "I will probably never be able to handle things like candy, cookie, cakes and some booze in moderation." In a way it is sad to have to come to terms with that, but on the other hand, I am being realistic.

So what direction are you going to be choosing this week? Are you going to continue to halfway do the program, are you going to stand up and shout from the roof tops, "I AM WORTH THE HARD WORK AND EFFORT IT TAKES TO BE HEALTHY!" Whether you actually shout that out or just shout it in your head, it is still the same, you/me/we are taking a stand. It is time to make a decision, make a plan and stick with it. Does not matter that in a few short weeks the major eating months are going to be upon us.

Was my indulgence with Bob's candy worth all that worry I did last week? Being afraid I had gained a bunch of weight? At the time I was stuffing the candy in my mouth, gaining weight was the furthest thing from my brain. After that first taste of the sweet stuff, it was as if I was in a coma, I never even tasted the candy. This will always be a journey for us, we are never going to be cured. We will always have a birthday party, a vacation, the holidays, it's Thursday, there is going to always be something that we feel the need to celebrate. Just think of the direction you want to be heading in make a road map (plan) and get started on that journey. What better day to start than today.

09-19-09.............Saturday

It's true, I never got here yesterday. It seems Saturday's are really a hard time for me to get here for a blog.

I have to admit, the scale was good to me, even with my bad choices part of last week. I do think times like that are good for us, due to it helps us to realize, ''there are always going to be somethings, we just cannot eat anymore, due to they set us off." That was what yesterday's meeting was about red, yellow and green light foods. I, like most people that have weight problems my biggest red light food is sugar, gets me in trouble every single time.

I was down .4 yesterday, and as I said, I was very happy about that.

09-18-09..........Friday morning.

No one would have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm.

Charles Kettering

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

To begin with today, I just want to extend my deepest sympathy's to Sharilyn and her brother due to the loss of their Mother. If you got Sharilyn's e-mail yesterday you know by now she is in California, and Sharilyn, just want you to know your Weight Watcher Sister's here are lifting you up with prayer.

I have to say thank you again for all of you that have been so supportive of me this week, and with listening to my whining about over indulgences over the weekend. Becky, it was a celebration, one that most people that have known Bob for many years never expected to celebrate, to be quite honest, Bob never expected to get this far either. Good news is I am back on track, have two stars on the calendar now, so I am feeling much better due to I am now back in control. I will get on that scale in the morning and whatever the number shows, I will work from there.

It has been said and expressed many times here that we will all hit bumps in the road and we will be throw off track for a bit, but that does not mean we abandon ship. We put on that life preserver, example getting back to basics, going back to the beginning, and we anchor ourselves , with the anchor being all of you, to the ship, the ship is what I am doing right now, reaching out to each of you, and we hang on for dear life. This storm will pass, or as our Sister Sally from Wisconsin has told me many times this week, ''this too shall pass."

One of the best things all of you have done for me, was not allow me to take up a permanent residence on that pity pot. Now I had already begun to change my address from Washburn to Pity Street, but there was something Becky wrote to me yesterday, ''this will happen again." Did I honestly fool myself into thinking I would never be faced with the prospect of eating and drinking too much. The drinking was a fluke, due to it has been three years since I'd had any alcoholic drinks, I made up for lost time on Saturday. The sugar that is in alcohol helped to kick in my wanting to meet up with my long lost friends, ''The See's", lovely people, but you just don't want them in your house. I was given options, by Bob no less. This was a birthday gift too Bob from one of our dearest friends, but yet Bob knew how hard this was having that candy in the house, so he said, ''we can either throw it out or give it away". Now me being the martyr that I am, ''heaven's no....I can handle it." While in reality, I could not wait for Bob to get out of the room so I could have my torrid affair with that box of candy. Yes, I knew exactly what I was doing, and yes, it will no doubt happen again somewhere down the road.

Good news is, I have pulled up my big girl panties.....or thong as Cara put it.....and I am moving on. I am staying on the ship, I am riding out the storm, and I hope to see all of you tomorrow. I know Clare, Rhonda, Dana, Jennie of course Sharilyn and probably Betty won't be there tomorrow. You all will be missed, but we will see you next week.

09-17-09.....Thursday

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward.

Kierkegaard

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

I just want to report that I did much better yesterday, and a lot of that it in thanks to my Sister Friends, that came to my rescue. I don't like finding out that I am just like everyone else, I am going to struggle, I am going to fall off that wagon, even get kicked around like a football from time to time. But, I did not have to stay down. Thank you Sally, Dana, Betty, Rebecca, and Cara for helping me over this bad time. Last night I was able to put a star on the calendar for my good choices I made.

'

The above quote is so true in so many aspects of our lives, but it really struck a cord with me where my weight loss journey is concerned. When I/We/You, have a time we are struggling, we can look back and first off figure out what got us off track, then look a little further back to see what was keeping us on track, and then finally and hopefully we can move forward from there.

Rebecca, (not the teacher's pet Becky) :), reminded me of a quote that was used on the Biggest Loser the other night, and not that it was earth stopping, but it is the simplicity of it, ''Make Better Choices". See, it is very simple, but it does pack a whollop. I don't care what anyone says, this is hard, first losing the weight, then maintaining your weight after you do get to goal. Yesterday, I finally came to terms with "I have messed up." I had been beating myself up due to I let something happen that I had been so careful with since the first of the year, I let my guard down, just for a little while, and the ''Old Joan" resurfaced for a while. It has taken me a few days, but with a big stick I have been able to beat her back. So to try and find something positive from this detour I have had, I finally came up with this.....I am not cured, I am never going to be cured, I am always going to be just that one bite, lick or taste away from falling back to the Old Joan's way of life....I look backwards and I can see where I went wrong, and I can understand what went wrong. I look backwards a bit more and I also know what I was doing to be successful at weight loss. Now all that is left is moving forward, making better choices, and marking this up as something I do not want to repeat again. Will it happen again? Oh I am sure it will, but by being able to look back, I now know what I have to do.

So thanks to all of you for your encouragement, love and support. We need each other cause at some time we will all experience our ''old selves".

09-16-09.....

"There is a remarkable difference between a commitment of 99% and 100%." Vic Conant

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.

I had to pose the above quote to myself and I did not care for the answer I got back, so I thought today would be a good day for us to explore this together.

Are we/me/you, giving our Weight Watchers plan even 75%? Are we/me/you following the Weight Watchers 4-way approach...which is?

Eating Smart, Attending meetings, Moving more, and building helpful habits? Some of us maybe getting 3 of the 4 , some of us may be getting 2 of the 4, then there are some of us that are still reading this asking ourselves, ''4-way approach, when did that come around?" I doubt very much that we are 100% or even 80% most of the time.

We need to start today, and re-commit to a better way of life. As some of you know the Biggest Loser show began again last night. These people come on the show asking for help, but when the brutal workout begin, then comes the moaning, groaning and excuses of why they can't do this. On the bus ride, it's all positive, how their lives are going to be changing, but I think, and some of us do the same thing, they don't realize the hard work that is going to have to be done. Hadn't we all rather take the path of least resistance? Hadn't we all rather ''have our cake and eat it too?"

We/me/You today, need to stop and really look at the big picture, not just the parts that we ''think'' we can do. We/Me/You, can eat smarter, but it takes planning, we can attend meetings, and if you can't make the one on Saturday morning, then get one in during the week, move more, you don't have to have a gym membership, you don't have to be at the gym at 5 a.m. you don't have to work out as long as that person that has muscles out to wherever. We can develop helpful/healthy habits. Does not mean that once in awhile you can't have the cake, or pizza, or whatever it is you want to kill for, but take it from one that has been dealing with the after effects of drinking on Saturday, and having that one small piece of birthday cake, once its in my system, it is hell trying to get back to where I need to be. But, I can and I will do this. I have not been able to do it overnight, but I WILL GET MYSELF BACK ON TRACK.

So think about this today. IF you are not where you want to be right now, if you are not where you thought you should be in your weight loss adventure/journey yet. Then think....how much percent are you giving this? We/ME/You are the only ones that can answer that question, but answer it honestly.

Friends Forever

Me and Sally. I think this is a great picture of both of us...and look we have collar bones showing.

Watermelon Art....

Our friend Jennie, did this beautiful work of art for Bob's party.

I am so blessed to have friends that are talented.

The Girls...

Left to right.........Sally (my bestestest friend), me, my baby sister Ruthann, and her daughter Leigh Ann.

I love this picture.

09-15-09............Tuesday

He who has health has hope. And he who has hope has everything. Arabian Proverb

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

First off, I want to report that I had a really good day yesterday. Exercise on the elliptical was done, but I only held out for 45 minutes yesterday, which still gave me 3.50 miles, last night when I took my pedometer off I had over 5 miles on that. Food right on track, at the end of dinner last night I still had 4 points left over so I got a snack before going to bed, which is always nice. So party is over, and I'm back on track.

Good health. Always before when I went on a "diet", it was too look better. So I guess now I can say I have grown up and the vanity part is over with. Due to I look at the health benefits now. I know, I can see some of you out there rolling your eyes, and thinking, ''yeah, if you had seen her Saturday at the party, you would have known it was vanity." ha ha. It's true, Saturday was the first time I think I ever had felt good in my own skin. It's the first time in my life that I was able to look around the room and see ''I was not the biggest person there." I have to admit, that is an awesome feeling. The most amazing thing was, being on my feet all day Saturday, and it not resulting in my lower back being out for a couple of days. That has not happened since I've lost the weight. My legs still swell, but I think I'd have that problem even if I weighted 90 pounds. I am in better health now that I have ever been. In a way it is sad to admit that, due to I have let a lot of years pass me by due to my excess weight. However, nothing I can do about the past, so I am going to just look at the present, and plan for the future.

He who has hope has everything. We could not, I think, continue on this adventure/journey without having the hope of getting to the goals we set for ourselves. I have been so concerned, that I would fall into that trap of, ''now I'm at goal what do I do?" That I would sabotage myself, so I have set myself another goal. That new goal is learning how to swim. I have always wanted to know how to swim. I can't even dog paddle, I can't even float, so this is a real challenge for me, but I am going to give it a try. Just when my lessons will begin, well, I still don't know, but I have taken the first step, I have e-mailed the gym and said, ''I am ready!!!" So I will keep you all posted on that.

So get out there today, and see what you can do to be more healthy, and remember, when you got up this morning and asked yourself, ''do I want to track today", believe it or not, you were hoping for the right answer.

09-14-09....Monday

Be around people who can keep your energy and inspiration high. While you can make progress alone, it's so much easier when you have support. Dr. Joe Vitale

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

Here we are back to Monday again, and what a week it was. This is why the above quote was meant for today. Have to say if it had not been for the support I get from all of you, no way on earth would I have been able to get up our of bed this morning and feel good about my eating over the weekend, even though there were some aspects of my eating and drinking that could have used a bit more moderation. But, last week is over and done with, Bob's party is history, the house is back in order, except the carpets are going to have to be cleaned, and I have finally come to terms with the Bob-O-Bed may always just be a pipe dream, and now it's time to get back down to the business at hand, and that is taking care of myself.

I have to surround myself with people that are going to lift me up when I am down, I have to surround myself with people that have known the same struggles that I have, especially with my eating. This is why I just cannot miss my weekly meetings, and I believe this is why I feel these morning e-mails are so important. There is no way that we all can be positive and be the cheerleader at the same time. So we have a mix, some weeks we are being cheered for, some weeks we are doing the cheering for others, and then there are those weeks, we look at these happy, cheering fools, and hope they swallow a fly. Yeah, it happens, no matter how much we want to be happy for someone else's success, that little green eyed monster shows up at our door. But, you know that is okay too, it is part of life.

A few years ago there was this song out, ''DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY", I loved that song as long as my day was going good, but let that thing be playing on a bad day, and the radio got thrown right out the back door, ha. It is the same way with weight loss, as long as we are losing right alone with everyone else we are happy, but if we begin to struggle while everyone else seems to continue to move downward, then that is when the our plan gets thrown out.

We need our support system, and as you all know our meetings are a great place to find that support, as coming by each day here is for me. No matter how hard we try we will have those days, weeks, months sometimes even years that we just cannot seem to get it right. So surround yourself with people and things that will be of support to you. This is hard work, I don't care what anyone says, and when you stray just a bit, like I did over the weekend, then it's twice as hard to get back down to business. It would have been so easy for me to rolled over and went right back to sleep, my head is stuffy, my nose is plugged, and my throat is sore, so I have all the excuses, for not getting back to the gym today. But, that is just what they are excuses. I was off all last week from the gym, but still got in plenty of activity points, but I need the accountability of the gym to be sure I am living up to what I try to encourage each of you to do each and every day, and that is, ''work hard, you are worth it"!

09-11-09 Friday.

If one dream falls and breaks into a million pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. Flavia Weedn

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

We have finally made it to Friday. Have you ever had a dream and different thing happen and your dream was never able to become a reality? I bet we all have at some time or other in our lives. However, today we are going to be writing about our dream of getting to our goal weight.

So many times we get so very close, and for whatever reason, it begins to slip through our fingers. We sometime want to call it a stall, and sometimes it can be that, but it has been my experience more times than not, the stall is actually caused by our own doing. Calling it a stall instead of just owning up to our own sabotaging, sound much better. I did that. I called it being comfortable, which was true. I was in clothes much smaller than I had worn since I was probably in grade school. So for a year and a half, I teeter tottered between 210-215 pounds. Oh I got as close at 3 pounds from the personal goal (200 pounds) I had set for myself, but then the next week, I'd be right back up to 205 or 208, never allowing myself to get any closer.

I always wondered why. Was it something I was afraid to face? Did I know that even getting to 200 pounds, the only real thing in my life that was going to change was I weighed less? Was it the thought of, ''well, I get to goal then what do I do?" I think, for me, it was a little bit of all those questions. I also believe 3 years ago I would not have been ready to see the actual goal I had set not only for myself, but the goal I had set with Weight Watchers. Losing weight, getting to goal and maintaining is all a mental thing. Trust me, I speak the truth here.

Not long ago if I had been facing a week like I am having right now, I would have done gone through a truck load of ice cream, I would have bought all the candy the store shelves could hold, I would have been stuffing my feelings and disappointments down with food. Instead, this time and here is where the attitude comes in, I know I am as good as the next person, I know I am worth much more than I ever gave myself credit, AND this one you all are really going to find hard to believe......but, I have found my voice. It is ok for me to tell people ''no, that is not going to work for me", it is okay for me to tell people, ''this is my plan, so you can work around me." Always before, I felt as if I had to dance to everyone else's tune, not anymore. I have a voice, I have ideas, and I know I have worth.

So whatever your dream may be or may have been, and if it has fallen and broken into a few pieces, just remember, the dream is not over, pick up a piece of that dream and build on it.

Thanks again for listening to me this week. Bob had a wonderful day yesterday and asked me to tell Lisa B., Randy, Amy, Cara, Jenny, Dana & Rhonda, thank you for the wonderful birthday wishes. Bob's words, ''I am in awe of the wonderful things people do."

09-10-09 Thursday.....Bob's 90th birthday.

Life is rather like a can of sardines-we're all looking for the key.

Allan Bennett

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

First off, want to wish our Rhonda a safe trip, she and John are leaving for California today. Today is not only the Bobster's 90th birthday, but a little bird told me that our Denise is having a birthday as well. Now I know our Toni is having a birthday as well this month, I want to say it was yesterday, but cannot swear to that one, but Denise & Toni, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

I chose the above quote this morning due to I am putting two of Bob's son's and the one daughter-in-law in a can and losing the key for good. Rhonda got to meet two of the McAdams' son's yesterday, she was spared the daughter-in-law. lol lol.

Rhonda, you did leave at a good time due to when they did test the bed, when it got to about a 45 degree angle it ''DROPPED'' with a bang. Darn good thing we are on a slab of concrete. Now in this family we have two Engineers, a mechanic, and a computer whiz that does research, and then there is Joan, who has to try and keep from killing all of these people. So still no tilting BOB-0-BED. Good news no one was on the bed when it came crashing down.

Good news is I don't have much of an appetite, and it seems every time I try to have a meal, other than my breakfast, someone comes in right at that time and then there is just way too much going on to actually settle down to eat.

So many things could be happening here, one of the ones that I am so grateful that is not happening, is I have not gotten my own spoon and driven at high speeds to the nearest Baskin Robbins or that anyone has found me sitting in the corner with empty boxes of Bob's Russell Stover's scattered around. My eating has been in chek, so for today I am very grateful for that. I am so grateful for all of you, listening to this ever unfolding story, as I tell people ''I can't make up stuff this good". :)

Now I know how for the last few days I've been complaining about what is going on here, the party part is working out smooth as silk, thanks to Sally. It is the part where I told EVERYONE from day one when they talked about the bed, ''this has to be done and in working order before Bob's party, as a matter of fact Sept. 1st. is the deadline". Here it is September 10th, and we are not one bit closer, in my opinion to being anywhere near ready. I just have to remember to B-R-E-A-T-H.

Bob has made it to 90 years old, and I am very grateful for that...............but I'm not sure if I'm going to make it to Saturday. ha ha ha.

09-09-09.....Wednesday

A true friend knows your weaknesses, but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.

William Arthur Ward

Good Morning Sister W.W.F.F.

If I said, I was tired, that would be such an understatement. I was up yesterday morning from 3 a.m. until I finally put my book down and went to sleep by a quarter of 9. Thinking the entire time, ''the morning's e-mail is going to be late today." I woke up bright eyed at 2:45 a.m. have had my shower, have my coffee and....well you can figure out the rest.

Mercy, what would we do without our friends? We have all had those that have been referred to as ''Fair Weather Friends", and I think we need those from time to time, so we can appreciate a real, true friend. I consider all of you my friends, some I will always be much closer to than others, but we are still friends. We try our best to hold one another up when our lives seem to be falling down around us.

This week, things are really wild around here, and the good news is I have my best friend here and she and I are keeping one another in check, but Sally has extra duty cause she has to keep me from over doing on activity points by not allowing me to do bodily harm to some of the family that is showing up. A whole other story there.

Stress, can cause you to dive face first into that vat of ice cream, but is that really going to solve anything? Not unless, I can hold certain peoples face down in that vat until they stop kicking :), so staying away from that. Russell, has not called my name either, so that is a good thing, Papa John has been taken off speed dial. Yesterday we stopped at Starbucks and got us a 2 points iced coffee thing, and after we drank it we both found out, it did not agree with us. So won't do that again. We went to Sam's yesterday, and all that Halloween candy, oh my, but we came home with grapes that are so big and sweet we are calling them ''mini watermelons'', beautiful blueberries, and grape tomatoes. No cakes, cookies, candy, ice cream, nothing that we think would calm our stress, soothe our hurt feelings, and for a brief moment make the whole world seem right.

We all have that special someone that we call when our world seems to be falling down around us. We need our friends. For me, if it were not for you all, I can honestly tell you ''there is no way I would have stayed with Weight Watchers this long." It all comes down to being there for each other. Some of us never see or even talk with each other until Saturday when we meet up at the meeting, some of us do keep in contact through out the week. Of course you all hear from me everyday via the e-mail, but I don't think we really realize just how important each of us are to one another. So this morning, before I go for my second cup of coffee, I just want to say, ''Thank You ", I could not have gotten this far on my adventure/journey without your friendship and support.

September 08, 2009

The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.

Johann Wolfgang Goethe

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

I do hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend. Mine and The Bob's was very relaxed. On Saturday we went for a drive to the cemetery, where Mildred (Bob's first wife and the son's Mother) is buried, as is Bob's oldest sister Mary Louise. Mary Louise and her husband are up on the hill of this small cemetery, so as Bob sits in the van at the bottom of the hill, and prays ,I trek up the hill to say HI to Mary Louise. I always tell Mary Louise when I get to her site, ''got me some activity points" and I know that would crack her up.

Where are you standing on your weight loss adventure/journey today. I keep hearing in my head, Barbara's voice from Saturday saying, ''live in the moment". So if the weekend was what you feel was a total bust, too much to eat, drink, too much merriment, well that is just that. The weekend, yesterday, the last official holiday of Summer. Today is your new day. Today is your starting point ; if you need somewhere to start. You have to know what direction you are headed, is the next 3-4 months going to be 1 good week, 12 weeks of asking yourself, ''why do I even try?"

I took the traveling tracker this past Saturday, not that I had plans of using it, as you all know I'm an avid tracker, I know I can hear the groans from here, lol lol, but for me tracking the same thing as having to take a daily pill . I know tracking is going to make me more aware of what I am doing throughout the day, just like my daily hormone replacement meds have helped Bob to be able to make it to his 90th birthday. ha ha. Anyway, I digress, I took the tracker not for myself, but for Sally who arrived yesterday afternoon. Sally is like our Jennifer, so darn close to goal, and would it not just be totally mind boggling if both these ladies made goal this weekend!!!! Just a thought, no pressure :), but I will be bringing my camera. :)

Sally wants to make sure she stays focused and with all we have going on here at the McAdams Manor this week, from people arriving into town, to major Bob-O-Bed re-vamping going on, to decorating, grocery shopping, making sure I don't have to do bodly harm to some , and having a dinner on Friday night for what family that will be in Louisville. Yep, we are going to be pretty wild and crazy around here, and we have to know what direction we are going in, and the one direction Sally and I both want to continue is the one with our weight loss adventure/journey. So we have a plan, we are taking a stand, and we are heading in the right direction. So come on, get up, get yourself in the right frame of mind, and begin today doing what you know needs to be done so you will be closer to the end result you are looking for. Nothing you can do about this past weekend, nothing you can do about the last holiday of the Summer. But, today is the day you can begin to change everything, today is the clean slate day. Don't waste it, make it happen.

Labor Day, 2009

Visualize this thing that you want. See it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint, and begin to build.

Robert Collier

Good Monday Morning and Happy Labor Day Sister W.W.F.F.,

I want to let you all know that this week I won't be taking in the gym. I need some time off, and with this being Bob's party week, and family coming in and so much to do, thought it best that I give myself a little breathing room. So if the e-mail is not in your box by 4:30 a.m. don't worry, it just means, I'm sleeping in. :)

I love today's quote, due to it fit me to a "T''. I know you all have heard Toni tell us to visualize ourselves at our goal weight. Of course as you all know, my never being a ''normal'' size I could just not fathom how on earth you do that. So I had to come up with a different solution. One friend told me to cut out a picture of someone the size I wanted to be, and paste my face over that person face. Good idea, but in my mind I could not see body size at anything but 327 pounds. As I mentioned yesterday, it was not until earlier this year, when I really got on fire again, that I began to visualize the number I wanted to see written on my card each week. Now don't get me wrong, just because I visualized that number did not mean I got there, sometime it took me at least 3 weeks to see that number I wanted. But that seem to work for me.

Body image is such a hard thing to deal with. I don't think any of us are ever satisfied with ''what we look like." I look at some of you and I actually ask myself, ''why do they think they need to lose more weight?" As you all know it does not matter how great other's think we look, we have our own image in our heads.

I still can't get used to catching the reflection of myself in the curio cabinet that sets in our bedroom. I have actually thought, ''oh my, there is a stranger in the house." It is the strangest feeling for me to see my reflection and not know who it is.

So if your not driving, close your eyes at some point today and visualize that number you want to see. Here again, I took the numbers in small amounts. After I got past the 200 pound mark, I visualized just 1 or 2 pounds at a time. As all of us that have gotten to goal knows, ''those last few pounds take longer cause we have had the longer."

For our Lisa T. (Love's wife). Stay focused on your week 3 of creating a new habit.

September 6, 2009....Sunday

People are like sticks of dynamite; the powers on the inside but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit.

Anonymous

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

I am thinking that some of us need to get our weight loss battery re-charged. Each of us are different so each of us no doubt have a different reason for wanting to lose those extra pounds we have been packing around with us.

Some of us have been doing this for so long we think we could give Weight Watchers International a few pointers. Whatever it is that we know or think we know, the bottom line is if you have fallen off the wagon, and the "thud" could be heard around the world, and you seem to continue on this same ''wagon falling off syndrome", then just maybe your battery needs to be re-charged.

I read recently a article that stated, ''you are only one choice away from changing your life." That put me to thinking. We are only one choice away from changing how our weight loss journey/adventure continues. Maybe it might be having one less drink over the weekend, it could be to stay away from your neighbor's desk, you know the one that keeps the bowl of candy on there, don't go visit her. Maybe instead of playing at the computer while your having lunch, go outside, breath some fresh air, and get a little walking time in. Maybe it's just getting in that 3rd, week of trying to learn a new habit.

There are other things that I feel sure we all can change some may have to be major changes, and some may be that you need extra support from your Sister's here, and know we are here for you. None of us are bad people and none of us set out to sabotage ourselves, but it happens, the thing to remember here is, weight loss is like most everything else, we become bored with what we are doing, we decided to do it ''our" way, and as most of us have found out, ''our way does not work." It won't happen overnight, but then it will never happen if we don't get re-charged and excited again. Dig out all those books we have been given, buy a nice pen and notebook for notes, bring out that article of clothing you want to fit into, put it where you have to see it every single day. If you cannot visualize yourself thinner, then just visualize the number you want to see on that scale.

We are going into the ''Lose For Good" campaign, not only can we help to feed those less fortunate, by brining in canned goods for every pound we've lost in weight for that week, but I look at it like this, ''I am giving away my extra pounds to someone that actually needs them." It does sound silly to say it like that, but isn't that really what we are doing?

Does your weight loss battery need to be re-charged? Are you ready to make a change? Then LIGHT THAT FUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday After the meeting..09-05-09

One's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into action.....which brings results.

Florence Nightingale

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

We were missing some today, and we had some to return to us. So good to see you Michelle, and Kathy Fox just want you to know you are missed when your not there on Saturday morning. Also kudo's to Betty M. Miss Betty even with what you thought was going to be your downfall, you still pulled it off, great loss this week. Lots of lifetime monthly stars given out today. Yeah Us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jana, Christiane, Sharilyn, Amy, Denise, Jenny & Toni. There may have been others missing, and if you were, hope alls well, and hope to see everyone next week.

Clare, I am sending you this e-mail, it will be your last until you return, but I wanted to wish you a wonderful, safe trip, and we will try and keep Randy in chek, :). Our Rhonda is going to be gone a couple of weeks as well, so safe travels Rhonda.

Today's meeting was about LOSE FOR GOOD. Now who on earth does not want to do that?? Here are some words to live by, and a phrase or two as well.

Tracking, focus, drinking your water, getting in your activity. Living in the moment, what happened yesterday or last week, that is over and done with, right now is all that we can take charge of. Persistence not Perfection. Keep doing the things we know to do, we don't have to be perfect, come on that would just be way to scary.

We have a food drive going on. Each week or the week after you weight in, the pounds you have lost bring in that much non-perishable food for the food drive. But, you know what, if we have gains, maybe we should bring in double....just a thought. If you have 2.8 pounds (Jennifer) to lose to get to goal, put that much canned good on your counter this week, visualize in your mind that magic number being on the scale for next week. I will bring my camera :). I may have given Jennifer an extra tenth or so on the pounds, but I have a good feeling about this.

We talked about anchors , and we all have them, we may not know that its an anchor for us, but trust me, they are there. So that was pretty much it for today's meeting. Lisa T. (Love's wife), you challenge this week is to make this week #3, to get that habit formed. You can do it, and you have a ton of sister's here to help push you alone the way.

Oh in closing for those of you that were not there today...I am in new territory........................

169.6 color me real happy.

Wishing Everyone a great weekend, be safe.