The fun's over! It's time for an Easter (Sunday, March 31) Challenge!

[Granger]

You know I am in. I love you ladies.

[Lynn49]

Gosh, sorry, everyone!! With Easter celebrations today, I had so much to do yesterday, making hot cross buns, and my carrot/raisin/coconut/pineapple cake (which I still have to frost, but don't have the right 'tip', yet)...toss together a green bean casserole (sigh) without icky mushroom soup, SIL is doing the turkey (we're not big ham munchers), DD made up a hot pasta dish from a cold one they both enjoyed at GreatWolfLodge a few weeks ago, lots of kielbasa, crackers, boursin cheese, my own red pepper and my wine jelly....yep..this isn't going to be a diet day!!!

SO!
I'm down 1.7 in spite of the Ritz cracker incident the other day!!! I don't know how it happened, but really...I do behave myself most of the time....
Walks, Curt, like Patty said...it's only half-time in this game, and we continue into the next half on Monday (for me, anyway...)....

It was fun, Ladies, and yes, Patty, count me IN! I still have about 20lbs to lose before I'm where I think I should be.
But NO swimsuit pictures! EVAH!!! Too many wobbly bits on an old lady...

Happy Easter everyone!!!!!

[curt81]

How do you continue on when you feel nothing but hopelessness in regards to your future? This includes eating better and other things. The main reason why I continue to struggle with this.

[walkonby]

How do you continue on when you feel nothing but hopelessness in regards to your future? This includes eating better and other things. The main reason why I continue to struggle with this.

Well Curt81, it is really the same for all of us, we all have down, sad moments of reflection in regards to our past, ( which we may have regrets over but cannot change anything) and our future, ( which we are choosing to see as being the only road left that is untraveled yet ), however I know for you it is mainly about needing a good full time job right now. It sounds like you sure do suffer daily with the " why bother ? " sort of thing and I am so sorry that you have that to deal with.
Maybe focusing on your small successes in your physical health ( ie: weight loss and working out) can snowball your energy and motivate you in other ways so that you experience seeing the glass half full instead of half empty. We are all here to cheer on and support each other, so never feel that we have it all going on and you are the one that just can't manage.
We are all one here! ( gosh, just imagine what that weight would be on a scale eh?? lol )
Hang in there despite those negative feelings that surface..... they pass, they might return but maybe you'll have dropped a few pounds then and can then deal better.
Good luck to all of us.

[Lynn49]

Oh, Curt...Walks is so bang on. I know it seems that we're all chuckling about what we do right and wrong, but that doesn't mean that our downfalls don't hurt. We also get disappointed and don't want to go on with this diet thing.
But Hon...I promise you this: when that weight comes off, you'll feel so much more energized...you'll feel more like being out there in public (this coming from someone who didn't even want to go shopping because I was so ashamed of my weight), and your outlook on life will change. I know you struggle with being in the public, but confidence is a muscle...we have to exercise it, do things we're afraid to do...stretch ourselves. Curt you're so young, you have your whole life in front of you. Please stay with us and keep up the struggles we all face...you don't want to feel like this the rest of your life.

I don't know if you've ever watched the Biggest Loser, but there's one thing they do on that show that just touches me to tears: it's when they've all lost their weight, and the show gathers them all together to watch their former, fat selves tell them how they feel...how each day is a struggle, and they make their future selves promise never to do that to themselves again. Lordy, how sad they look....like they've given up on life in their former bodies, and how wonderful and alive they are, watching themselves. It brings them to tears, as it does me, because I know I wasted too many years feeling horrible about myself.

So tell yourself in the future not to do that to yourself again...thank your future self for a better life, then go get it!!

We're all here for each other...ups and downs...sure it's tough. If it wasn't everyone would be losing weight!
But WE will succeed together!!!
{{{{HUGS}}}}

[Lynn49]

Okay. So it's a new start, thanks to Patty for jumping in here to lead us....

This time I'm going to try to keep a better record of my losses and (gulp) gains and know for a fact how I'm doing.
I think...just thinking out loud here, that I might just have to post what I've had during the day to keep me honest. I hope that wouldn't disturb anyone....? And if we can exchange recipes, ideas for snacks (my downfall), etc, would that be acceptable? I don't exercise, as all of you know, since age has taken a toll on this old gal, but I do walk each day, even if it's for a half hour (which, actually does by really quickly~!), with Jenny....altho' truth be told I didn't do that most of the winter, hubby took that over for me...but it's SPRING now!!! The snow is dying, thank heavens, and what doesn't melt fast enough, I shovel as best I can onto the sunny spots where it can proceed to die. Hah!

So good luck to all of us...I start tomorrow!!

[Patty Smyth]

A food log is a great idea Lynn.

I will tell you that my standard breakfast is 2 bananas with a tblsp of almond butter and green tea.

2 OR 3 times a week I will have Fibre One cereal(PC'S Blue Box menu) with rice milk and a banana

[Lynn49]

Thanks, Patty....I'll also start with my breakfasts: usually 1- 1 1/2c porridge with a few raisins tossed in, Splenda brown sugar, a little skim milk (I dislike milk) or 1 cup any cereal, but usually fairly healthy, with milk, coffee, small container of FF yogurt.
My morning snack is usually a protein smoothie or an apple with a Maria cookie or graham cracker.

My selections aren't very exciting, lol, and I am a creature if habit and am satisfied with fewer choices...not one to scour cookbooks for "exciting" recipes....

Good luck, everyone!

[thriftygranny]

I have to keep better track of my weight loss so I am going to post my weight with gain or loss on our Friday weigh ins.I had great intentions but as I yo yo'd I lost track half way through.I have a lot of sodium weight this morning due to the fantastic ham supper we had last night so i am up from Friday. Good Luck everyone.

Breakfast is 1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt with 1 tbsp of almonds,and a sprinkle of hemp seeds.
Snack- small blueberry banana protein shake
Lunch- cut up veggies with a boiled egg
Snack- roasted chickpeas with spices(in the oven now will let you know how they turn out.)
Supper- Ham, sliced tomatoes, coleslaw and baked zucchini with a sprinkle of evo and parmesean.
snack-fat free Greek yogurt with berries

Day one-- 165 lbs

[Patty Smyth]

I have to keep better track of my weight loss so I am going to post my weight with gain or loss on our Friday weigh ins.I had great intentions but as I yo yo'd I lost track half way through.I have a lot of sodium weight this morning due to the fantastic ham supper we had last night so i am up from Friday. Good Luck everyone.

Breakfast is 1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt with 1 tbsp of almonds,and a sprinkle of hemp seeds.
Snack- small blueberry banana protein shake
Lunch- cut up veggies with a boiled egg
Snack- roasted chickpeas with spices(in the oven now will let you know how they turn out.)
Supper- Ham, sliced tomatoes, coleslaw and baked zucchini with a sprinkle of evo and parmesean.
snack-fat free Greek yogurt with berries

Day one-- 165 lbs

Haha you're starting at my goal weight

[walkonby]

aw thrifty!! Now I'm depressed again, like Patty says, you are starting at her goal weight, and also where I was already at once!! lol

I am beginning tomorrow too, ruined today by scarfing back the chocolate eggs left on the kitchen table....oy! Washed it down with 2 cups Tassimo Cafe Crema. Mmmm.

ok ...ready, set....go eat! I mean eat sensibly! lol

[Patty Smyth]

aw thrifty!! Now I'm depressed again, like Patty says, you are starting at her goal weight, and also where I was already at once!! lol

I am beginning tomorrow too, ruined today by scarfing back the chocolate eggs left on the kitchen table....oy! Washed it down with 2 cups Tassimo Cafe Crema. Mmmm.

ok ...ready, set....go eat! I mean eat sensibly! lol

Although my goal weight doesn't seem as insurmountable as it once was.

[walkonby]

I'm glad you have that mindset Patty because once we actually have experienced some weight loss, we get strength from the realization that it is do-able. We start to see that light at the end, the finish line as being one we can all cross....oh I'll race you there!

[thriftygranny]

Haha you're starting at my goal weight

Maybe I shouldn't have put numbers down but it motivates me to actually see them and be accountable!!I started at 176 for the Thanksgiving challenge but have really just been gaining and losing the same 5 pounds this time around. I think when I was told I needed a spinal surgery last month it really put a damper on things for me as I had just been to a trainer to help me with the last 15 pounds. However I am banned from any weight training for now and am just doing a big of work with the exercise bands and walking daily. I definitely need to up the cardio to see any results.I hate cardio!!!!

[walkonby]

I hate cardio too, and as a younger gal I loved it! Where is that thread about getting older, I need to vent there too.
My problem seems to be that I am in a rut of sorts, just not as inspired as I was, that is all. I am hoping it ( inspiration) will find it's way back into my brain soon.