Great job getting back on track. The right mental attitude goes a long way
in this journey. You certainly made the right decsion in coming back.

Congratulations on getting back on track before getting too out of
control.  I need to take notes on what you've said here as I am in
a similar situation.  Getting back on track is causing me difficulty at
the moment.

Brenda

I just want to say that you have full support and sympathy.  I, too,
had those "I want to eat that!"  I cannot even attribute it to
anything stressful at work although maybe I would like to be retired
(G)  They just occur and cannot be ignored without risking clothes not
fitting and exercise becoming harder.

I wish we could bottle the positive resolve and the reasons the
resolve finally grabs hold.  But since we can't, we just have to
mentally bite the bullet and buckle down.  Find other outlets for
stress (easy to say).  Winter can be a very dull time with less
exercise, less sunlight, especially in the northern latitudes.  

Just keep a grip on that new resolve.  Look at those bicycles and
those form fitting shorts and get your incentive pumped.

You already seem to have taken charge and you clearly know the
program.  Use that new kitchen and whip up some perfect meals.

Good luck.

and .....

   __o
  -\<,
 ( )( )  Keep on pedaling.

Hi, Linda, You made a good choice to change your eatting habits.  You did it
once, you can do it again.
Take Care
Catherine
After weeks, Months, of eating what and when I want to eat, regardless
of the effect on the scale, I seem to have gotten my groove back, and
I'm now eating for weight loss. I can't explain what happened that I
ceased to care about the correlation between eating large quantities
of certain foods and weight gain. It's as if I needed to prove to
myself how quickly I could regain all my weight if I returned to my
pre-WW way of eating. Despite my return to program several weeks ago,
I knew at the time that I would give it less than my best effort,
because deep down, I just didn't care. Eating what I wanted was simply
more important. Work has been very stressful, and I've used that as my
excuse to overeat and underexercise.

As a result, none of the summer clothes I bought last year when I
reached my WW goal of 145 fit me this year. All of my size S clothes
are staring me in the face, unwearable, and even most of the size Ms
have become snug. Last year I was wearing size 6 & 8 clothes; this
year I'm in 10s & 12s. Worst of all, none of my bicycling clothes fit.

Last Friday, something changed. As I ate my way through X number of
pastries after breakfast, and french fries with lunch, and a pint of
ice cream and a bag of chips for dinner, I felt myself getting angrier
and angrier that I had become so willing to throw away all that hard
work of 1-1/2 yrs to lose 87 lbs. By the time I went to bed Friday
night, I knew that I had to make a choice. I could continue my
out-of-control eating. That would mean I'd weigh more than 200 lbs by
next Christmas (if not sooner). I'd be wearing size 20+ clothes. And
I'd have to sell my bicycles because I knew I wouldn't/couldn't ride
them if I was obese. OR I could eat sanely, lose weight and fit into
the clothes I already have, and keep my bikes.

In that moment of decision, something clicked and I made the
connection between my eating and my weight. I cannot eat whatever I
want whenever I want and expect to be normal weight. For some reason,
the present reality of my bike clothes not fitting and the potential
reality of giving up my bikes helped me make that connection.

Thankfully, when I woke up Saturday morning, my mind was still clear
and my resolve to return to a healthy way of eating and a normal
weight had not abated. Sadly, after a week of frenzied eating, the
scale showed 176.8. On Sunday, after one day of sane and planned
eating, the scale had dropped to 170.6, which I think is a truer
reflection of my weight gain since Christmas. Since then, I've been
weighing and measuring my food and avoiding both sugary and high fat
foods. In addition, I've managed to go to the gym twice and plan to go
again later this morning. Now that the morning temps are averaging
well above freezing, I'm planning next week to resume bike commuting.
The schedules for club bicycle rides are beginning to fill too and so
I hope to do at least one club ride next week.

This morning the scale read 168 after a couple of days at 167. Oh
well. Today, what's more important to me than the number on the scale
is that my head is on straight. For the first time ever, I know in my
bones that nothing tastes as good as thin feels. I hope I can still
say that tomorrow and next week and next year.
--
Linda P
168.2/168/10% goal: 151
mini-goal: 165

prairierootsmnSNIPTHIS@yahooANDTHIS.com

It amazes me how similar our stories are!  I've also tried back on program for the
past month - a few days here and there that seemed to quickly go by the wayside -
definitely a lack of effort on my part.  I think I did care, just not enough ...
if that makes sense.

And again, the same.  Although I think the 6's were generous 6's for me. <g>  And
now I need those generous 10's.  LOL  None of the summer clothes fit, not even
going to try squeezing into them.  They aren't THAT generous.

<snipped a bit>

Not really frenzy eating on my part, just not smart.  Too many quickie meals ...
pizza, burgers, etc.  Running constantly and not having a plan are definite
killers for me.  Funny how those old habits can come flying back and take control
so quickly.  Our numbers again are so similar.  I got brave and hit the scale
Tuesday morning - nothing like a bit of reality to shift things into gear.  168.5
here.  Not good, but not nearly as bad as I had myself convinced of.  Three days
back on plan and I'm doing good, sliding back down ever so slowly.  Back to
weighing/measuring the food and drinking the water which I hadn't done for months.
Next is getting back into the exercise routine.

LOL!  I hope I can say it just one day.  Unfortunately for me, those hot fudge
sundaes still taste soooooooooo good.  I'm getting there though, am sucking at
sugar free popsicles instead.  I bought a package of No Pudge cookie's & cream
icecream bars ... will not buy them again.  Way too sweet, tasted rather
artificial to me.  I'm sticking with the skinny cows if/when I need that icecream
fix.

Joyce