JenEeyore
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2001
- Messages
- 356
Thanks for all the support!!! This is why I love this board!! Through thick and thin together!!!
It is kind of weird - since I am a "lifetime" member at WW, it sort of didn't feel as climactic when I saw the scale that I had hit my goal - I think mentally I felt like, "finally back where you should be", but it didn't really hit. That probably doesn't make sense, but when I originally hit my goal a few years ago, that meant a 50 lb loss, and that was so mentally huge for me. This one sort of slid in and snuck up on me a bit - not that it hasn't been a lot of work - I rejoined again labor day week, so it has been a long winter.
I kind of have found a routine that works for me, and just keep plugging along slowly. I am kind of bad in that I don't food journal anymore, and I'm not totally great at strictly counting my points, and I don't even have a strict exercise routine down. I do, however, try to attend WW meetings pretty regularly as I go over lunch during a work day - I think that is the bit of structure I really need- I need to face that stupid weekly weigh in on their scale where I can't make excuses on how accurate it is, or that I'm wearing "heavy pajamas" this morning etc. It is there in black and white on my weigh-in card.
I have an "almost-two-year-old" at home (turns 2 next month) and that at least does keep me pretty active so I am no longer a couch potato with the chip bag in hand. On my home days ( I work part-time) I graze more than eat big meals - toddlers aren't known for patience at meal time, so it is eating quickly and not a ton of time to stare at the fridge and think of ice cream etc. On my work days, I work in a downtown office so I can walk the skyways over lunch to run errands, or between buildings for meetings, so even in Winter in MN I can still get some walking in - that helps a lot. I have found it is more the little things the help me along in success. I alternate big/little food days - try for an "every other" day sort of thing - usually ends up my home days during the week are leaner, and my work days are more since I tend to eat out more, and we eat dinner later at night. Though I don't religiously count points anymore, I still avoid high point foods, and I still mentally calculate points as I go through my day for snacks etc. Some things aren't worth it for me anymore to spend many points for a snack, say, when I would rather save them for a meal. I still do have treats though, I haven't elimated anything major from my diet totally, I just really watch frequency and portions. Chocolate isn't forbidden at my house, I just don't ever allow myself to sit and eat a whole candy bar - I may have a couple of "miniatures" though. My current addiction is coffee drinks a.k.a. "Starbucks" etc., so I have to watch myself there, and order non-fat etc to curb that down (why did they have to put a Starbucks right next to our office tower, so conveniently??). I still need to figure out an exercise routine to be better with though since my thighs and butt haven't totally recovered from large pregnancy even though the scale says they should have. We go to WDW in May, and my goal is to be ok with myself in shorts and a swimsuit for that trip - although I may buy a cute cover up for that to feel better.
I don't have anything magical to say to give anyone the "key" except to play around with what works for them and their body. Any diet can work for a while if it reduces calories, but the big key is to find an eating program that you can stick with for a lifetime that is balanced and healthy so you don't end up on the Yo-Yo syndrome. I also think it is hugely a mental thing - you have to stay mentally on track to succeed. If you mentally give up, you won't stay successful. Paste a thin picture of yourself somewhere, or if you don't have one, create a realistic proximity on a computer, or with a crayon or something -don't strive for "supermodel" body- it doesn't really exist in the real world unless you are blessed with the metabolism of a gerbil.
I am still going to try to stay in the weightloss mentality for a few more months, I would like a few pound "cushion", but the maintenance phase is to experiment with a points range where you don't end up loosing, or gaining to find where your balance point is. I think for me - "points" will be part of my life for years - even when maintaining, it is a system that works for me to easily calculate intake and keep some balance.
Hope some of this can be helpful to someone out there - I am just doing a mini "brain dump" here while my DS is upstairs napping. I was thrilled to see some nice responses to my post - it is great to have a support network, even if it is people you have never really met before. Everyone keep up the good work with losses, and keep up the good spirits for all our fellow WISHers so we can all keep going to successfully be healthy active people!!!!
Bye for now!
Jen
It is kind of weird - since I am a "lifetime" member at WW, it sort of didn't feel as climactic when I saw the scale that I had hit my goal - I think mentally I felt like, "finally back where you should be", but it didn't really hit. That probably doesn't make sense, but when I originally hit my goal a few years ago, that meant a 50 lb loss, and that was so mentally huge for me. This one sort of slid in and snuck up on me a bit - not that it hasn't been a lot of work - I rejoined again labor day week, so it has been a long winter.
I kind of have found a routine that works for me, and just keep plugging along slowly. I am kind of bad in that I don't food journal anymore, and I'm not totally great at strictly counting my points, and I don't even have a strict exercise routine down. I do, however, try to attend WW meetings pretty regularly as I go over lunch during a work day - I think that is the bit of structure I really need- I need to face that stupid weekly weigh in on their scale where I can't make excuses on how accurate it is, or that I'm wearing "heavy pajamas" this morning etc. It is there in black and white on my weigh-in card.
I have an "almost-two-year-old" at home (turns 2 next month) and that at least does keep me pretty active so I am no longer a couch potato with the chip bag in hand. On my home days ( I work part-time) I graze more than eat big meals - toddlers aren't known for patience at meal time, so it is eating quickly and not a ton of time to stare at the fridge and think of ice cream etc. On my work days, I work in a downtown office so I can walk the skyways over lunch to run errands, or between buildings for meetings, so even in Winter in MN I can still get some walking in - that helps a lot. I have found it is more the little things the help me along in success. I alternate big/little food days - try for an "every other" day sort of thing - usually ends up my home days during the week are leaner, and my work days are more since I tend to eat out more, and we eat dinner later at night. Though I don't religiously count points anymore, I still avoid high point foods, and I still mentally calculate points as I go through my day for snacks etc. Some things aren't worth it for me anymore to spend many points for a snack, say, when I would rather save them for a meal. I still do have treats though, I haven't elimated anything major from my diet totally, I just really watch frequency and portions. Chocolate isn't forbidden at my house, I just don't ever allow myself to sit and eat a whole candy bar - I may have a couple of "miniatures" though. My current addiction is coffee drinks a.k.a. "Starbucks" etc., so I have to watch myself there, and order non-fat etc to curb that down (why did they have to put a Starbucks right next to our office tower, so conveniently??). I still need to figure out an exercise routine to be better with though since my thighs and butt haven't totally recovered from large pregnancy even though the scale says they should have. We go to WDW in May, and my goal is to be ok with myself in shorts and a swimsuit for that trip - although I may buy a cute cover up for that to feel better.
I don't have anything magical to say to give anyone the "key" except to play around with what works for them and their body. Any diet can work for a while if it reduces calories, but the big key is to find an eating program that you can stick with for a lifetime that is balanced and healthy so you don't end up on the Yo-Yo syndrome. I also think it is hugely a mental thing - you have to stay mentally on track to succeed. If you mentally give up, you won't stay successful. Paste a thin picture of yourself somewhere, or if you don't have one, create a realistic proximity on a computer, or with a crayon or something -don't strive for "supermodel" body- it doesn't really exist in the real world unless you are blessed with the metabolism of a gerbil.
I am still going to try to stay in the weightloss mentality for a few more months, I would like a few pound "cushion", but the maintenance phase is to experiment with a points range where you don't end up loosing, or gaining to find where your balance point is. I think for me - "points" will be part of my life for years - even when maintaining, it is a system that works for me to easily calculate intake and keep some balance.
Hope some of this can be helpful to someone out there - I am just doing a mini "brain dump" here while my DS is upstairs napping. I was thrilled to see some nice responses to my post - it is great to have a support network, even if it is people you have never really met before. Everyone keep up the good work with losses, and keep up the good spirits for all our fellow WISHers so we can all keep going to successfully be healthy active people!!!!
Bye for now!
Jen
We're awful proud of you here! 
