I never had trouble with my weight until I went on massive amounts of fertility drugs during my first marriage in my mid-late twenties. They didn't work, and then the depression coupled with that and my subsequent divorce caused me to pack on some unwanted pounds.
Hear you with the fertility drugs - I had got down to 135 when I started fertility treatments - I weighed myself 2 weeks into my pregnancy, I was 174!
QOTD - Saturday December 31, 2011
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Carol, I am 53 years old, married for 31 1/2 years to my DH and have a 15 DS.
I never had trouble with my weight when I was young - I was a stringbean and never learned about healthy eating, since I was doing sweets to try and pack on the weight - I could eat anything. That all changed when I got my desk job, but not too bad. Yoyo'd back and forth through 15 pounds, got down to 127 when I got married, and kept a lot off through college since I was living at home with DH and running all over the campus to class. After teaching for a few years, I settled into accounting, and that was it! Reached a high of 215. I've been with WW a few times, currently following it now and lost about 55 pounds a few years ago. Gained 25 back, and lost about 10 with last fall's BL challenge and WW, but had some family issues that impacted my participation in the program; hopefully this go 'round will be better. Hope to get back to my starting weight before going back to Disney/Universal again in April, so I feel comfortable on the rides and running around the parks.
Always crazy busy with work and DS is training for Track and Field. I can't run due to arthritic knees, so when I do exercise need to do low impact, which does limit me somewhat. I like yoga, but need to get some cardio and strength training in.
To the PP w/the ring - my wedding band doesn't fit and I refuse to get it resized. One of my goals is to get it to fit again too.
I was able to get my wedding band back on after my last weight loss, and I can now slip in on and off - determined never to get back to where they have to force it off for surgery, which is where I was in '05. It hurt like blazes when they forced it off, and I couldn't get it back on until I lost that weight.
QOTD - January 1, 2012 - What action plan do you have in place to help you to achieve your goals for this challenge??
Action Plan:
Journal everyday using WW online
Drink water - I drink a little diet soda but still drink enough water - I can't give up my soda, at least not yet!
Follow HH, WIN and do weekly weigh-ins
Start planning healthier evening meals - that is usually my downfall
Find time to exercise, even if it is just taking a walk during lunch at work!
Our DS are the same age - isn't it fun?? I will be 53 and feel a billion times older than all the other Mom's of the other 15 yo's. Maybe if I wasn't so Pooh sized - I wouldn't feel that way. Time will tell.
I'm the same age with my 15 DS! I always feel older, and felt better about myself when I lost some weight. Need to get back there again. My friend is about the same age with a DD my son's age. That might be she and I get on so well!
QOTD - January 2, 2012 - Thinking back on your Action Plan for the Challenge - which will be your most difficult to accomplish??
The exercise, finding time and motivation. I hate exercise, but if I plan the meals right, I pick up DS from track, put him in the shower (he takes forever), put the meal on to heat up and do the Wii or something for about 30 minutes and then a quick shower. We may eat a little late, but we tend to do that anyway. I can't exercise after eating dinner.
Hmmm...I think my hardest part will be eating a salad every day. I love salads and pretty much all vegies, so that's not the problem, but especially in the winter months, I seem to want warm food! I think I will include a lot of vegie soups and maybe even find a way to add warm ingredients to my salads. That'll help a bit!
I know - I love salads, but when it is 20 degrees outsdie it is the last thing I want!
Ok, I'm nervous about baby spinach tasting leafy.
I'm still going to try it, as part of my plan to add more vegetables into my diet.
Are there other lettuce leaves (besides romaine) that are palatable (i.e. without much distinct flavor - like iceberg)?
Thanks!
I saw other answers as well to this. I like iceberg for it's crunch, but like someone said it does not have much in the way of nutrients. You could try the salad blends in the store, they mix iceberg with other types. Spinach is not crunchy, a little bitter, but with the right dressing I like it. I have never been a romaine fan, it tastes odd to me, but mixed with other greens it is not very noticable. But the blends are many different types, and you can get small bites to see what you like.
On January 1 we discussed what our Action Plan would be on our weight loss journey. On January 2 we discussed which aspect of our plan would be the most difficult to follow, and hopefully found some solutions. Which leads us to -
QOTD - January 3, 2012 - This isn't really a question. And you can use it as part of your HH #4 - relax each day. OK. I want you to sit down, close your eyes and envision yourself at the end of your journey. How do you see yourself?? Are you sitting in V&A in a new sexy dress making wise food choices?? Are you running in the next Princess Marathon?? Or are you able to keep up with the kiddo's at MK without keeling over?? Are you in that itsy, bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow polka dot bikini, at the top of Summit Plummet thinking maybe this wasn't a very good idea?? 
I see myself in Universal and Disney in April - hopefully not afraid to wear shorts, running around like crazy to keep up with DS and his best friend (the aforementioned DD of my friend - we go together). To have the energy to keep going all day, sleep well at night and then get up to get going again! When I am not heavy, I have more energy and feel better. Less stress on my knees, so I can walk more. And we are planning a pool day - I had the courage to put on a swimsuit for the first time in years this last summer - hopefully I will be even slimmer by then.
At the far end of the journey, when I have finally lost all the weight I want to lose - about to 140 or 145 - I expect to feel better and be healthier. I had DS late in life - I need to keep myself healthy to spend time with him and watch him grow and go on with his life!
I did some searching for recipies over lunch, will put together a shopping list tomorrow, and try and find some time to make it to the store - maybe over lunch since after work does not work too well. I never know when DS will be out of practice!
Need to turn in, too tired to even do smilies, but I really wanted to catch up with you all!
If you want to move to FL and closer to the mouse, my school district seems to always have openings.
to another teacher! It is so funny how many of us in the group teach this time around. 
I used to work in a really rough area but at least it was elementary school. DH still teaches in a really challenging school. We both have dealt with murders within the families of kids we teach, kids who are homeless, kids who have parents who are in jail and the list goes on. Whenever we watch the news and it seems like the bad thing is in the neighborhood of our school, we pray it does not involve any of our students. Three years ago I left the inner city. I still teach in what we call an "inner ring" school and we deal with a lot of gang problems. It does get hard at times.
Did have chocolate for the first time in nearly 3 weeks, but it's the mini-choco bars and only had two. Just enough to satisfy the craving without feeling like I've blown my diet.
And mom's on board for taking me, so I gotta start saving money now! Still not sure if I'm up to the half marathon, but I could definitely see doing the 5K so at this point I think I'll train for that instead. Plus my DM and one of my cousins (who frequents the DISboards) have expressed some interest in doing it with me. So who knows? Maybe there will be three extra runners next year. 
her. Seriously). I thought I manages to get out of tomorrow's session. We usually train in the afternoons, but tomorrow I'm leaving work early and heading to 
banana
. So I told her I couldn't meet because I'm working earlier than usual. Here's how the conversation went down:
BUT I AM DOING BETTER NOW THANKS TO U GUYS
