Baby steps

Don't worry about the exercise right now. Several of us here, myself
included, were several months into losing weight before we added
exercise to our program. Others don't exercise at all and still lose
weight consistently and steadily. I still haven't made it into a
habit. Don't give yourself something else to beat yourself up about.

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 03:23:49 -0600, "skiur"
wrote:

I've had a hard time motivating myself to exercise. I keep giving excuses
like it's too cold, I don't want to have to shower again that day, If I go
to the gym now I'll be up too late and will never get up for work, etc.
I've tried telling myself that it's ok if I don't go to the gym more than
once a week because any effort is progress. Yet I still can't get myself to
go. I'm not a fan of working out at home either.

Julie


"Prairie Roots" wrote in message
.. .
All these will serve you well over the long haul. Some you may have to
return to time and time again. At least for me, some lessons come
easy, some don't stick even after weeks of repetition.

Self-recrimination and guilt are biggies. I know I'm not alone in my
struggle to overcome these tendencies. What I've discovered is that I
can lose weight even while dealing with these feelings. Posting about
those feelings here helps a lot. I'm also discovering that exercise
quiets the noise of the internal critics. Maybe they get tired.

Good for you for taking these important initial steps. Keep coming
back.

Prairie Roots

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 09:04:24 -0600, "skiur"
wrote:

It's been about a week since I've made a concious effort to re-evaluate
my
woe.

These are the steps I've take so far:
1) Journal foods with portion size and calories when available. This has
already helped me put the brakes to some habits that I picked up when I
wasn't paying attention. I redirected the need to be perfect with the
woe
to journaling and it's helped a lot. I don't feel as guilty as I have in
the past.

2) Repeating to myself that a certain food is allowed, I'm not being bad,
and I can have it. This one is going to take a while. I have this
conversation with myself when I portion out things like salad dressing.

3) Eating smaller portions and stop when I'm not hungry any more-this
works
better some days more than others.

4) Making substitutions for foods. I really like potato chips so I
switched
to WOW chips (no fat, 70 calories per serving). I really like chips and
I
don't feel like it's a diet when I can have them. It'll keep me from
going
AWOL and I need to ease myself off the chips every time I have a sandwich
for lunch.

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

The most important thing is that I feel better for starting this journey.

Julie




Prairie Roots
232/161/WW goal 145
joined WW Online 22-Feb-2003

I am one of those that has always shunned away from exercise. I joined WW at
the end of April 2003. My first real exercise did not start until August. I
did make an effort to walk a mile with my husband each night during the
summer (weather permitting). Exercise does not have to be anything formal.
Just going for a walk, parking at the other end of the parking lot, walking
the malls, using the stairs, etc count too. The object of the game is to get
any type of physical activity to help burn calories. It also helps tone your
body as you lose the weight. I now do Curves 4 times a week. I still have
problems getting there some days. It is on the way home from work so I
really don't have an excuse to not go. On days that I work from home I never
seem to make it there on my own unless I take my daughter to school and then
stop on my way home. Give yourself time. Lose some weight and you'll find
that you have more energy than you know what to do with. Then you'll want to
go to the gym or for walks.

"skiur" wrote in message
...
I've had a hard time motivating myself to exercise. I keep giving excuses
like it's too cold, I don't want to have to shower again that day, If I go
to the gym now I'll be up too late and will never get up for work, etc.
I've tried telling myself that it's ok if I don't go to the gym more than
once a week because any effort is progress. Yet I still can't get myself
to
go. I'm not a fan of working out at home either.

Julie


"Prairie Roots" wrote in message
...
All these will serve you well over the long haul. Some you may have to
return to time and time again. At least for me, some lessons come
easy, some don't stick even after weeks of repetition.

Self-recrimination and guilt are biggies. I know I'm not alone in my
struggle to overcome these tendencies. What I've discovered is that I
can lose weight even while dealing with these feelings. Posting about
those feelings here helps a lot. I'm also discovering that exercise
quiets the noise of the internal critics. Maybe they get tired.

Good for you for taking these important initial steps. Keep coming
back.

Prairie Roots

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 09:04:24 -0600, "skiur"
wrote:

It's been about a week since I've made a concious effort to re-evaluate
my
woe.

These are the steps I've take so far:
1) Journal foods with portion size and calories when available. This
has
already helped me put the brakes to some habits that I picked up when I
wasn't paying attention. I redirected the need to be perfect with the
woe
to journaling and it's helped a lot. I don't feel as guilty as I have
in
the past.

2) Repeating to myself that a certain food is allowed, I'm not being
bad,
and I can have it. This one is going to take a while. I have this
conversation with myself when I portion out things like salad dressing.

3) Eating smaller portions and stop when I'm not hungry any more-this
works
better some days more than others.

4) Making substitutions for foods. I really like potato chips so I
switched
to WOW chips (no fat, 70 calories per serving). I really like chips
and
I
don't feel like it's a diet when I can have them. It'll keep me from
going
AWOL and I need to ease myself off the chips every time I have a
sandwich
for lunch.

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

The most important thing is that I feel better for starting this
journey.

Julie

If you can get yourself OP more days than off Program then the numbers might
start to stablize. Mine had been bouncing up and down for the past couple of
months and I was losing very slowly. Down to maybe a half pound a week if I
was lucky. I went back to WW meetings. I was reminded to vary my breakfasts
and lunches more and to add some fats back into the diet. So far it seems to
be working and the scale bouncing has stopped.

"skiur" wrote in message
...
I will-once the numbers stop bouncing around. It's just depressing.

"Miss Violette" wrote in message
...
Pick the higher weight. You have made a great start, good luck, Lee
skiur wrote in message
...
It's been about a week since I've made a concious effort to
re-evaluate
my
woe.

These are the steps I've take so far:
1) Journal foods with portion size and calories when available. This
has
already helped me put the brakes to some habits that I picked up when
I
wasn't paying attention. I redirected the need to be perfect with the
woe
to journaling and it's helped a lot. I don't feel as guilty as I have
in
the past.

2) Repeating to myself that a certain food is allowed, I'm not being
bad,
and I can have it. This one is going to take a while. I have this
conversation with myself when I portion out things like salad
dressing.

3) Eating smaller portions and stop when I'm not hungry any more-this
works
better some days more than others.

4) Making substitutions for foods. I really like potato chips so I
switched
to WOW chips (no fat, 70 calories per serving). I really like chips
and
I
don't feel like it's a diet when I can have them. It'll keep me from
going
AWOL and I need to ease myself off the chips every time I have a
sandwich
for lunch.

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

The most important thing is that I feel better for starting this
journey.

Julie

Good idea. I have thoughts of doing laps at the pool in the back of my
head, but only because it's fun and relaxing. I enjoy weight lifting, but I
can only do 3-4 squats at a time w/o hurting myself-that's a 45 pound bar!

Julie

"Prairie Roots" wrote in message
...
Don't worry about the exercise right now. Several of us here, myself
included, were several months into losing weight before we added
exercise to our program. Others don't exercise at all and still lose
weight consistently and steadily. I still haven't made it into a
habit. Don't give yourself something else to beat yourself up about.

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 03:23:49 -0600, "skiur"
wrote:

I've had a hard time motivating myself to exercise. I keep giving
excuses
like it's too cold, I don't want to have to shower again that day, If I
go
to the gym now I'll be up too late and will never get up for work, etc.
I've tried telling myself that it's ok if I don't go to the gym more than
once a week because any effort is progress. Yet I still can't get myself
to
go. I'm not a fan of working out at home either.

Julie


"Prairie Roots" wrote in message
.. .
All these will serve you well over the long haul. Some you may have to
return to time and time again. At least for me, some lessons come
easy, some don't stick even after weeks of repetition.

Self-recrimination and guilt are biggies. I know I'm not alone in my
struggle to overcome these tendencies. What I've discovered is that I
can lose weight even while dealing with these feelings. Posting about
those feelings here helps a lot. I'm also discovering that exercise
quiets the noise of the internal critics. Maybe they get tired.

Good for you for taking these important initial steps. Keep coming
back.

Prairie Roots

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 09:04:24 -0600, "skiur"
wrote:

It's been about a week since I've made a concious effort to
re-evaluate
my
woe.

These are the steps I've take so far:
1) Journal foods with portion size and calories when available. This
has
already helped me put the brakes to some habits that I picked up when
I
wasn't paying attention. I redirected the need to be perfect with the
woe
to journaling and it's helped a lot. I don't feel as guilty as I have
in
the past.

2) Repeating to myself that a certain food is allowed, I'm not being
bad,
and I can have it. This one is going to take a while. I have this
conversation with myself when I portion out things like salad
dressing.

3) Eating smaller portions and stop when I'm not hungry any more-this
works
better some days more than others.

4) Making substitutions for foods. I really like potato chips so I
switched
to WOW chips (no fat, 70 calories per serving). I really like chips
and
I
don't feel like it's a diet when I can have them. It'll keep me from
going
AWOL and I need to ease myself off the chips every time I have a
sandwich
for lunch.

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

The most important thing is that I feel better for starting this
journey.

Julie




Prairie Roots
232/161/WW goal 145
joined WW Online 22-Feb-2003

Thanks Laura. That's sounds advice. I know I had more energy when I
weighed less (even 5-6 pounds ago).

"Laura" wrote in message
...
I am one of those that has always shunned away from exercise. I joined WW
at
the end of April 2003. My first real exercise did not start until August.
I
did make an effort to walk a mile with my husband each night during the
summer (weather permitting). Exercise does not have to be anything formal.
Just going for a walk, parking at the other end of the parking lot,
walking
the malls, using the stairs, etc count too. The object of the game is to
get
any type of physical activity to help burn calories. It also helps tone
your
body as you lose the weight. I now do Curves 4 times a week. I still have
problems getting there some days. It is on the way home from work so I
really don't have an excuse to not go. On days that I work from home I
never
seem to make it there on my own unless I take my daughter to school and
then
stop on my way home. Give yourself time. Lose some weight and you'll find
that you have more energy than you know what to do with. Then you'll want
to
go to the gym or for walks.

"skiur" wrote in message
...
I've had a hard time motivating myself to exercise. I keep giving
excuses
like it's too cold, I don't want to have to shower again that day, If I
go
to the gym now I'll be up too late and will never get up for work, etc.
I've tried telling myself that it's ok if I don't go to the gym more
than
once a week because any effort is progress. Yet I still can't get
myself
to
go. I'm not a fan of working out at home either.

Julie


"Prairie Roots" wrote in message
...
All these will serve you well over the long haul. Some you may have to
return to time and time again. At least for me, some lessons come
easy, some don't stick even after weeks of repetition.

Self-recrimination and guilt are biggies. I know I'm not alone in my
struggle to overcome these tendencies. What I've discovered is that I
can lose weight even while dealing with these feelings. Posting about
those feelings here helps a lot. I'm also discovering that exercise
quiets the noise of the internal critics. Maybe they get tired.

Good for you for taking these important initial steps. Keep coming
back.

Prairie Roots

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 09:04:24 -0600, "skiur"
wrote:

It's been about a week since I've made a concious effort to
re-evaluate
my
woe.

These are the steps I've take so far:
1) Journal foods with portion size and calories when available. This
has
already helped me put the brakes to some habits that I picked up when
I
wasn't paying attention. I redirected the need to be perfect with
the
woe
to journaling and it's helped a lot. I don't feel as guilty as I
have
in
the past.

2) Repeating to myself that a certain food is allowed, I'm not being
bad,
and I can have it. This one is going to take a while. I have this
conversation with myself when I portion out things like salad
dressing.

3) Eating smaller portions and stop when I'm not hungry any more-this
works
better some days more than others.

4) Making substitutions for foods. I really like potato chips so I
switched
to WOW chips (no fat, 70 calories per serving). I really like chips
and
I
don't feel like it's a diet when I can have them. It'll keep me from
going
AWOL and I need to ease myself off the chips every time I have a
sandwich
for lunch.

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

The most important thing is that I feel better for starting this
journey.

Julie

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

Did this do anything at all? I've been told that ephedra products help
by about 5% but the non-ephedra stuff is less effective.

Ray
--
rmnsuk
273/202/182

Very true. I will keep that in mind. I don't think that I've had more OP
days this week than not, but there are more OP days this week than last week
and that's progress right now for me.

"Laura" wrote in message
...
If you can get yourself OP more days than off Program then the numbers
might
start to stablize. Mine had been bouncing up and down for the past couple
of
months and I was losing very slowly. Down to maybe a half pound a week if
I
was lucky. I went back to WW meetings. I was reminded to vary my
breakfasts
and lunches more and to add some fats back into the diet. So far it seems
to
be working and the scale bouncing has stopped.

"skiur" wrote in message
...
I will-once the numbers stop bouncing around. It's just depressing.

"Miss Violette" wrote in message
...
Pick the higher weight. You have made a great start, good luck, Lee
skiur wrote in message
...
It's been about a week since I've made a concious effort to
re-evaluate
my
woe.

These are the steps I've take so far:
1) Journal foods with portion size and calories when available.
This
has
already helped me put the brakes to some habits that I picked up
when
I
wasn't paying attention. I redirected the need to be perfect with
the
woe
to journaling and it's helped a lot. I don't feel as guilty as I
have
in
the past.

2) Repeating to myself that a certain food is allowed, I'm not being
bad,
and I can have it. This one is going to take a while. I have this
conversation with myself when I portion out things like salad
dressing.

3) Eating smaller portions and stop when I'm not hungry any
more-this
works
better some days more than others.

4) Making substitutions for foods. I really like potato chips so I
switched
to WOW chips (no fat, 70 calories per serving). I really like
chips
and
I
don't feel like it's a diet when I can have them. It'll keep me from
going
AWOL and I need to ease myself off the chips every time I have a
sandwich
for lunch.

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

The most important thing is that I feel better for starting this
journey.

Julie

That's why people call this a WOL and not a diet. Take one meal, one day at
a time for the rest of your life. Learning to stay OP most days takes time.
Even those that are lifetime will have off days. Its part of life. Learning
to plan for them or at least learning how to undo some of the damage the
next few days takes time to learn. Many times people blow it at a meal and
then say I'll start again on Monday. Nope, WW wants you to learn to start
again with the very next meal. That's also the beauty of Flex points. If you
go over on a meal then you just have less flex points for the rest of the
week. No big deal. And if you eat more than your flex points, well, you
might gain, you might maintain but the next meal is a new chapter. Like you
said, baby steps.

"skiur" wrote in message
...
Very true. I will keep that in mind. I don't think that I've had more OP
days this week than not, but there are more OP days this week than last
week
and that's progress right now for me.

"Laura" wrote in message
...
If you can get yourself OP more days than off Program then the numbers
might
start to stablize. Mine had been bouncing up and down for the past
couple
of
months and I was losing very slowly. Down to maybe a half pound a week
if
I
was lucky. I went back to WW meetings. I was reminded to vary my
breakfasts
and lunches more and to add some fats back into the diet. So far it
seems
to
be working and the scale bouncing has stopped.

"skiur" wrote in message
...
I will-once the numbers stop bouncing around. It's just depressing.

"Miss Violette" wrote in message
...
Pick the higher weight. You have made a great start, good luck, Lee
skiur wrote in message
...
It's been about a week since I've made a concious effort to
re-evaluate
my
woe.

These are the steps I've take so far:
1) Journal foods with portion size and calories when available.
This
has
already helped me put the brakes to some habits that I picked up
when
I
wasn't paying attention. I redirected the need to be perfect with
the
woe
to journaling and it's helped a lot. I don't feel as guilty as I
have
in
the past.

2) Repeating to myself that a certain food is allowed, I'm not
being
bad,
and I can have it. This one is going to take a while. I have this
conversation with myself when I portion out things like salad
dressing.

3) Eating smaller portions and stop when I'm not hungry any
more-this
works
better some days more than others.

4) Making substitutions for foods. I really like potato chips so
I
switched
to WOW chips (no fat, 70 calories per serving). I really like
chips
and
I
don't feel like it's a diet when I can have them. It'll keep me
from
going
AWOL and I need to ease myself off the chips every time I have a
sandwich
for lunch.

My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

The most important thing is that I feel better for starting this
journey.

Julie

Well I was using it sparingly when I decided the heck with it. I used to
use the ephedra product religiously (4 pills a day) and bought the
ephedra-free version when I moved to IL (ephedra products were illegal in
this state when I picked it up). I wasn't being consistant in its use so I
was in the ramping up stages when I started using the ephedra free version.

From my point of view, it was working the same way (fluid reduction, hunger
reduction, warm flashes, jitters) however I wasn't losing much because I was
still eating the same way but I wasn't snacking-which helped. I was
successful with the ephedra version because at the time, I had the luxury of
going to the gym when I wanted to for however long I wanted to.

"ray miller" wrote in message
...
My weight keeps fluctuating and I'm trying to figure out where my
starting
weight is although I do have a pretty good idea. I stopped taking
ephedra
free Xenadrine which plays a part in weight normalization.

Did this do anything at all? I've been told that ephedra products help
by about 5% but the non-ephedra stuff is less effective.

Ray
--
rmnsuk
273/202/182

"skiur" wrote in message
...
Well I was using it sparingly when I decided the heck with it. I used to
use the ephedra product religiously (4 pills a day) and bought the
ephedra-free version when I moved to IL (ephedra products were illegal in
this state when I picked it up). I wasn't being consistant in its use so
I
was in the ramping up stages when I started using the ephedra free
version.

From my point of view, it was working the same way (fluid reduction,
hunger
reduction, warm flashes, jitters) however I wasn't losing much because I
was
still eating the same way but I wasn't snacking-which helped. I was
successful with the ephedra version because at the time, I had the luxury
of
going to the gym when I wanted to for however long I wanted to.


Not picking on you but your last sentence may have said it all. You lost
weight because you were going to the gym not because of the pills.

Also, they did not know that ephedra was dangerous when they first
introduced it. Since the Ephedra-free pills cause the same jitters, etc then
one has to wonder if the product is safe. I tried the ephedra version once
and did not like the racing feeling that I experienced. It is speeding up
your heart rate,etc in an attempt to speed up your metabolism. I suspect the
the new formula might just be dangerous too but they don't know it yet. You
are better off doing WW than taking these pills.