So, how's everyone doing?

As for me, I cut out eating between meals, chocolate and desserts other than fruit two weeks ago, and I've lost 5lbs so far.

I have a LONG way to go, but at least I'm over the sugar addiction now, so being without the sweet stuff isn't horrible anymore.

Fussy has said he'll buy me a corset when I've lost 42lbs, which I KNOW I can do, but it's going to take time. I'm aiming to achieve that by Christmas.

I am just stuck in a rut and I know excercise will dig me out but ugh! I'm hanging out at the same weight. Minus about 15 total. I am not attending WW meetings just using their online software. I eat anything I want to, just less of it. And I concentrate on foods with more fiber and less fat. I've always eaten tons of fruits and veggies so that is not a place I can make changes. Mycholesterol has dropped significantly as has my HA1C so those are the results I was hoping for. I'd surely like to look thinner too :D

I'm not really sure how I'm doing. My bathroom scale broke about four or five weeks ago and I haven't bothered to buy a new one. I'm thinking I probably don't really want to know.

I did check my weight a couple of times while on vacation and I wasn't making much progress. :(

Recipe to gain weight for Iowaman-
1 large microwave safe bowl
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1 bag marshmallows
1 box rice crispies
wooden spoon

Throw the butter and the marshmallows in the bowl and nuke on high for 1-2 minutes til the marshmallows touch the top of the microwave. Remove and stir. Begin to add rice crispies as you stir. Add enough cereal so that you can still see the marshmallow slime but there is no globs left in the bottom of the bowl. Take bowl, with the spoon and sit down in front of the TV. Watch back to back episodes of Fresh Prince of BelAir or turn on VH1Classics. Eat until you finish or slip into a diabetic coma.

I'm down another 4 lbs. - I lost 8 when I had my stomach bug about 1.5 weeks ago, and I gained 4 back. But I count it as a success that I didn't gain it all back.

Since we started over a year ago, I've lost 32 lbs. I still have 20+ more I want to go. If I can get to that 20 lbs. level, I'll be happy though. Some of my successes recently - I've had to buy new clothes because the old ones didn't fit at all. I occasionally look in the mirror and feel sttractive - that hasn't happened in a while. And I saw some pictures of me taken a couple of weeks ago that I didn't hate. All good stuff.

WHat am I doing? Well, working out 5-6 days a week. I'm also trying to do "active" fun stuff on the weekends like biking and hiking and canoeing. I'm trying to eat less, but I admit I am still prone to eating fatty foods late in the day. I've cut out a lot of sugar. I drink water.

But I think the biggest thing is....I'm focusing on making *me* happy. I'm a stress eater, so anything that I can do that adds pleasure to my life is a good thing.

I'm so glad to hear you're all doing great ... and you are, even if you don't always feel that way .... one of the hardest things about weight loss is the maintaining it ... so it is so great to hear each of you say that you're in a better place then you were when we began the journey early in 2006 ...

I'm finally back on track again .... I managed to maintain most of my weight loss from last year, but haven't made much progress--up 10 lbs and down 10 lbs, several times.

But I've managed to make it through 11 days of being fully on my goals of keeping my daily calories between 1500 and 2000. I'm keeping track of EVERYTHING that goes into my mouth and being fully accountable for my food choices ... also VERY SLOWLY I'm adding a few steps to each day ... it's a very gradual process, but I'm at the beginning of the journey so I'm glad of that.

Excellent fzzy! 11 days! Some days I'm lucky to make 11 hours!I add the steps too. Park further away. Take stairs (ok except when I was on the cruise and inebriated :p) and just push myself a little bit.

Going to the gym is not practical for me. I have too many other demands to work it in so having some equipment at home is helpful. Fzzy have you looked into getting anything for at home?

I'm not quite to the equipment stage yet, but at my new job ... when I am ready ... just outside our back door ... across the hallway .... is a fully equipped workout gym with at least 3 of each of the different types of usual equipment, a wall full of various weights and just outside of that is a 4 lane lap pool and hot tub ... all for use by anyone who works on our premises and can be used anytime day or night .... usually at most there is only 1 other person in there at any given time (we also have a racquetball/handball court on our side of the hallway a few feet down from the door to the gym and across from the where the pool is ... so my goal right now is to keep adding the steps and then once I've built up a bit more, then I will start going into the gym during my lunchtime or for a bit before or after work ... how cool is that?!?!?! :)

That is so great! I was going to suggest a recumbant bike as a first thing to try.

((((fzzy)))) - congratulations on your big strides!

(((fzzy)))

YOU GO GIRL!

thanks eveyone for your encouraging words ...

Tonight I am finishing up week 3 ... I've been so good .... no fast food AT ALL and no ice cream either ... that was my promise to myself for July and then I'll try to do it for all of August as well .... Other than a hormonal eating day Saturday, I've been 100% - and even then I didn't go tooo far overboard. :)

I think I've finally made it to the lowest point I hit last year while working hard at it, so now everything to come is forward progress.

Lou -- Hope you are continuing to do well ... as well as everyone else.

I am having trouble being consistent. Too many "excuses" to eat inappropriately.

I'm really proud of you fzzy.

Thanks Lil ... I hear ya about too many opportunities... I've basically been in hibernation to get enough time in .... easier for me then for many, since I don't have spouse or kids to keep happy .... I'll be staying in the hibernation mode for quite a bit longer, just to be on the safest side possible.

I did that when I first went on WW. I used to jokingly say, "I'm outta points, I'm going to bed" :p

My group will start up again in September I hope. I need to go to the grocery (we've been out of town) to get decent produce again. I am sick of apples. I need a new comfort food.