Mal: I both collect and use them. I tend to do readings for myself nearly exclusively, but now with time I am reading with them for others. For me it's like an "old friend's advice", it shows potential directions I can head, things I may have not considered, and then it's up to me what I do with the ideas and possibilities it offers. I've used it for weight loss too: for understanding why I am stuck (getting to the emotional triggers etc.). I'll have to find your post with the links! Indeed, there are some gorgeous ones out there! I'm pretty much buying them all of course! lol Saves me from buying lots of snack I say (but then I look for any excuse to feel good!).

Hi Sunkized. You've done a great job so far and look great. Your at the point now where I usually get frustrated and give up. I get to a plateu and feel like its my ending point and my body can't/won't lose anymore. Sometimes it just takes patience and perseverence to keep going even when i seems our body isn't cooperating. Keep up what your doing.

~Jenna

http://weight-loss.fitness.com/off-t...ards-read.html

Hi Boam: Thank you for the encouragement. Indeed, I can see how this is a long plateau... Since I know I am keen on loosing quickly really, I am currently forcing myself to take the time needed to overcome it. I could be tougher, limit myself more, but limits make me want to break them nearly systematically! So I am just trying to focus on eating well (and enough - I went through several months where I ate strangely, skipping meals sometimes... ouch) and doing my workouts...

Mal: Thank you! Went to the site: gorgeous indeed! And I don't even think I believe in Angels (although I do believe in Ancestors personally). Very interesting set of cards I pulled too!

I don't think I do either but every so often I'll play withthe cards at the site and they do come up with some ones that are appropriate at the time

Meanwhile: I drank way too much last night so I spent most of the day today in bed (thankful that I have no work today! ah... freelancing...!). I'm also set on being more careful in the future: I hate feeling... like that!
I got three Tarot decks indeed, so I'm quite excited and looking forward to go and play with them...! I also have to eat something as I've so far only managed to eat a yogurt and some fruits. Hope you are all well!

Hi Sunkized. I think the most frustrating part of the platueau is the feeling of wanting to limit yourself more than you already are. When the further limits will only frustrate me more. Then all the frustration just builds up and I break. Its all really patience. Keep up what your doing and the scale will eventually start to go down again.

Boam: You perfectly expressed what I have gone through in the near past: I feel I should do more, so I put myself on quite strict ... programs (diet & workouts) and manage for a while except that... I do end up binging out of frustration. Since I do my workout/diet with clenched teeth... I don't lose as much as I "should" (whatever should is), and...
I do think right now it's a test to figure out what works for me without feeling deprived.
Tonight I'm going out again... Let's see how that goes! (I probably should get project-partners that are less likable... would make me go through my meal faster!). Hope you all are fine!

Elsewhere I've just recommended to someone to note down food in a food journal/diary... Ahem. I think I might want to try that... I surely feel I've gotten to a point where I am so confident in my "estimations" that I make no efforts.

And counting calories (don't scold me if you read this Steve, pretty please?) just confuses me, partly because most food packaged here is not labeled... So I think I should look back at my WW (Weight Watchers) literature... It's the equivalent, but it works better with my lazier ways (counting points versus counting... thousands of things... kudos to those who do count 'em!).

Good morning, and thanks for taking the time to stop by my journal!

I do still write down everything in eat m y online food journal but it's more security blanket than anything else... Just like i do keep my food scale out and use it regularly just to make sure I'm not falling back into old habits... my estimations are usually pretty accurate...

So I haven't been on for a while... To be honest, surprisingly I've been away from the PC - which can't hurt! I've had a few nights out, and a perspective BBQ on Thursday evening (some of us are missing our KFC... *sigh* And I'm planning to show some that never tasted it the joys of baked chicken - I refuse to fry nowadays -!).

I spent the whole day going through my closet and have piled up about 75% of it in order to wash them again and then give them away... So that feels kind of nice! (I still have some pretty awesome clothes left!).

I'm still trying to figure out how to motivate myself to be re-serious about things. I do things, overall, but I know I don't have that drive back up. And I know myself, and how it works for me: if I'm not 'completely into it and focused', I make punk-*ss efforts (excuse my French), and that basically mean that I'll force something, then afterwards will tend to go on binges out of frustrations. I'd rather get myself in sync and start right straight away.

That's one good side of doing this for a while now: I can (I think) recognize what works for me and what doesn't. I ordered through a friend some Body for Life books (the Body for Life and the Eating for Life books to be specific), so I'm looking forward to that. They wont get here before the beginning of next month, but the way that guy writes, it always gets me in the mood to kick butt and workout/eat right! I'd get a coach locally but since all the ones I've met seem fat-angry, and angry at me for liking me partly as I am, they've been very unsuccessful at motivating me (I have yet to meet a coach/trainer that says: okay, the way you look is the way you look. To get to what you want this is what you need to do and you can do it/there's no reason why you shouldn't succeed!). So I am my own coach... I pay myself in Tarot decks! lol

Hey Sunkized,

Thanks for stopping by my journal. You'll get remotivated sometimes it just takes time. I decided just to go ahead and jump into the gym I'm still having to force myself but I'm hoping it'll all just become part of routine again. I find it difficult to work with coaches/trainers also. I feel like they don't really listen to what you have to say and how you feel. As much as they say they will "tailor" to you its actually quite frustrating. Its good that your getting out and about. I hope everything is well. If you need extra motivation or just someone to chat to pm me.

~Jenna

nice form of payment for yourself