Yeah really, how do you celebrate other than eating? Heh, if I have to ask this question it's a pretty good sign I've been rewarding myself the wrong way for a looong time. Oh well, I'll figure something out!

I think you can find lots of ways. A nice new bubble bath to pamper yourself in. Take yourself to the movies, try that craft you always wanted to like painting or sewing or something. Pop your feet up & let the laundry sit an extra day to give yourself some relaxation time..just get creative.

I have gotten out of the habit for rewarding myself, but I made a list that when I lost 10 pounds I would get myself a magazine subscription (great to read on the treadmill) then at 20lbs I would get this or that... also had it going for a while that for every hour I exercised I would allow myself to purchase a song from iTunes (~99 cents).

Find something that makes you happy. It can be a hard thing to switch from the food rewards that we have done for so long, but this whole process is about lifestyle changes. We can do it.... without the cupcake at the end.

Manicures
massages
shampoo and blowout at the hair dresser
go to a local museum and add some steps into your day
do something you've always wanted to do..

Well when I get below 200 I want to buy myself a few cds and when I get to 190 which is 20 lbs down Im gonna get a new tatty

You can find rewards that dont involve eating and even if you want to make it abt eating just dont go over board

Ugh, today I'm doing the (cyber) walk of shame. Yesterday I was so, soooo bad with my eating. We started our father's day celebrating early with a huge lunch, followed by dinner out and lots of snacking in between. I'd say in the month I've been dieting it was by far the worst I've done eating-wise.

I made sure to exercise though. And this morning the scale was still in my favor- showing me at 207. I just hope it doesn't screw with my losing weight the rest of this week. I'm really pulling for 205 by this Friday's weigh-in.

Have you thought about what to do with the toxins in your body. A study I read indicates that our body will encapsulate (wow big word) the toxins with fat cells and water to protect the body from its poisons. So your body is doing just what it was designed it to do. Now celebrate to the fact your body is protecting you. this is a small quote from the study.
Diets for weight loss typically attempt to cause imbalances in carbohydrate, fat and protein rations.
Perhaps for this reason alone, diets are not sustainable and dieters nearly always yo-yo
their weight over time causing progressive increases in percentage of body fat.

my daughter has been enjoying "Girls on the Run" with a 5K run last weekend. She is now asking me to do one in july. I have 3 weeks to prepare. so with this knowledge and a new pare of Nikes I quess I will be on the run. I lost 16 lbs in 9 days. with out the exercise. now to include the grunting.

best wishes indeed

We all need a bad eating day thrown in from time to time...as long as you are good like 80% of the time...take that scale beign friendly and go on from here use it as your incentive to stay on track...

My daughter of 11 ran in a 5k race a week ago. with "Girls on the Run". Now she wants me to run with her in another race next month. I'm 48 haven't truely run since my late 20's early 30's. even then I would suck all the oxygen off the planet. However, I do have a plan, with my cleanse I will be down 10 to 16 lbs. in 9 days. Another 10-20 by race day. this is the easy part. the painful part will be the sore muscles from now till race day. the things I do for a peck on the cheek from my girl.
If this is what it will take to get me goin' then so beit. till race day.
I want to have a t-shirt printed up with parents chasing an infant, who is buck naked, the parents with a diaper in hand. With the title "parents on the run".

Indeed

Thanks indeed & cinderelly for the encouragement, I really need it this week because it's shaping up to be a not so great one as far as eating goes. I've been to two end of the school year parties (with lots of yummy, tempting treats at both) and there's still cake and other delectable no-no's left over from father's day. I've tried to be good, but I'd be lying if I said I've been perfect. And it's showing too. This morning I weighed myself and was up a pound. Bummer.

It was a good wakeup call though, and for the first time I really see the benefit of weighing yourself more often... that way you can't delude yourself all week or however long until your next weigh-in. Anyway, I've been really careful with everything I've eaten today and will continue to do so tomorrow and thursday as well. I figure I've got time to turn this around and hopefully still lose a pound... or half a pound... or break even.

The one good thing I've done this week- I haven't skipped a single workout even though I've been busy and it's been tricky trying to fit them in. I've also got what I think to be my complete workout ironed out... upper body, core & lower body all receiving what I think to be a fair amount of time & attention. The only thing I see changing down the road is maybe how many reps of each thing I do, and length of time spent on the elliptical trainer.

So here I sit, remembering all the yummy stuff I've consumed this week (and a part of me wants more), but more than anything I'm hopeful and committed to seeing a loss... however tiny... at this week's weigh-in. I'd hate to think of this as a wasted seven days. But I guess if it turns out that way there's no one to blame but myself.

I like weighin in daily it keeps me on track...one lb you can take off in no time if you chug a lug that water

Couldn't sleep last night so I spent a considerable amount of time mulling over why I want so desperately to lose weight. I'd be lying if I said that being/feeling more attractive wasn't the primary reason. It is. But I think beyond the desire to look/feel sexy is also a very strong need to feel smart again. I just don't feel very smart being so overweight. Because, truth be told, there's nothing smart about putting my body through this sort of stress. I have a preexisting heart condition that isn't helped by the extra load obesity puts on it. Plus high cholesterol, plus high blood pressure, plus knee and joint pain, plus, plus, plus. I mean, how I can feel even semi-intelligent when I know I'm the one doing this to myself?

Is being an overeater really any different from being addicted to cigarettes, or pills, or booze? In the end they'll all kill you, and you've no one to blame but yourself. It's my fault I'm where I am now. I'm not a byproduct of my environment... mcdonalds isn't to blame... my first serious boyfriend, Jason, who once casually mentioned I had a big ass isn't responsible for my girth 20 years later. Nope, it's all on me (literally & figuratively). And the smart thing to do is acknowledge it and ask myself each time I'm tempted to overeat or veer off course... is it really worth it? Is the momentary pleasure of a slice of chocolate cake really worth the berating I'll give myself the next time I pass a mirror? Or is it worth the shame I feel being the fattest mom picking my daughter up from school?

Simply put, it's not. But if it were that easy sites like this wouldn't exist because no one would overeat. I just wish I understood why so many people make such lousy choices when it comes to their health and wellbeing... it might help me sleep better at night.

Oh well, I'm doing something about it now. That's what counts, right? I just hate the fact that it's going to take so long to get to a point where I feel successful. I mean, it's great I've lost 13 pounds to date, but there's still soooo much more to lose. Add to that the fact that I don't think I'll be down any this week, and it's just got me down.

Ok, after a week of being grumpy, pissy and down about the whole weight loss thing, I've finally figured out that my inability to lose weight this week is at least partially due to pms. Duh. Still, it's harder for me to pinpoint because I had a hysterectomy years ago, and even though I don't have an actual period I still get to experience the nasty side effects thanks to all those lovely hormones still produced by my ovaries. Doesn't really seem fair, does it?

In any event, I've turned my snacking around and have been exercising religiously and all that jazz. I also haven't weighed again since the beginning of the week when I was up a pound. I guess at this point I'll be happy if I just break even tomorrow... aww, who am I kidding, I'm hoping I'll at least have lost half a pound or something. Anything to show it hasn't been a wasted week.

And this weekend will be my first challenge diet & exercise wise. We're traveling to a nearby town in germany, which means eating out. And unlike in the states, the options for healthy, low-fat restaurant foods are pretty much nil. Nope, it's all sausages and beer and pretzels... yipes! Plus for the first time since starting my workout regime, I won't be able to exercise for two days in a row. This fills me with dread because who's to say I'll feel compelled to pick it back up again once I'm home?? I guess it'll be my first real test. After all, this is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix...

Add to that the fact that today is the last day of school for the kiddos... meaning I'll be cooking more meals and bringing more snacks into the house, and it all adds up to me being a little concerned. Still, this is life... I've got to learn to deal with the temptations and obstacles that are put in my path if I want to overcome them.

Anyway, I've rambled on long enough... I'll be back tomorrow to report on my weekly weigh-in. Gulp.

Hey there New You! Thanks for stopping by my journal

I've noticed in a couple of journals and threads that people talk about burning off cheats to break even, and it always makes me laugh a little bit because the last successful diet I was on, I thought about it the other way, and maybe the same thinking will help you too (well, maybe it won't but it's worth a try).

I'd look at how long it would take me to "break even" after a cheat... when I realized that a single chocolate bar or bag of chips would take me almost half an hour to get rid of, it just didn't seem worth it. Two minutes of indulgence for half an hour of sweating beyond what I am supposed to do anyways? No thanks.

It's all about perspective.

PS: I hope that your sneak-attack of PMS passes quickly and without any rage-murders

Hi Solaani, I managed to keep the murder & mayhem in check, but it was touch & go for a while there. heh.


Annnnnd.... I got great news when I stepped on the scale this morning. I'm down another 2 pounds!! Woot! Which brings my current weight down to 205. Only six pounds to go until I'm under the dreaded 200 mark. I can't wait.

I have no idea where I'm finding the willpower to keep this diet/exercise plan going, but I sure am grateful for it. I still hate thinking about what I put in my mouth, and I hate even more forcing myself to exercise, but I do love the results.

I just wish I hadn't let this slide so long. Because while it's great I've lost 15 pounds, I've still got 50 to go... and no one to blame but myself. I clearly see now that all the extra food and days spent laying around just weren't worth it.

But today is ultimately a day of celebration. I didn't think I'd lose anything... in fact, at the beginning of the week I worried I'd actually gain. Yet I managed to pull it out. And while it wasn't fun, the payoff is just great. I couldn't be happier!

Im glad your feelign better - sorry I wasnt around to comment or add my feelings - h aha ha - Ive been sleeping in lately and running late...anyway...

For starters - Im sure your not the fatest mom ont eh school ground - although I can relate to that feeling but I was never the fatest but I sure felt it...your only 205 - honestly - Im sure your not the fatest...

As far as the lifestyle change that is exactly it and once you get a bit further it scertaintly isnt worth it to cheat or indulge too much - you actually get to the point where you physically cant handle it - I almost get sick , I get horrible heart burn that makes me belch non stop horribly - i smells gross and taste gross and make me feel yucky!!! It just isnt worth it in the end...

I think it is great you are doing this now and have lost 15 pbs now you can see it is obtainable and you can do it - life does get in teh way yes but also remeber your role modeling for your kids/family...that is the way I look at it - I ama single mom to two beautiful girls - I want them to see and learn what healthy is - granted it is harder with the oldest she is a teenager...and we all know how healthy they are...

I almost lost 30 lbs since being here - but offically ive almost lost 40...I was 240 at my heights and 236 when I started tracking my weight and I think 232 when I started here anyway...Ive lost between 30 - 40 lbs and I still have like 40 or so to go - I cant look at it that way I need to look at it as one step at a time - one mini goal at a time one lb at a time and most inportantly one day at a time...

I hope you have a great weekend