1.  start optifast when not working

2.  drink at least 8 8oz of non caloric liquid

3.  Walk the dog AT LEAST once a day to  AT LEAST to golf course

4.  Eliptical-10 min/day(it was expensive so use it!)

5.  Bands every other day

6.  Find pedometer(start wearing when you find it!)

7.  Use this site for support-use exercise log ect...read success stories.

1.  Get back to the weight I was prior to regaining-then continue on from there.

Short term goals-

1.  Walk 2-2 1/2 miles/day

2.  8 oz water

3.  Watch what I am eating

4.  Go to meeting Wednesday to restart on plan.

This spring I kept up with my water intake and exercising but didn't follow the food plan as well as I should have.  Lets just say I had a GREAT spring.  I went to the shore to visit girlfriends 2xs, went to NYC for a weekend with my daughter, went to Pittsburgh with my daughters to visit my other daughter in college, went to Las Vegas for my 20 th wedding anniversary.  Then graduation parties etc.  I was ready to get back in the swing of things with only a 5lb weight gain when I got the bad news.  My father had a major stroke.  They live in Florida and I live in Pennsylvania.  They had jusst gotten home from my house 2 days when it happened.  Things were like a roller coaster however he ended up passing away about 2 weeks later.  I stayed down there with my Mother for over a month.  

From a weight loss point of view-I did ok.  I didn't gain while I was down there but was a little dissipointed because I walked 3 miles on the beach almost everyday!  When I did get home-I don't know what happened.  I didn't exercise at all and now I have put on about another 5lbs over 2 weeks.   Today I decided enough is enough and I am jumping back on the wt loss "band wagon" full force.  Heading out to walk after I do this and already did my exercise bands for my arms and my situps.  I also did ok eating this morning.  I am at least getting it into my head that when I eat right I feel a lot better.  

I will be back to post my long term and short term goals later.  I just want to get out while I have a chance.  I also wanted to put something in writing to make this"official"  Very sad that I have fallen so far back with my goals....oh well...at least I am back.

I will write again soon

This past month was very tough.  Looking back over my blogs I started on this site when I was struggling with my weight loss and I have been struggling ever since.  On a positive note-slow but overall progress at least.  I have a huge problem with sweets.  I decided that I just shouldn't have them in the house.  I feel bad for the kids but it is better for them too.  Its weird, I will have a great day but then have a smushed tastycake when I empty my kids lunchbox from school! I have tried all the diversion tatics-are you hungry, do you really want this, going for a walk etc but I just become obsessed with whatever it is that I want at that time.  I am really starting to have an understanding of addictions.  Not sure if I have a food addiction but if someone has the same obsessions but it is alcohol or drugs  it must be similar.  I posed that question to myself the other day-if it was drugs or alcohol I wanted, would I stay away from it.  I don't know, since I just get fat for eating that stuff and there are worse consequences for drugs and alcohol-I think I would be able to stay away more however I think I would relapse and can see how people do.  The dietician I see said the problem isn't really going off your eating plan 1 time or 1 day-it is really how long it takes you to "recover"  So you eat a tastycake-get over it and move on!  Don't not exercise that day because of it or eat more.  I try to keep that in mind because that is exactly what I do and it can last for weeks!

Ok, the last 5 pounds were a struggle and there were some new things going on as well-   

-I am done with the total optifast part of the weight loss plan.  I can eat now.  I have been eating for the last 1/2 of the program at times anyway but now the focus of the classes are on food.  I had a great class on protein but miss the classes that focused more on lifestyle,whats behind why we eat, I don't know how to classify those classes but more than a few lightbulbs went on during them!  These classes should be interesting too but I just feel I am not at that level yet.  I am actually a little overwhelmed what to eat.  We add a little more each week but I have been going back and forth with eating and having the optifast.  It is so much easier just doing that but I can't do that forever!

-At the same time-I went back to another weight loss doctor I have gone to for years.  When they started talking about the new eating plan at Optifast, it reminded me what he has been telling me for years.  I am a little dissapointed that I have to do both but this is hopefully a temporary thing.  The catch is that he gives out diet pills-phendimetrazine.  Well, it's not a catch-thats why I went back.  I am hoping just to do it for a little while since I have been really struggling since mid Feb.  I wanted to do this without pills but I really need all the help I can get at this point. Just started on Tuesday so it hasn't been a full week yet.  Thank goodness I have such a supportive husband.  He is behind me 100% with this.  He has been that way for YEARS.  Cheers for me when I lose, supports when I gain it back.  I am very lucky, I really couldn't deal with someone who wasn't like him in addition to having to lose the weight.  

-Exercising has become pretty much a daily thing.  I haven't even had to really think about it unless I have a really busy day and I have to plan it.  I have been walking at least 2 miles to 4 miles each day.  My goal is 2 but my 10 year old likes to go to feed the ducks which are about a mile away so we walk there and back too.  I don't mind doing it because its not something I HAVE to do but just a nice walk with my daughter.  My husband and I also go for a longer walk than I usually do a few times a week.  He has been encouraging me I can go further and I always resist but he's right.  I do fine when I go.  It's a time thing too-I don't always have time to do that everyday but hopefully that will change. I also am wearing my pedimeter(sp?) everyday.  If I forget, it is almost like when you forget your cell phone-just kinda bummed.  I can pretty much tell if my day was over 10,000 steps or not.  Mostly they are.  I have had some days that I am up to 15,000!  If my day is under 10,000 steps it is usually because I haven't walked that day.  Drinking water or a diet beverage has also become easier.  I seem to grab something without thinking about it.  The only times I don't get it in is if there is something I have to do that I won't have access to a bathroom.  Then I hold off on the drinking.  Just happy it isn't a "chore" anymore.  Hopefully other things I have struggled with will start becoming more routine.

So-After all this babbling-here are my goals for this week-

1.  Stay on the eating plan as the optifast program wants-eat one healthy meal/day.

2.  Continue with at least 8 glasses of non caloric drinks/day

3.  Continue with at least 2 mile walk/day

4.  Need to start consistantly doing resistance exercises-start with bands and situps.  I usually do them in the beginning of the week then forget...My arms and stomach are horrible.  Hoping this will start to get them into shape.

5.  I would like to get on this site daily, not to blog but to read blogs and start using some of the logs.  Would be happy for a few times/week.

6.  Lose at least 2 lbs by this time next week-don't creep back up into the 190s!

Finally got recent measurements in.  Should have done them when I started but at least they are in now.  I also want to post some pictures.  I already know what my before picture is-it is one of the things that started me on this wt loss journey.  I went to lunch with some girls from High School.  Most of us are over weight so it wasn't a comparison thing.  I just looked HUGE!  I couldn't believe it.  I thought I looked nice that day too.  So I want to crop myself out of that one and use it.  I also need a picture now-1/3 of the weight off.  My son is going to the prom Friday night so maybe I will have my husband take a picture of me then.  

Sorry for the long post.  Have a great day/week!

1. lost 25 lbs so far-1/3 of the weight I need to lose

2. Under 200 FINALLY!

3. Can fit into a REAL size 16-not womens-still a little tight but I can zip it!

and 1lb away from a big goal of mine-my BMI won't be in the obese category!

Have been doing better following the plan-only have 2 more weeks I can stay on optifast so I have to make the most of it!  I still plan to lose afterwards but it won't be as quick. 

Planning to lose even after I go off optifast.  They still have classes etc. that I plan to attend.  I am getting a lot out of the classes that I have been going to so I am hoping the same will happen after.

This week plan to stay on the plan, walk everyday and get my water in.  Would love to be in the 180s next week and under that BMI goal!

1.  Under 200!!

2.  Under 196...I have gained and lost the same 30 lbs for I don't know how long-seems like I get to 196 and start gaining back...Gained all but 10 the last time so at least I am under that dreaded number...

3.  50 lbs till my long term goal-has been 70 to 80 pounds for so long-50 is still a lot to lose but doesn't seem to be so far out of reach....

Short term Goals...

1. 192- 25lbs

2.  191-no longer "obese"

3.  188-30lbs

All under 10 lbs so maybe by mid March I can hit them and set some new ones.

Plan-

1.  Exercise everyday-1 mile at least on treadmill/ or if lucky 2 mile walk outside!!!

2.  Drink at least 8-8 oz's of non caloric drinks.

3.  Stay on eating plan

4.  Put measurements into extra pounds website-will use inital ones from last time-prob. not far off from what I was.

5.  Try to figure out how to put a before picture...might be too hard so-I have time to put that in..

Was able to walk outside a few times the past week, snow not as bad.  Probably could have done it earlier if people cleared their walks..

Thanks for the encouragement GCQ Mom- have been working and haven't gotten on this site nearly enough as I should have!  

Till next week-unless something comes up...

I am now starting to struggling with both the exercising and not eating.  Up to this past week I was doing fine.  I wasn't too hungry and felt like I had to move. Not sure if the hunger is from the exercising...I am also wondering if my struggle with exercising is the fact that I am not enjoying the treadmill-can't walk outside with this weather...

I have used this website in the past and hope it keeps me motivated-especially now when I am starting to become unmotivated....