<p>I’ve been having trouble lately too. I avoided the wonderful bakeries here for awhile, but have <em>sampled</em> a few things lately. Once I open that door . . . Time to shut it again for awhile! Mostly what I need to do is get more active again. Changes in the kids schedules have disturbed my gym times the last couple of weeks. When I am active, the eating better part is easier.</p>
<p>Yeah. The tight clothes is my indicator as well. Being short really only requires the gain of a few pounds to make me look very different in my clothes :(</p>
<p>I have a question about the Fitness Pal app. What does the “Net” number indicate?</p>
<p>I’ve treated myself with clothes this spring too - and was incredibly please to find a dress that was only available online in a size four (surely too small!) fit perfectly. Big gala Thursday night and I wore a very little black dress I would never ever have worn a few years ago. With purple tights too!</p>
<p>That sounds like fun, Mathmom!!! Especially the purple tights!</p>
<p>What finally got me signing up here and doing My Fitness Plan was a recent evening when I went really overboard (very unusual as typically I have nothing in the evening after dinner) and baked a couple of break & bake choc chip cookies and had them in some vanilla ice cream (which was in my freezer because of company we had had a few days previous and I had served it with a homemade rhubarb pie). Generally, I am fine with no desert at all and we rarely have company but this got me going. I had this empty evening and watched TV and had this treat. The next morning it was like I was experiencing a hangover – my determination to get going to lose weight again came upon me.
**
Jym626**, hearty congrats to you! Wedding weight would be amazing for me. I was perhaps 105 or 110 back in 1975, when I was 24 (now 62). My ultimate goal is 150 – would still be overweight, but not as much as now.</p>
<p>I am finding My Fitness Plan highly motivational as it educates me on the calorie cost of some splurges that I had no idea were so out of line. Plus I love how it projects what my weight will be after five weeks if I keep to the count I had on that day. The database is amazing.</p>
<p>But I can see that an occasional free – or at least not so strict – day may help me keep going rather than giving up when I fall off the wagon.</p>
<p>Thanks, JEM. I am impressed that you weighed 105-110 lbs back in your 20’s. I think I was born weighing more than that! And when I married (I was older than you when I married, by several years) I was exercising more so the weight was more muscle than it is now, but that’s ok. I am happy with the weight and will try to get back into a better exercise routine. Today the scale put me at 2.5 lbs from my goal, so down another pound. The big gathering for my 60th is this weekend, and there will be a lot of dining out Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Sunday. So I may avoid the scale Monday and for a few days thereafter. The best part is that even though I have slacked off of logging in my food intake, I’ve tried to remain more conscious of what I eat. I no longer subscribe to the “if you bite it, write it” food log plan, but I am trying to eat protein in the morning and keep fat consumption down (that works for me). I looked at the graph I have on livestrong. In March of 2012 I weighed 17 lbs more than I do now, and I am where I was last October. So this is all good. Good luck, JEM, you can do it!</p>
<p>JEM, so happy to hear you took the step and see the value of tracking your food! </p>
<p>I too have to splurge on occassion - but once I know what I’m eating, I can plan for it.</p>
<p>Thanks, folks. I have been staying pretty much on track. Realizing I have to document whatever I eat makes me more carefully evaluate my choices. Losing five lbs. in five weeks is my current goal – modest enough for good odds of success.</p>
<p>Have a great 60th, Jym! Great that you are in such wonderful shape at this significant milestone – lots to celebrate!</p>
<p>^I’d like to lose 5-10 more pounds, but I don’t expect to do it in less than a year. My eating plan that I instituted 3 years ago is like a logarithmic curve. The closer you get to your goal, the longer it takes to get there.</p>
<p>Mathmom - what an apt description!</p>
<p>Good point, mathmom. These last few lbs are the hardest, and in my case, I am really not all that motivated as it feels pretty ok where I am. Would however prefer that 2-3 lb window, so ideally would like to get those few lbs off. Thought the goal of the celebration would do it. It did somewhat, but apparently not enough.</p>
<p>Too bad no one seems to post in sinners alley anymore. Would love to host a cyber 60th celebration on the official date-- 626. Anyone care to join me?? Drinks are on me!!</p>
<p>If you are 2-3 pounds from some goal, does it really matter if you actually hit it? Are you trying to get to some magic and controversial BMI number? What are your other health numbers that matter more, like body fat percentage, cholesterol, and diabetes-related blood levels? </p>
<p>If your clothes fit, your health numbers are in the ball park, and you feel great, why let a number get in the way?</p>
<p>Signed, snarky snowflake</p>
<p>Snowflake-
If you are talking to me, the goal is important because it keeps me focused on a target. Obviously the exact # isnt all that important or I’d have hit it eons ago. My labwork and BMI and all that is all remarkably wonderful. No health problems, no medical problems, no medications, no problems with cholesterol, HTN, my LDL/HDL numbers are superb, BP is always low, etc. So its a matter of what makes me feel good, how I feel in my clothes, how I look in the mirror, etc. And having that target number keeps me honest. If I didnt have it, I’d be too lackadaisical and l would get too slack in my eating habits. I know myself. Haven’t you ever set a target that keeps you going?</p>
<p>jym626, that all sounds well worth celebrating. Definitely go dig up Sinner’s Ally and I’ll join you!</p>
<p>Will do, mathmom!!</p>
<p>I lost a pound (probably water, but I’ll take it) and finally broke past a number I haven’t dropped below in a very long time. It puts me 1.5 lbs from my goal. Whether or not I actually hit my target number isnt the real issue. Again, its a target-- and my ow and arrow is aimed at it.</p>
<p>See ya in SA, mathmom. Dunno how many people will pop in.</p>
<p>That’s a great way to start your morning Jym! Congratulations. I agree with you that a goal is important. When I got to mine a few months ago, I realized I wanted to loose a few more. Still working on that!!</p>
<p>Today is my sixth day using My Fitness Pal to journal my food. It has been very helpful and I feel accountable when I eat. At yesterdays staff meeting I managed to restrain myself from partaking in a large basket of assorted chocolates. It was torture because I was truly hungry. Note to self: bring fruit to staff meetings.</p>
<p>One of the things that has been helpful to me is realizing how horrid I feel if I eat stuff like cookies when I’m hungry. For true hunger, unless I’m eating protein, it’s a mistake.</p>
<p>JYM, yes, agree with you … if the goal itself is what keeps you motivated, that makes perfect sense. I just didn’t want you beating yourself up unnecessarily, as I’m very impressed with all that you have already done.</p>
<p>Catching up this AM. So many of the posts speak to me. Like Mathmom I see this as a longer term journey. The last 10 lbs will take much longer to lose. I am like Jym in that while I would love to lose 10 more lb or even 5 I am pretty comfortable where I am at. That makes it more difficult to stay the course. Like Jym all my numbers are excellent. My BMI is at the high range of normal weight. What I don’t have is wiggle room.
Alumother the cookie comment is spot on. Last week I was doing great until one afternoon that I had worked through lunch and 3 pm rolled around and I hit my pantry. The sleeve of peanut butter sandwich cookies that have sat untouched for 2 months jumped into my hand. One cookie led to 8 cookies. Felt terrible afterwards but the good thing is that I don’t have to eat cookies the next day. I don’t even particularly like cookies.
I have had two sets of out of town guests this past week and leave tomorrow to head out of town with my sister. We are going to an area known for excellent food and wine. I am taking note that while I may eat some items that are high in calories I am eating less. Last night at a great Mexican place I was able to skip the chips and rice. Our friends brought a great bottle of wine and I had 1/2 a glass.
And Last but not least- Jym626 have a wonderful celebration of your birthday. I assume your boys will be at the party. Have you chosen a special dress?</p>
<p>
Pun intended? ;)</p>
<p>I have confessed a few days back to eating almost an entire pkg of pepperidge farm cookies (they functioned as dinner that day). Weight management is a lifestyle thing, not being “on” or “off” a diet. And we will have episodic days of going overboard, but it will all balance out in the end (that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean). </p>
<p>I think I’ve decided what dress to wear to the event. The good news is I can now fit into several, so can choose. I dont have shoes/sandals that are comfortable enough and would go with all of them, so that narrows it down. I am pretty set in my head on a pink criss-cross stretchy thing, but have a few sundresses I am also thinking about. We have to be out the door kinda early in the morning Saturday so there wont be time to try on multiple things. </p>
<p>The celebration took on a life of its own and turned into a bit of an event. We got twice the # of RSVPs as we expected. Let me just say that my weight is now lower than the confirmed headcount for the event :eek:</p>