Tammy, definitely don't do the ramen noodles--unless you have some herbs and spices of your own that you would put in instead of that little seasoning packet. That salad you had sounds yummy. Didi is right, too. The black beans would be a great source of protein--just drain and rinse and add them to your salad. YUM:) I'll add your apartment and need of funds to my prayer list.

Margaret:)

Tammy..forget the ramen noodles...way too salty!!! have your delicious salad and throw black beans or black-eyed peas or chickpeas on top for the protein..much cheaper than the chicken strips...i'm praying for you...you'll come up with the $600.00.........

Phillie.. we missed you at the chat tonight..sorry about little walter...i know he's getting the best TLC in the world!!!

rrrRRRRRrrrr rrRRRRrrr rrrRRRRRrrrr

see you all at the meeting on thursday!!!

I just had the most delicious salad, with cheese and chicken strips, tomatoes, strawberries, oranges with three different kinds of lettuce with poppyseed dressing. It was awesome. I can't believe I am so excited about a salad, but I used to be that way about a hot fudge sundae so I think the previous one is better!!
Okay now on to my apartment news. I found the place I want to move to it is really nice, but now I need a miracle, and that is no lie. I have to come up with $600 before September 1st, and that is going to be extremely hard, and that is why I need a miracle!! The first apartment was so nice I was pretty sure I wanted to move in, but when I got to the second apartment I KNEW I wanted the first one!! Now I have to figure out a way to come up with the money?!!
Do you think I could lose weight if I lived on Ramen Noodles? That would save me some money for groceries!! I actually looked up and thanked God after I saw that apartment so I know there has to be some way I will get the money. Have a wonderful Wednesday Ladies!!! Thank you for listening and caring, that means the world to me!!
Toodles!!
Tammy :)

Hi Guys, just wanted to say "HI". Charles just brought
little Walter the rescue boxer we have now adopted from from
his first heartworm shot. The people who surrendered him had
let him get so skinny all his little bones were protruding. Naturally his mommy has been giving him the best of everything and they had seen him at this veteinary hospital before I got him and were so thrilled. He has another shot
in a month and I think a third one. He is very woozy and in a lot of pain. One of Heather's college roommaes owns a
veterinary hospital in tallahassee, and she told me to get pain meds and keep ice on the site. I feel so badly for him
and would like to do some major butt-kicking to the people
who had this baby. He was being euthanized in one day when we rescued him. Chappie loves him so much and when he
left today thought he had lost him for sure. I kept telling him his baby brother would be home tonight! Charles said Waltyn just whimpered when he left him today. I guess he thought he was left again...

I think Jillie's Miss Bessie was a rescue , too, and had to get this treatment. it is very radical and can kill them if they don't stay quiet. We moved his crate

Tam, you and Di have made my day. You with your apartments
to look at tomorrow thank the Lord above and Di, just for being so sweet and writing me a sweet e-mail; and my Jilie and Magsie and Donna Loo, for writing me today, too.
Love you all. I miss Gin-Lin, but know she will get back as soon as she can. I spoke to her just before she left Boston for Columbia, S.C. and she was excited. She and Mike will be near their Cathy now.

Hello everyone!!
The last time I was on I was in a very crappy place!! I felt like I had no hope and it really hurt me that all I wanted to do was help my FIL and they treated me like gum on the bottom of their shoe!! I was yelled at and told to get out and I had no prospects. But things are looking up a little because I called a couple of places today and I will be looking at them tomorrow around 5pm!! So I thank you very much Diane for praying for me!! And Jo I love that you dedicated your day's bible reading to me!! And Phyllie thank you for all of your support it means the the world to me!! And you too my dear Phyllis from NY, I love our phone chats, they make my day and help me if I am in a funk, like tonight!! And Jo you made me laugh so loud when I saw your type o's and I'm sure my daughter thinks I am crazy!! So for all of my new and fast friends I love you and thank you and please continue to keep me in your prayers so I can seal the deal with a new place!! A 100% day is in my sights tomorrow and I pledged to achieve it, so I will be back tomorrow to let you know how both of my ventures worked out.
Toodles!!
Tammy :)

Kim...thanks for the great pep talk!!! your concern for all of us is so apparent!!! love you...

Jo ..it's great that you stayed the same!! your body is adjusting to the weight you've lost already and preparing for the pounds you will lose in upcoming weeks!! be patient!!! hang in there...

Phillie...8 sticks of butter!! i can feel the difference!! you have done great with lowering your BP and going off the meds....hopefully when i lose more, my meds will be lowered...

Mary...woohooo for staying the same...you have been under such stress with Taylor...glad he's doing better!!

everyone have a great week!!! BELIEVE!!!

Jill~ put me down for staying the same on my weight loss and being 100% 4 out of 5 days last week... BTW~ I needed a good butt kicking too!
BTW~ I took Taylor back to the Dr. this morning. They removed his stitches and said everything looks great. We go back in 4 wks for x-rays... Thanks to all for all the prayers.
Love ya,
Mary

Oooh, I'm sorry censors, I meant brain function.

Thank goodness for Google, this is what I have learned;-

The body needs a minimum of 1200 calories for-
Heart function 12% 144 calories
Kidney function 12% 144 calories
Liver function 23% 276 calories
Brain fuction 23% 276 calories
Skeletal muscle 30% 360 calories.

Jill, I hear what you are saying and I have been 100% 24hours a day for 24 weeks. I don't fudge on anything, if I do I count it. From everything I have read you are not supposed to go below 1200 calories, it's not healthy. I have checked my bmi and bmr and know what the math is. I should be losing weight at the rate of 1.5lbs a week with the calorie deficit. My body has other ideas though. I can't change that.

Kim, maybe you could weigh in and let me know if going below 1200 calories is healthy.

Thank you, Jo.

woohoo for MONDAY!*!*!*! and what a great way to start off the new week, but with a butt kickin' coming from Kim!!! Love it --- thanks so much for that!!!

I agree with the "you are what you eat" thoughts -- calories in will either equal a loss, a gain or a maintain. There's not a thing we can do about that -- it's simple math - it's simply the bottom line - it's simply what it is and we CAN NOT change it. We'd have about as much chance of changing the rotation of the earth as we do when it comes to eating MORE than our bodies need and LOSE weight while doing it! We can fudge those cals/pts any way we want - but it's still the bottom line that will determine whether we lose. We can kid ourselves into thinking that we can eat healthier and lose w/o counting cals/pts. -- but it's still the bottom line that will determine whether we lose. We can try lower carbs, lower fat, lower this or lower that -- but it's still the bottom line that will determine whether we lose. So, I guess the bottom line is -- in order to lower the size of the "bottom" - we simply lower the size of our bottom line -- lower the intake to get to the lower numbers -- lo and behold - it's all about the low! At least for me -- I've been tracking my weight everyday - I've been tracking my calories everyday - and I now know how my body reacts to what number of calories - and again, lower is what it takes for me. Like it or lump it - I must lower it!

Congrats to all the loser food snobs who are losing!! Congrats to all who are meeting goals for exercise, tracking, adding vegs/fruits --- woohoo-dee-doo!!!

Keep those MONDAY reports coming in --- rrRRrr--rrRRrr!!

My report is that I've been 100% all week on exercise, veg/fruit, H2O and tracking --- I had 1 day of being over by 100 calories and 1 day of being over by 500 (Abbie's birthday -- too many parties in one day!!) --- so I'm good to go --- no more birthdays for this fam until the fall!!! Yeah!!

***WE ALL NEED A DAILY CHECK UP FROM THE NECK UP TO AVOID STINKIN' THINKIN' WHICH ULTIMATELY LEADS TO HARDENING OF THE ATTITUDES -zig ziglar

***FAILURE IS AN EVENT, NOT A PERSON. YESTERDAY ENDED LAST NIGHT!

***NO DREAM COMES TRUE UNTIL YOU WAKE UP AND GO TO WORK

***YOU DON'T DROWN BY FALLING IN THE WATER, YOU ONLY DROWN IF YOU STAY THERE

* * * * * *
Jillie says:
make it an OH MY STARS day!!!

Didi, I forgot to say congratulations for the 2lbs gone forever. You ROCK!!!

Jillie, reporting in for the week. As feared, I didn't lose anything for the 2nd week in a row.

Didi, sounds like you and I lose at the same rate. What's up with that?

TammyNo, I will dedicate today's Bible reading to your successful apartment hunting.

Kim, your words of wisdom are just what I need today. I guess I shouldn't call it a plateau yet, it's only been two weeks of not losing. I have been self talking in my head all week using your quote "choose your hard". I re-read some of my journaling from when I first started this "last diet ever" and I had written this from your book - "If a thought popped into my mind about eating something I hadn't planned on, I shut it down immediately. No more mental anguish. Dealing with desires became so much easier. I really worked on controlling my thoughts. No more daydreaming about the goodies in the bakery".

I understand what you mean about it being more about learning new behaviours than the weight loss. I love that you called the scale stupid, that's where I should be laying the blame - on the stupid scale!!! Thank you for the butt kicking :) You are so good at that, have you ever thought of doing this for a living heehee!

Although I have not lost for the last two weeks I am going to see it through and not lose hope. If I am working the programme my body will have to surrender in the end right? With all the positive thoughts you are all sending my way how can I fail.

Thank you Kimmies, hope you all have a great weigh in this week.

Jo.

Guys, I let that blog go before proof-reading. I made about
a gazillion mistakes. But you are all used to me...

di, that is super fantastic!!! Eight sticks of butter....
Haven't you notices that wo pounds actually makes you feel bettr and a little lighter? I am so proud of you. You have been through a lot and I love it that you have worked out this three points of treats. If I could be trusted, and maybe someday, I plan to do that very thing. I had just wanted to get off this dangerous stuff (27) and lower my HBP and it has happened! I am so thankful.

Tam, you are definitely on our prayer list. I admire you
so much for being so forthcoming. That is why you will be
blessed. This will work out. Meantime, just do the best
you can there with your ex-fil.

Kim, that butt-kicking was pretty effective, actually. You
hit on quite a few points we really need on an ongoing bas-
is! At least I do...."Pick your hard".... I can tell you right now, it is worth the effort to feel better, be more energetic, and look better. The reverse: sluggish, feeling unsure of yourself and constantly being reminded of your challenge: we have to eat. This is so much easier!
and constantly being

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We all helped my brother move apartments. It was hot and long, but fun! Weeeeell, fun being together at least.

A little message for sweet Jo (and Didi and all turtle losers) – first of all, you're doing AWESOME! And I'm so sorry the scale is so stupid! When you step on that scale after working hard all week and you don't see the loss – and you have to wait another whole week – work really hard another 7 days – before you get another chance to see a loss – are you kidding me? How frustrating!

Slow losers take longer getting to goal (which stinks), but statistics prove that the "extra practice" on program and longer time spent losing gives more success long-term (yeah). I don't want to minimize the pain and frustration of NOT getting what you deserve on the scale each week. I know it's enough to make us want to go on a binge! But remember this ... it's the behavior that's so much more important than the scale number. I always say I'd much rather have someone say, "I can't believe I didn't lose! I worked so hard and weighed and measured and wrote it all down and did perfect!" than to have someone say, "Wow! I lost? What a surprise after the birthday dinner and not writing anything down!" Even though the second person was given a gift at the scale, which person is going to be successful in the end? Right! I've seen it so many times. And YOU WILL get the results because you're sticking with it. You can do it!

HOWEVER! That being said, if anyone is NOT losing, PLEASE come to the chats on Monday nights so we can trouble shoot and see if there are ways to step up the numbers. I'd like to hear what a few days meal plans are for you. Double check some behavior (like writing down, BLTs, etc) as well as making sure you're at the correct squares/calories per day. Being a little over can make the difference between weight loss and weight maintenance. So join us! If you can't make it Mondays, come on Wednesday at noon for Lunchtime with Kim and Penny (all times est).

Come on EVERYONE! This is life changing, long-term, lifestyle behavior stuff. I know, I know, it would be easier, do-able, if you at least got what you deserved on the scale, right? But weight loss often isn't fair on a short-term basis. That makes it even harder! So what are your options? ... Right! You don't have any! If you want to get the health, looks, great feeling inside and out, you only have one choice ... keep going. Press on. Do the behavior that you admire and want to have part of your life because it's the best choice for you. The results WILL come. It's impossible to continue operating in a negative caloric balance and NOT lose weight. You will lose and get to goal! Stay focused. One day at a time. Write it out. Weigh and measure, don't estimate. NO BLTs! 24/100%! You will get there and stay there!

Remember ... Being fat is hard. Dieting is hard. Choose your hard.

Okay. Just a little Monday morning butt kicking from me to you because I love you all so much!

See you tonight in the meeting room. BE THERE!
Kim :)

hi everyone..just a quick reporting in..i lost 2 more lbs this week!! total of 34!!! slow and steady wins the race..

TammyNO...i'm praying you find a new place fast...hang in there..

see you all tonight!!

Hi All,
I'm just going to come out right away and tell everyone I need some serious prayer right now. I thought I could stay here at my ex-father-in-law's house until I could get a place in Pittsfield,MA, where my mom lives,but now I have to get out of here ASAP, so I need for all my sista "Kimmies" to pray for me to find a decent apartment as soon as I possibly can. Noone wants to rent to someone with rental assistance and a dog, so I have no prospects right now and I am desparate!! So I have to have faith that I will find something before I am kicked out on my butt!! I want to thank everyone that does pray for me and I promise to keep everyone up to speed as soon as I have news.
Jill- Congratulations to you and your daughter!! That is great!!
Jo- I love your reasoning, but you need to regift that candy bar before it leads to your undoing!! I think I should write it all down for when I have a weak moment because you sounded so empowered!! You go girl!!!
I'm off to watch my new favorite show,"True Blood". I will talk to you all tomorrow night. I know I need inspiration!!
T T F N!!
Tammy (NO) :)

rrrRRRrrrr---rrrrRRRRRrrrr---rrrrRRRRRRrrrrr!!!

Week 3 reportin' in MONDAY is about to arrive!!! Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend and not a WEAKend!! It's time to pull into the fire station and refuel the firetruck and give a post on how thing's are goin'!!!

Hope to hear from everyone on MONDAY!!!!

rrrrRRRRrrr----rrrrRRRRRrrr----rrrrrRRRRRrrrrrrr!!!!

* * * * * *
Jillie says:
make it an OH MY STARS day!!!

hi Jo...yes it stinks being a slow loser!!! (especially when you have to lose 167 lbs)...but you know what? if i wasn't following this plan, i probably would have gained at least another 20 lbs by now....i started my program january 25th..as of last week, i am down 32 lbs (think i lost more this week)..my old leader always said you could have 2-3 points a day in junk food, so i have 2 points worth of dark chocolate and a 1 point ice cream every day...i look forward to this and it keeps me on track..God bless Phillie..i don't think i could last a whole week without my chocolate!! that's why it's important to find whatever works for you and stick with it!! you're doing great, Jo...BELIEVE!!!

Jo, that blog of yours was just super!!! I know, I still
can't believe I am doing this one treat thing a week, either.

I think I just want to get this weight off so badly. Actually, the book by Toby Stein "Getting Thin & Staying Thin" which I once picked up at the library years ago and recently re-read tells of a woman who eats one cupcake each day. She had such trouble with sweets (as I do) so she decided to have a really decadent cupcake or a piece of cake every day, lost her weight and has done this for years, since the 80's. I had that in my head, but knew I could not do that. I would eat the whole seven cupcakes the first day!! But I have heard of people eating lightly
all week and splurging on the weekends. I remember as a young girl, newly married, thinking five pounds was a catastrophe, and just cutting out potatoes and rice and getting it right off. That worked for me til my 40's, it seems. Then it began to take an all-out effort to lose.

See everyone tomorrow night. Love, phillie

Phyllis, Didi and Angel,
thank you so much for your encouraging words. It means the world to me to have your support and advice.

Today has been better. I worked until 1pm today and managed to not think about the hot fudge sundae again.

Didi, it stinks being a slow loser doesn't it? I started dieting Feb.8th and have lost 25.2lbs in 23 weeks, tomorrow will be 24 weeks. I'm trusting in the Lord to keep me motivated to see it through to my goal.

Phyllis, I am an all or nothing person so I can't have one candy bar or one treat day. When I reach goal I am going to practice having a treat day and see if I can control myself. I think it's wonderful that you can do that and get right back on programme. That is what I aspire to.
When I was younger I lost weight and then maintained by dieting Mon. through Fri. and then eating whatever I wanted on the weekend and that worked for about 4 years until I had my first child. I don't know if I will do that again, it's probably more sensible to eat properly every day and just have a treat here and there.

Angel, I'm glad you have found something that works for you. I just read a book about intuitive eating. It sounds like you are doing something similar.

Well, tomorrow is weigh in day for me so please keep your fingers crossed that I have lost. Thanks again ladies, you're the best.

Love JO.

Hi Guys, Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Charles
and I have been painting and redoing one of our guest rooms. Sounds like we are having Matt and Jodi and our granddaughters, Maddie (8) and Joci (18 mos.) and the CT. group, Geoff and Pauline and Master Si (4) all at Grammy's
for Thanksgiving and that's a lot of beds! So we are getting started now....

Angel, my Petra, I am so proud of you for making peace with
this weight challenge. You are relaxed and that is what I
am trying to do: eat good things, a few treats, and some
doable exercise. It makes me think of something I read in
the papers today (I think in a comic): This moment is the
youngest you will ever be again. If you want to act giddy and silly and have some fun, do it! Now, everyone knows this is the slogan of the monkees: Jillie, Donsie,
Ginsie, Magsie and me, but I truly mean this. Let's remem-
ber that this moment is our youth and we don't want to waste it stressing constantly. I think that is why I try to basically eat the same things, but all things I like,
and from a wide variety. I got myself into this shape and even tho, "I called on God; I had to steer away from
the rocks." O well, anyway I am glad my friend. Petra, in her youth and beauty, has figured this out.

hi Angel....we haven't heard from you in a little while...i'm glad you're doing better!!! the important thing is finding something that works for you and then sticking with it!!! this is not a temporary program, this is FOR LIFE...maintenance is definitely harder than losing...

Jillie..congrats to your daughter...we can tell you are so proud of her!!!

rrrRRRRRrr....rrrrRRRRRrrrr....rrrrRRRRRRrrrr....

everyone climb aboard to finish a fantastic weekend!!!

hi together :)

I want to let you know that I´m totally happy on my weight loss way…I stopped counting kcal or thinking the whole day long about food. I started with eating healthy, stop when I´m full, only eat when I´m hungry. Also I stopped hopping on the scale every day. So this is a very relaxing way and it works for me. And that´s the main thing. :)

Joe, maybe it helps you to have one day in a week where you eat one of those sweets, like Phillies do? You have to find out what works for you without having a bad feeling. It´s not bad when you eat such things not often. Or you eat a huge salad and then have one chocolate bar. Maybe this gives you the feeling that you can eat the sweet now.

Phillie, wow 27 pounds! not a huge amount? you are doing a great job! WOOOHOOO. And your new picture is SO beautiful! love it! :)

Jillie, hey 2 pounds! wooohooo! Congrats to your daughters win!

Tammy, I hope this work situation will change for you soon. And if you are not good in planning your meals, just be sure to have enough healthy things at home then you can´t go wrong with cooking the right things :). Frozen veggies are great and you don´t have to cook it within the next days you brought it. And there are so many variations of veggies in the freezer. You can cook fish or meat to it and you have a meal. I´m sure you will find a way which works for you.

hi Jo...don't feel bad...as long as you follow the program, the weight WILL eventually come off!!! i'm a slow loser, too...our bodies change as we get older and it's not as easy to lose the weight as when we were younger...the important thing is to stay on program and keep reinforcing those new habits, otherwise the old patterns come back very fast...i have plateaued a few times since i started this program in january..now, i lose one week and stay the same the next...it's frustrating, but it's ok...it doesn't matter how long it takes, cause this is it for life!!!! remember, IF I EAT THE WAY I USED TO EAT, I WILL LOOK THE WAY I USED TO LOOK!!!

hope everyone is having a great weekend!! hi Phillie...you always give such good advice!!

Dearest Jo, I can hear the frustration in your voice. this could have been me before April l0 which I go to because that is the day I started to really be serious about my weight loss. I really didn't think I could do it. I still don't sometimes, but most of the time i know that I will. I have found something that has worked for me. I will say this: I could not deal with the sweets issue at all. I love all of those things you mentioned. Today I had a fruit and nut bar. It was just a Cadbury Milk chocolate, but was quite delicious. When I got up this morn I had lost a total of 27 lbs. since April l0th. Not a huge amount, but I do feel so much better. I am actually wearing things which have been hanging (tags attached) for at least five years. I am ashamed of that, but nothing would work for me. I am into a size l4 (if they have elastic), but won't to go it alone without elastic. As you know, Charles and I are going out to Patti
and Phil's September l6th. I find myself saying, "can I
possibly lose another l5 lbs by then...? And so on. Finally Patti, who has lost ll2 pounds in the year or so we have known each other -- doing exactly what our Kim did -- just tells me not to worry that she will think I look wonderful just the way I am. I stopped worrying. My heart goes out to you and me and all our loving friends who are struggling just like us. Oh, that candy bar thing, was to say that I have finally decided to have one sizable treat a week and that's it!!! Love, Phillie

Another quiet day here, you must all be out enjoying the summer. I can't stand the heat so I stay indoors in this 90+ weather. My husband has gone to our cabin up north. He was meeting our 3 sons up there to go fishing. I had to work this morning and tomorrow morning.

When I got home I did the laundry and hung it outside to dry. By the time I took the second load outside the first one was dry. Then I went to church, came home and had a Lean Cuisine cheese pizza, to which I added peppers and onions.

I have a feeling I've hit a plateau. After not losing anything last week I couldn't stay off the scales (note to self - put scales back in the trunk of car). I still haven't lost anything and Monday is looming. I have been 100% for 23 weeks give or take a bite and have been losing quite steadily, usually 1 lb a week. I have accepted I'm a slow loser and have learned to be satisfied with 1 lb, but to do all the work and lose nothing is a bit hard to accept. Today I have allowed thoughts of hot fudge sundaes to creep into my mind. A girl at work just got back from England and brought me my favourite chocolate bar back. I put it in the freezer, but today I have been thinking about it on and off. I just know if I give in to any of these thoughts I will end up in a downward spiral and I can't afford to do that.

I want this to be my turn to be "Finally Thin". I just can't entertain these thoughts of "well you've been so good for so long and maybe a mini-binge will jump start the weight loss, break the plateau etc..."

I know myself well enough to know that if I go down that road it will all be over. I have never made it to goal before. I get within 10lbs or so and then start the fast and painful climb back up. I'm getting too old to try and kid myself that it would go any other way.

So here I am on a Saturday night trying to talk myself into thinking positive about Monday's weigh in. So what if I have reached a plateau? Others on here have worked through them and I will too. It will be a first for me so that will be a learning experience. I'm just going to grin and bear (bare?) it. I AM WOMAN - HEAR ME ROAR!!!
I AM STRONG, I AM INVINCIBLE, I AM WOMAN!!!

Well, that was all about me wasn't it :) I hope you are all enjoying your weekend and not struggling.

Thank you for allowing me to think out loud or in print or whatevva, you get it.

Jo.

It's very quiet on here today.

Congratulations to Jillie's daughter, you must be so proud of her, Aunt Phizzy certainly is :)

Good morning guys: Guess what: Jillie's daughter, Abs,
is ONCE AGAIN A WINNER! She won lst Place in Lounging
Apparel; Top Modeling Award in her project category, AND
BEST OVERALL IN THE Jr. division!!!!! How about that. I
had to brag. I woke up this morning to pictures of her
and was so absolutely thrilled. This was for her 4-H Proj-
ect that Jillie has been telling us about. Abs is a hard-
working, tremendous young lady; AND it is her birthday. And, because Jillie is my little sis (we both had the maiden name "Green"; I am her proud aunt Phizzy). Hope everyone
has a great day. Loves