Conference rocks::weight_control

    
    I know how you feel and it is not easy to pick yourself up.
    I have fallen also.  The trick is to not dwell on how bad
    you did or you have failed pick your self up and keep
    going.
    You have done well in the past and you can do it again.
    
    I have learned this weekend NOT to go to a Party HUNGRY..
    Have a small meal or meal before you go so you won't
    eat as much.
    
    If you do eat a bit more.. go right back to your program.
    
    I know I am mad with myself also.. but we have to do this for
    us..  
    
    If you want to write to me and share how you feel.  Also 
    Paul Yankowskas he is a good one for helping....
    
    I would read Notes if I was you.. 
    
    
    We all care for you in Notes and we will stick by you
    so look in your mirror and say I am importand and I will 
    do this for ME!  
    
    If it doesn't work keep saying it....
    
    Best of luck
    
    
    Ann
    
    
    

    
    re: .0      
    
    
    er - I _said_ bag of "trucks", but I _meant_ bag of "tricks".
    Naturally, my bag of "trucks" is far too heavy to bring in here
    to work  ;^D!
    
    Marion

    re Marion:
    
    The fact that you entered .0 and realize that it's time to "get back
    on the stick" gives this noter plenty of reason to think that you'll
    get back on track and reach your goal.
    
    The only other suggestion I can add off the top of my head is to make a
    mental inventory of what worked for you before.  To lose 66 pounds, you
    must have done a lot of things right.  Pull those things out of
    your bag of tricks (not trucks ;-) ) again, and put them to work.
    I'm not saying it will be easy, but I know you'll be able to do
    it.
    
    Remember, the successful people are not those who never make mistakes
    (I don't know any of those kind), but the people who don't let setbacks
    deter them from their long range goal.
    
    
    Best of luck,
    Paul

    So did I, fall of the wagon, said she!
    
    I ate, and ate, and ate: bread, and butter, and cheese, and chocolate.
    
    I was lucky: somewhere in my subconscious the things I had learned
    at WW were pulling me back, so the damage is not too bad: +1,1 pound
    (overall, because I am sure I must have been at +3 pounds or near
    it sometime during last week...)
    
    I am back on diet as of... TODAY.
    
    I have remotivated myself by telling myself that I'd be plain dumb,
    after all the good work I have put in loosing this weight to put
    it all back on.
    
    Marion, think of those 66 pounds you have lost, think how incredibly
    good and extraordinary you must have been to loose all that weight.
    Isn't it normal that you should have suddenly been fed up with being
    so good? Perfection is not something that can be sustained for ever
    (even the saints were sinners before they became saints, and some
    of them had a pretty ... "hectic" life, to say the least!)
                                                              
    Think also that you wouldn't like to see all those efforts wasted,
    and also that now you fit into clothes several sizes smaller you're
    not going to go back to larger clothes, are you?
    
    Best of luck, we're all in the same boat, and if we want it to float,
    we'd better not gain extra weight!
    
    Joana
         

    Just wondering whether any others have noticed lately in this conference
    how many people are off their diets, off the wagon, etc (myself included).
    Don't quite know what to attribute it to, but here are a few guesses:

    o	Time of year. The change back to Eastern Standard time is always
	depressing. I hate not having that sunlight when I get out of work.
	Its also getting colder, our outdoor activities are winding down, etc.

    o	Holidays are coming up. Maybe its just natural to assume that you're
	probably gonna gain some weight over the next month - the "I don't
	care, I'll restart my diet after New Year's" attitude may be starting
	to surface.

    (Anybody got any other ideas?)

    What I've done about it: 

	Even though I've gone off the diet a bit, I've been able to get 
    back on it & not let a little setback destroy all the hard work 
    I've expended to lose the weight. So far, it seems to be working. 
    Fortunately, the weight is still coming off, albeit a bit slower.
    I really would like to get down to my target weight before Thanksgiving,
    just in case I do splurge for the holidays & gain a few lbs.

    So hang in there fellow dieters, don't let the time of year get you
    down & stick with your diets.

						-Dom

    When the sun starts going down earlier we tend to think...it is
    time to go inside..what is there to do inside..Well, someone said
    this before....use your hands for things outside the kitchen...
    repot some plants...knit, sew, paint, wallpaper, get ready for TAX
    time...use your hands when you are in the house and not to make
    food and the thought of eating should vanish....Have a 32 oz. glass
    of water next to you when you are involved in the activity...it
    will fill you up...
    
    Think of all those christmas gifts you could make if you were not
    eating....yes a cross - stitch keychain, a macrame plant hanger,
    a latch hook wall hanging of a teddy bear for my friend's child,
    DON'T MAKE GIFTS THAT REQUIRE COOKING AND TASTING....
    like baking...if you always give the postman cookies for christmas
    give him/her something different...a pair of handknitted socks 
    during these cold/wet days would be appreciated just as much...
    
    About being off the wagon....just remember you took yourself off
    and you can jump back on...it may be hard but it is not impossible.
    
    Loretta....who is doing quite well...in the losing of inches
    department...I need to make some alterations...hmmmm where is that
    needle and thread.....Good luck everyone

    Well, it has now probably been 6 weeks since I have been "misbehaving"
    on my diet.  This morning I decided that this was the end of my departure
    from sanity.  I GOT WEIGHED!
    
    I couldn't believe my eyes.  I only gained a total of - get this - 3
    pounds!  Hell, I can loose three pounds standing on my head!  You
    know, it just goes to show.  If you loose it slowly, you don't regain
    so rapidly.  I think that I am starting to see the light.  I often
    would get so discouraged when I would starve myself for weeks and
    then go off my diet for only two or three days and gain 5 to 8 pounds
    in the process.  I would ask myself "Even if I do get thin, how
    do I ever expect to keep it off?".  Well, it seems that the answer
    for me is to continue to loose slowly.  I expect that a six week
    period of careless eating will not be something I will be inclided
    to do very often.  Even if I did do it two or three times a year,
    I expect that this could easely be offset by a similar period of
    six weeks of *very* carefull eating in which I would easely drop
    that weight and then some.  After all, I am after a lifestyle that
    will get me, and keep me thin.
    
    SIXTY THREE DOWN . . . SIXTY TWO TO GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
    
    Marion  
       

    You know what, Marion?  Sounds like you changed your eating habits
    without even realizing it!  You were probably eating FAR FAR less
    calories than you did before you began dieting, but it SEEMED like
    a huge amount.  I know that now, when I feel like I've had a real
    pig-out and count up the calories, SURPRISE!  I've been better than
    I thought.  No, this is not an excuse for going overboard.  However,
    overboard has now been redefined for both of us to be a much lower
    level of eating than overboard used to be.  And y'know what?  I'm
    not a BIT worried about Thanksgiving, because my brand new built-in
    calorie regulator will be letting me know how I'm doing. (I am,
    however, glad that I weigh on Tuesdays, which gives me plenty of
    time to even out after turkey day).
    
    --Louise

    Louise,
    
    You are so right.  I had actually done very well, but I didn't know
    it.  But I think that is a problem in itself.  I think it is very
    important to know that you are doing ok.  Nothing fails like failure,
    and when you think you are failing, you get discouraged and stop
    trying.  I guess in a way, my 6 week "falling off" was good for
    me because I realize that I really have changed my definition of
    the words "over eat" (it uset to be "OVER EAT" :^O).  I suppost next
    time I "fall off the wagon", it won't take six weeks to climb right
    back on! 
    
    Marion

    Couldn't help but catch this note ... i have the same problem "falling
    off of the wagon", but with me it happens when I start to travel
    for DEC, and end up in too many restaurants, too often ordering
    dessert.  I was down 28 pounds (20 or so more to go) prior to my
    last 4 week trip ... when I stepped on the scale last Monday I was
    devestated, though it looked like by Wednesday that most of it was
    water gain.
  
    The point ... getting BACK on the wagon before the weight gain gets
    back out of control again.  There's nothing more discouraging than
    seeing the 5 or 10 pounds reappear that you worked SO hard to lose ...
    but it's even MORE discouraging when that turns into 20 or 30. 
    I'm discouraged, and will probably spend the next 2 weeks dieting
    just to "break even" again, but at least i'm back in the "right
    direction" again.
    

     Blast! I re-fell off the wagon... 
    
     I don't even want to weigh myself anymore, as I'd rather not know
    the worst, though I know I have to...
    
    BUT, things are looking up:
    
    	- the bad cold I have had for 3 weeks is slowly going away;
    	- I have just heard I will be able to enroll in the DEC aerobic
    	  classes as of January (twice a week during lunch time). 
    	  I wanted to earlier but the course was full;
    	- the swimming-pool next to our place will re-open it's doors
     	  mid-December (it's been closed for repairs since June!);
    	- I have found somebody to whom I can bring my ironing (I may
    	  dislike housework, but what I feel for ironing is pure hate);
    	- I am going to Copenhaguen (Denmark) for a course and I've
     	  never been there in my life!
    	- I know what I will buy my daughter for Xmas;
    
    	etc,  etc...
    
    So depression is lifting, and this means I should be back on track
    soon. I am one of those - numerous - people, who always fight
    depression with food, just to get more depressed in the process...
    
    Joana       
    

    
    
    I not *only* fell off the wagon, I laid under it for a long, long
    time. I wouldn't even open this notesfile, <guilt of course>, but
    yesterday, I took a long look at myself, naked, in front of a full
    length mirror, and instead of becoming totally depressed, I decided
    to do something about it. <again> In any event, went to the grocers
    and bought all the proper foods to start back on the rotation diet.
    The diet worked before and was quite simple to follow and showed
    results that boggled the mind. A number of changes caused me to
    drop off the diet...mostly I just didn't care anymore. I certainly
    seem to care now though...I've gained so much weight that I resemble
    a mini-blimp in the puberty stage. ;-) ;-) ;-)
    
                                         -sunny-

    Sunny:
    
    The people who attain their goals in life are not those who *never*
    get off track or have setbacks.  There AREN'T any of those in the
    world!  Rather, the people who reach what they're striving for are
    those who, when they have a setback or get off the course they have
    charted for themself, are able to put that setback behind and redirect
    their energies towards what they want to attain.  
    
    After reading .12, I have no doubt that you've taken the first big
    step in doing just that.  I'm sure I speak for a lot of noters in
    this conference in wishing you the best of luck as you renew your
    weightloss efforts.
    
    
    Paul 

    re .13
    
    I'll second that, Paul.  I can't count how many times I've falled
    off the wagon (just in the last year!), but I've still managed to
    lose 40 pounds by getting right back on.
    
    Lynn

    Well gang, it's time for me to take the first step in getting back
    on the wagon by admitting that I've been off it for the last couple
    months.  
    
    I didn't check in at a WW meeting during April, my exercise program has
    come to a halt, and I foolishly allowed myself to fall back into an old
    bad habit of overeating during times when I am under work/personal
    pressure.                                
    
    As a result, I'd estimate (according to a far from totally accurate
    bathroom scale) that I'm currently about 5-6 pounds over goal.
    
    *BUT*
    
    That's as far above goal as it's going to get.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY,
    I have put myself back on the full WW program to get rid of the
    excess baggage that has crept back on over the last couple months.
    I've just finished the lunch that I've brought from home, and I'm
    about to head out the door to take a walk (BTW, excellent day for it
    in Southern NH today!).  I've read enough stories about people losing
    weight and then gaining it all back plus interest -- I am NOT going
    to let myself become one of them!
    
    
    Paul
    
    

Hi Paul,

Go for it!  You know how to do it now, do it before it gets harder.  (the
same thing happened to me last year).  I've recently started reading more
on nutrition and similar subjects.  I find every little bit helps me be more
determined to stay on the wagon and enjoy the ride!

Jill

    
    Interesting, there seems to be a lot of this going around!  I just
    came off a 2-week stretch of pretty much ignoring the WW rules.
    According to the scale in WW (as of today), I've only put on about
    1 pound, which is amazing -- I expected it to be more like 5.  
    
    It's strange - something seems to have clicked.  For those 2 weeks,
    I just couldn't face the prospect of weighing and measuring, and
    limiting myself to what seemed like miniscule portions.  Now, though,
    I seem to have gotten the mind-set back.  I sure wish I could figure
    out what triggered both changes!
    
    Beverly
    

    
    
    Yes Paul it is hard when we go back to our old habits. If we
    we aren't paying attention to what we are doing.. 
    It seems to creep up so fast.
    
    It's nice that you have the right way of thinking and doing
    something about it now until waiting until you get way up
    there.. 
    
    You will do it Paul and I'll be right behind you cheering you on.
    
    
    
    Best of Luck
    
    
    Ann
    
    

    	My wife does the weekly grocery shopping Wednesday and she ALWAYS
    buys cookies, cake, candy etc. So every week I gain a pound or 2
    by Thursday. By Friday the goodies are gone and I get back on the
    WW plan so by the next Wednesday I have a net loss of a pound or
    2. I lost 30 pounds in the last 12 weeks and am almost down to the
    top limit of my range. 228 was my high and I am down to 201 +/-.
    My top limit is 194 so I'm almost there. By the end of the summer
    I should be about 175 to 185 which is just right for a 6'1" man.

re .19:

>    -< Weekly fall from wagon hurts my head >-

Does this weekly fall really hurt your head, or are you just joking?

Are you accepting that this is the best you can do considering the circumstances
or are you enjoying the "scenic route" to your weightloss?

Does your wife care about your diet (or hers)? Is she purposely sabotaging you,
or can she just not help buying the food for herself and regrets the problems
it causes you?

If you're happy with your progress, that's fine.  If you wish you were losing
the 4 pounds a week rather than just the 2, then there are lots of things you
can do about it.

Just giving you something to think about,
Jill

    Re. 19
    
    I've also just finished 12 weeks of dieting, so we must have started
    at the same time!  I'm down 52 pounds, my wife is down 30.
    
    I'm positive one of the reasons I've been so successful is that
    there is no junk food in the house - ever.  Many the evenings
    (like last night watching the Celtics get eliminated!!!) I've
    gone rummaging through the kitchen - (there must be SOMETHING
    bad to eat here!!)  But there isn't, so I grabbed an apple and
    went back to the game.
    
    It helps that my wife is following the diet also, but my 10
    year old son is not.  However, fruit is a lot better for him,
    diet or not, than the junk we're used to eating.
    
    My suggestion is to talk to your wife, tell her how difficult
    it is to stay on a diet even with NO junk food in the house,
    and get some cooperation and support.  The best answer is not
    to let any junk food in the house for the duration of your diet.
    
    If that's not workable - have her hide the bad stuff.  If there
    are potato chips in this house, they had better be hidden in my
    son's room somewhere, not out on on the counter where I can see
    them and be tempted by them 20 times a day.
    
    Dieting is a family affair.  During the past 12 weeks and 52 pounds
    my blood pressure has decreased dramatically, my waist is 6 inches
    smaller, my blood sugar is better, my cholesterol is down, etc.
    If my family wants to have me around 20 - 30 years from now, that
    means cooperating with improving my health now.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Jim

    I'm only on the second week of WW (should be my third but I had
    so many downfalls on week 1 I did it twice!) and I already fell!
    I was feeling so tired and depressed yesterday that I ate much more
    than I should have.  I also find myself saying, "Oh well, I blew
    it already, I may as well eat everything and start the diet tomorrow!"
    
    I've been a dieter for about 10 years and KNOW that is the worse
    thing to do!  Tomorrow is my 3rd weigh-in at WW and I almost don't
    want to go but know I should.  After 2 weeks on the week 1 program
    I lost 5-1/4 lbs. which leaves 20-1/2 lbs to go.  I'm afraid of
    what I'll see tomorrow!!
    
    Has anyone else fallen off so quickly?  I feel so good when I follow
    the program and so bad when I don't!  Why do I do it?  Can I hope
    for a "Not so bad" weigh in?
    
    Discouraged!
    
    Kim
    

Kim, that's an excellent weightloss for 2 weeks.  Congratulations!
We all have our 'off' days, but the thing that will keep the number
on the scale on a downward trend is being able to put them behind you
and get back on track.  If you think that you might not have such a
good weigh-in tomorrow and you don't want to see the number go up,
don't look at the scale.  I have gotten on the scale backwards the last
three weeks so that number can't influence my attitude.  I have been able
to stay on track for a much longer period of time than when I look at
the scale every week.  So get on the scale backwards (have them keep your 
book with your card if you don't want to see til next week), stay for
the meeting and get as much as you can out of it, then start a brand new week 
and just see how you do.  It has done wonders for me.

Good luck!!

Susan

    re: .22
    
    Kim, I have a suggestion for you. If I am way off base, just forget
    I said anything. You might want to do some soul-searching about
    WHY you eat. You said in your note that you were tired and depresed.
    That's not the right reason to eat nor is eating the right way to
    deal with those feelings. Perhaps working on eating to satisfy hunger
    and not other feelings would be one step. Along with that, I think
    it would probably be good to find other ways of dealing with whatever
    feelings make you want to eat everything in sight.
    
    Good luck with this. Believe me, I know it isn't easy. I also tend
    to eat for various emotional reasons. I eat when I'm depressed.
    I eat to celebrate. Or when I'm sad. Etc. I am currently in the
    process of trying to follow the advice I just offered you! 
    
    If anyone has any suggestions about ways to accomplish this, please
    pass them on! 
    
    -Amy.

    I've got a good way to allow your jaws to move and STILL not fall
    off the wagon.
    
    First, accept that although you may KNOW that food is not going
    to solve any problems (except hunger), it feels good to eat.  And
    that's not necessarily an evil thing, it just has these obvious
    results when you spend too much time feeling good over Hydrox
    cookies or peanut butter.  SO, what you need is something you
    can eat almost FOREVER, and not blimp out on.  AND this food needs
    to be ready when you are, not something you have to prepare.
    
    My solutions?
    	1) Air popped popcorn.  Ready quickly.  Takes a while to eat.
    	   Low calorie.  Crunchy without being a carrot.  Filling.
    
    	2) Diet gelatine.  Can be prepared beforehand.  Sweet - satisfies
    	   your sweet tooth.  Low calorie.  Not too filling - more like
    	   eating a diet soda instead of drinking it.
    
    		Easy cheap recipe (I got sick of the high prices!)
       			2 packages Knox unflavored gelatine
    			1 envelope any flavor unsweetened Koolade
    			7 packets of nutrasweet (Equal)
    			4 cups of water.  maybe a little less for firmer
    				gelatine
    		Put 2 cups of water in a bowl (one that will hold 4)
    		Sprinkle gelatine on top.  Microwave on high for 4-5
    		minutes.  Stir in Koolade and Equal.  Stir well, so
    		gelatine dissolves completely.  Add rest of water.
    		Chill (I chill overnight usually, or make in the morning)

    	3) Salad stuff.  Can be prepared beforehand.  Low calorie.
    	   Crunchy.  Watch the dressings or buy diet dressing.  Filling.

        4) Rice cakes or diet bread with GOOD mustard on it.  For the
    	   times you have a salt craving.  Lower calorie than the
    	   alternatives.
    
    	5) Fruit (peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries, etc).  Sweet.
    	   Filling (some of them).  Lower calorie than alternative sweets.
    
    You get the idea.  You've gotta plan for feeling like you want to
    fall off the wagon - you've gotta EXPECT to get those food frenzies.
    But if you can derail yourself from the goodies to something else,
    tell yourself "here, self, you can have this enormous bowl of
    popcorn/jello/cup of coffee, and in an hour, maybe you can have
    something else", well, in that hour or whatever you have a fighting
    chance to get your mouth to answer to reason.
    
    Or, as an alternative, you can go work in the garden for a while.
    Surprising what activity can do to derail unreasonable munchies,
    plus it is hard to eat when you're up to your elbows in manure....
    
    --Louise