Hairspray: that was me the day I got the so called "healthy muffin" and discovered to my horror the calorie and fat count .. and it was only 7am..! and like you.. knew I was going to need protein thru the day to keep me going..

This might be a good time to try that "zig zag" technique of keeping to the same weekly total of whatever your daily calorie goal would add up to, but zig zagging the daily numbers.. today could be your zig zag UP day! And bonus. that meal was right at the start of the week so you have lots of time to jig the numbers around and still get in your deficit for the week to snag a loss!

With this being a lifetime change now instead of another diet, it's going to be interesting seeing how we each deal with a day or two of high calorie intakes as we progress... changing the mindset from "i made a mistake" to "well.. today turned out to be a higher calorie count than I'm comfortable with now"... I'll either kick in some extra exercise if I can to burn it off, or I'll simply watch my calorie count for a few days to make sure this was an exception, and not an old habit creeping back..

but life is going to be like this for all of us from here on in.. daily choices.. every single day.. deciding for ourselves what we choose to eat, but NOT falling into the trap of thinking "I screwed up" "I messed up".. if we choose something. You can't screw up when you're NOT on a diet.... we made have made some less than perfect choices owards our weight loss goal tperhaps, but its not about dieting and denial anymore.. its about choosing what eat to keep us healthy, and how much we eat until we lose the excess weight we're carrying. Kinda nice feeling I think.. not being on a diet anymore??? :bigsmile:

The sun is setting on this Hatter’s day.. back from the doc’s with a couple more scripts and some instructions but it’s all good; might have to limit a bit of puter time for a couple of days as its pretty tough seeing at the moment; other eye has a heavy glasses prescription and now this eye is no script but not back to whatever sight its going to be at.. so it’s a little hard seeing anything between the two different views… add in drops that make them super sensitive to light (in the middle of summer and beautiful bright sunny days) so I’m wandering around with shades on in the house even with all the blinds closed… yep I’m one “hip” chick with the shades on indoors LOL!!

Clarified the exercise; nothing more than walking around here for a week or so because the lens is a “hanging” one and needs time to settle into its proper place or something.. but then I can start walking as long as I can see well enough not to kill myself tripping over something… BONUS: I live in a condo so I can walk up and down the corridors 100 times if need be.. and I will!! But until then am content to work on my eating and thinking about why I have always turned to food .. lots of time on my hands without being able to do much else.. so will utilize it to give the little grey cells a workout!!

But when I get the go ahead to go back to brisk walking, I’m gonna be looking to the Mad Hatters to kick my butt if I start to slide…. I love that I can be honest about my food and exercise diarys here.. I don’t have to say “Im not going to put that in…what will people think?” or whatever excuse I’ve used in the past.. because it’s all about progress.. and learning every day why I do some of the things I do and what it really is that can drive me to dive into a bag of chips when I’m sad or depressed or tired or whatever.. what am I getting out of that bag of chips, or think that I am getting back from them??? Love? Comfort? Friendship?? From chips??? Hmmmm Many things to ponder…. And lots of time to do it so might as well use the time to good advantage!!

My biggest challenge is going to be staying away from the puter for long periods!!! But lots of little short ones will get me around that LOL.. so.. a few quick replies til I shut down for an hour or 2..

Lindawoj: I know you said you were “afraid” to weigh in.. but remember..as one of the hatters said.. its just a snapshot of today… its nothing more than a tool to use, not the whole enchilada (hmm.. well you know what I mean lol).. use them if you need to keep yourself in check or to remind yourself that perhaps you’ve made a few extreme choices lately, but theyre no more than that.. a tool to remind you what youre aiming for, not a punishment. Use it for what it does for you, not what it does TO you! )

Time2: you must be exhausted, woman!! Take a little R&R if/when you can grab it!!

Tonya.. loved the three C’s!! And huge IPOU on taking the chance to make a change!!! Remember it doesn’t have to be a HUGE one… little ones add up over time to huge ones on their own.. so big congrats on making the decision!! Would love to hear any tips from any of the hatters too about the whole stress/emotional thing as that’s a big prob for me diving headlong into food as well…. So this week is my time to look at why and see what really lurks behind it!! Look forward to hearing how it’s going for you!!

KLB: Beautifully said!!! Yes!!! I used your words above cause they were so right on with it just being one tool.. AWESOME on the looser fitting scales.. woo hoo… that’s the real reward.. it’s not about numbers its about feeling great!! IPOU!

Charip: great idea focusing on the ounces… like the changes, they will add up to pounds eventually too!!!! Isn’t is strange how we all do that thing… eat well for a few days then say if it doesn’t show a loss to heck with it im gonna treat myself with something… it sounds so weird when I say it out loud… it really makes no sense at all lol.. and yet its something I’ve done reptetively for 40 odd years… but I still don’t get why I think I need a reward of something crappy…when I’ve just eaten well for a week….you’d think instead we wouldn’t even dream of having something bad if nothing has changed…. But no…we go immediately for crap…?? Its just so weird really.. and yet.. its exactly what I at least.. have always done too… (but that was whenever I was on a DIET.. which I’m never going to be on anymore.. ever!) HUGE IPOU on 29 lbs.. omg that’s AMAZING!!! I cannot wait til I can say that.. well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Doing the snoopy happy dance for ya! (oh.. and sorry to report.. I’m just a clerk in a government office LOL… I’ve never seen myself as any kind of motivator.. so it must be you wonderful hatters bringing a little out in me!)

Sorry guys eyes are hurting a little so very quickly

Kimberly so glad you had a n awesome weekend.. I was so jealous!!

Leslye: it was a man came up with that idea. Personally I much prefer the 5/4 (5 days one week.. 4 days the next.. get a long weekend every other week!

1slim…. I suffered badly with the hot flashes; found some triggers (like coffee in the morning always set me off. But I refuse togive it up so I suffered thru.. then they stopped for some reason during morning coffee lol. They tend to come and go now …here for a week..then gone… will keep fingers crossed they fade for a while at least for ya!

Merobi: thanks very much for the dictation offer LOL!! But I get so much motivation from you guys I don’t really see what ya get from me.. but as long as we all get something from each other, it’s a win win, right! And good reminder to be kind to ourselves…. And that we rock at HARD lol!

Flipflop so good to see you was getting a little worried abou ya! I think most of us are in the same boat with spouses and/or kids….. would that we could make them responsible for our own food choices… (and I completely salute anyone who has to cook for ANYONE more than themselves… I honest to god don’t know how you do it!) but alas.. we gotta suck it up and realize that ultimately we’re the only ones responsible for what we put in our mouths – and I hate that fact I really do LOL!! Hang in there sweetie; you’ve been sick too so take care of yourself!!

Gotta take a break.. be back later for the rest 

My posts might be a little disjointed for a few days hatters lol.. trying to type replies as I read and get it posted afore the eyeballs go wonky means I can't clean it up too well ... im sure everyone speaks fluent typo in here tho so here goes!

Lorielou: score on the free jewellery!! Hope you have a great week!

HSH: I howled with laughter at your party hosting moments… note to self for me?? Never drink at one of those again LOL.. thanks for the heads up!!

Bis: you are awesome.. such an accomplishment you must be so proud of yourself, cause YOU did it all, baby!!! Well done!!

I have never measured my food, but a few months ago when I decided that portion control was a big issue for me (surprising how filling a 15” dinner plate with food added on the pounds to me lol). Anyway, I dug out an old ½ cup measuring cup from the “junk drawer” (we all have one of those right?) and hung it on a piece of dental floss from the cupboard where my dishes are (yeah ok I didn’t have any string .. necessity is the mother of invention) And it has actually done a lot of good.. I found most servings are ½ cup of everything.. so I eyeball the hanging cup when I’m filling my plate.. it was a heck of a shock tho to be honest.. because I always thought I was eating about ½ cup of everything anyway…. Yeah.. right Snoozie.. NOT!!! MORE like I was putting at least double that. It also came in very handy when I would fill my dinner plate like I always do… you know.. just put on what I would normally eat.. then look at the hanging cup and think well crikey …theres enough food here to feed a small country.. I have always been one who cleans the plate… whatever amount is on it, I’ll eat til its gone.. even if I’m not hungry… so I started trying to go with smaller portions.. and making small changes.. like if I was doing a long shift and picked up a sub sandwich to take in? I’d have them cut it in 3 sections instead of just in half. Then I’d eat one third… see if I was still hungry.. and if not I’d wait until I started to get hungry and eat the next one.. and so on. That helped too.. so I try to do it with everything now. I’ll make a nice roast beef sandwich on whole wheat with some LF cheese, pile on the greens and tomatoes and onion and cukes or whatever… then cut it in half.. bag the 2nd half and leve it in the fridge and just eat the one. Because if I put the whole sandwich on the plate, I’ll eat it just because.. it’s a sandwich..and I’m used to serving and eating a whole sandwich at a time. But this way.. I know the rest is there if I’m still hungry.. but honestly.. im usually not .. the ½ is enough to satisfy my hunger, but I know I wont have to go 4 hrs without food again; that I can eat the other ½ whenever I get hungry. Im trying to eat smaller portions more often thru the day because of my blood sugars as well.. but that’s a really hard habit for me to break from the old 3 squares a day… hence cutting everything in ½ and grazing thru the day helps me out with that aspect of it….. like one of our hatters just said.. “After all this time on mfp, It amazes me how I can revert back to terrible habits.” I can totally relate as its one of my biggest challenges I’m working on too….. changing the mindset and breaking old habits! )

Tonya: you’ve done amazing, lady!!!!!! Woo hoo!! And huge IPOU for knowing what you are ready for, and what you are not! Awesome idea on just trying to move every day.. that is my current goal as well; after being sedentary for (ahem) decades.. I know I can’t throw myself into a gym and do mad workouts .. yet.. so walking briskly for an hour a day 5x a week is my starting goal – cause I know its what will work for me right now… kudos to ya!!!

TA: Shingles?? OUCH! I hope it doesn’t turn out to be that – keep us posted??? Supsect since you have to travel so far for groceries.. its gonna be a BIG bill too – can just imagine you miss having the shops just down the street 

Leslye: your post that read “That we need to change our minds, hearts and thoughts to grasp a new lifestyle of health, not just a bandage to bridge us from one weight loss event to another. This is a long term commitment ladies, we must grasp our heads and hearts around that” was awesome.. I kept nodding as I read it; thanks for putting what we’re aiming for so perfectly!!


Time2: hope you got some rest after working all weekend!! Look forward to hearing how all the Mad Hattersa re doing mid week.. ! I'm off to get a water ... sigh.... lol

Hairsprayhons post: Today's goal for me is to do something that will make someone else smile.


:bigsmile: :bigsmile: you made your goal, cause when I read you hit the gym today and felt awesome, THEN read your told your instructor you'd be back??? I GRINNED FROM EAR TO EAR!!!!! IPOU X 2 and congrats on making your daily goal, hon!! :bigsmile:

Leslye.. If i had all the $ I've spent on gym memberships and never gone back over the years.. bill gates would be jealous! I would try to fake that I wasn't intimidated either; and while I never got any dirty looks (I actually got some good help from some of the people working out who saw I was doing something wrong) I totally felt out of place and that people were just tapping their foot waiting for me to finsih on "their" machine... and eventually.. I would just stop going. I have a mini gym in my building and there's rarely anyone in there so I love that I can go down there on the t/mill in bad weather and it's all mine LOL. Once or twice someone else has showed up but with the benefit of shift work for me, I can usually pick a time when it's empty as it's open 24hrs. I've determined I'm not a gym person either.. that may change the healthier I get, I may try again when I'm well on the way to my weight goal because I'd like to start strength training to get me thru the upcoming years.. but before I slap down the cash this time I'm going to start with the walking and gradually move up to faster and longer and then take it from there. I'm sorry you spent any time :sad: in the locker room.. it's awful feeling that way but glad you have us now to confide in and know that we think you're awesome!