was: All about me--it's short now: maintaining

May 13, 2004

Can you confirm something for me? I have always been of the belief

that the losing the weight is actually the easy part, but

maintaining the loss is the hard part. Do you see truth in that?

--Yes! Maintaining can be a challenge. For some people, it's harder.

There's the slacking element, the no pats on the back part, and " is

this it? I thought I'd be a supermodel and why am I still picking up

dirty socks?? " delusion to deal with. Ha! I hate that last one!!!

But starting, changing my life and my habits, taking responsibility,

and finally changing my mind about everything was the very hardest

part. That was the real miracle.

There's a runner/writer who calls himself The Penguin and he says

something like this:

The miracle isn't that you will finish the race, the miracle is that

you chose to run.

I like to say " A little less talk and a lot more action. "

Anyway, even though I don't " know " any of you, I understand finally

saying " this time I'm doing it " and that's powerful. May you be

richly blessed!

--Ana

>

> That said, you are VERY welcome here. You belong in the elite

club here because you are at goal. We will support you.

>

> I'm not a runner, so I don't understand the training

fluctuations. Give me richard simmons and the privacy of my living

room and I'm happy. lol

>

> But...when you are doing more, do you eat more; then when you are

running less, do you lower your points to accommodate that? Would

that keep you on an even keel? That sounds logical, but as I say,

I'm not familiar with that kind of training so I'm clueless.

>

> Also, please stay here....but I also started a group called

Serious Weight Watchers Maintenance Club, and it IS active. So

maybe you could join that as well.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Serious-Weight-Watchers-

Maintenance-Club/?yguid=144879692

>

> Listmom Lyn

> All about me--it's short

>

> Hi!

> I started with WW Jan '03 and lost 30 lbs.

> I'm a Lifetime Member. WW changed my life.

> With my group's support I ran my first marathon in January '04.

> I continue to distance run and go to meetings--sometimes.

>

> Sometimes people sort of sneer when I show up because I've lost

my

> weight and I'm fit. (Actual quotes: " why are you here? " " You

don't

> need any help, you're skinny. " ) As if I don't need support. I

do. Or

> I've got it figured out. I don't. It's still hard for me. I've

> stopped asking questions when I go because I don't feel like I'm

> really part of the group any more. But I need some help because

I'm

> starting to creep up.

>

> How do I maintain my weight through the big fluctuations in my

> training? Some weeks I'll run 45 miles other weeks only 20. This

is

> posing a challenge and my usual support system isn't working.

>

> --Ana

>

May 19, 2004

Welcome Ana!!

I'm Tory and I co-moderate with super duper listmom Lyn.

I've been at goal for about a year and a half now. Yay me! I am very

proud of myself because I think it's important to feel good and

celebrate your successes. I have lost over 100 pounds and remained under

my goal weight since hitting goal.

> Can you confirm something for me? I have always been of the belief

> that the losing the weight is actually the easy part, but

> maintaining the loss is the hard part. Do you see truth in that?

It is in a way, especially mentally. However I have found in other ways

it is easier. For me I am an all or nothing kind of gal so I pretty much

decided that if I have to journal for the rest of my life, every day,

every bite, then that's what I do to maintain my healthy lifestyle. It

is COMPLETELY worth it to me. What's the alternative? Measure my blood

sugar every few hours because I've got lifestyle related diabetes?

Monitor my medication intake because I have high blood pressure and

heart disease? I'd rather count points than do either of those things.

> --Yes! Maintaining can be a challenge. For some people, it's harder.

> There's the slacking element, the no pats on the back part, and " is

> this it? I thought I'd be a supermodel and why am I still picking up

> dirty socks?? " delusion to deal with. Ha! I hate that last one!!!

I think the " no pats on the back " thing is why I really do take the time

to feel good about my healthy choices, still. Even though I've been

making them just about every day since Feb 2002, I know that I have over

30 years of bad choices to counteract so I figure I've got another 30

years to celebrate my good choices.

> But starting, changing my life and my habits, taking responsibility,

> and finally changing my mind about everything was the very hardest

> part. That was the real miracle.

Isn't it though? I mean there are so many thigns in my own life that are

different, but the attitude is A #1 the BIGGEST change. First of all, I

am for the first time in my life, happy with who I am. Not because I am

thin, but because I learned that value isn't in the packaging, but in

what's inside. The value came first and demanded I do something about

the packaging. Second of all, I don't accept excuses from myself. Don't

want to go to the gym? Too damn bad, Tory. Grow the heck up and get

going. You're an adult and you know what you have to do so DO IT!

> There's a runner/writer who calls himself The Penguin and he says

> something like this:

> The miracle isn't that you will finish the race, the miracle is that

> you chose to run.

AMEN to that! I love Bingham. He has inspired me to actually try a

half marathon in November. Woo me!

> I like to say " A little less talk and a lot more action. "

Another great saying is " The successful person will do the things that

the unsuccessful person will not. " That is so true...We are successful

because we make active choices to do the things that bring us closer to

success...but many many people would rather make excuses than effort.

> Anyway, even though I don't " know " any of you, I understand finally

> saying " this time I'm doing it " and that's powerful. May you be

> richly blessed!

>

> --Ana

>

> >

> > That said, you are VERY welcome here. You belong in the elite

> club here because you are at goal. We will support you.

> >

> > I'm not a runner, so I don't understand the training

> fluctuations. Give me richard simmons and the privacy of my living

> room and I'm happy. lol

> >

> > But...when you are doing more, do you eat more; then when you are

> running less, do you lower your points to accommodate that? Would

> that keep you on an even keel? That sounds logical, but as I say,

> I'm not familiar with that kind of training so I'm clueless.

> >

> > Also, please stay here....but I also started a group called

> Serious Weight Watchers Maintenance Club, and it IS active. So

> maybe you could join that as well.

> http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Serious-Weight-Watchers-

> Maintenance-Club/?yguid=144879692

> >

> > Listmom Lyn

> > All about me--it's short

> >

> > Hi!

> > I started with WW Jan '03 and lost 30 lbs.

> > I'm a Lifetime Member. WW changed my life.

> > With my group's support I ran my first marathon in January '04.

> > I continue to distance run and go to meetings--sometimes.

> >

> > Sometimes people sort of sneer when I show up because I've lost

> my

> > weight and I'm fit. (Actual quotes: " why are you here? " " You

> don't

> > need any help, you're skinny. " ) As if I don't need support. I

> do. Or

> > I've got it figured out. I don't. It's still hard for me. I've

> > stopped asking questions when I go because I don't feel like I'm

> > really part of the group any more. But I need some help because

> I'm

> > starting to creep up.

> >

> > How do I maintain my weight through the big fluctuations in my

> > training? Some weeks I'll run 45 miles other weeks only 20. This

> is

> > posing a challenge and my usual support system isn't working.

> >

> > --Ana

> >

May 19, 2004