I read this somewhere..I think in YOUR BODY, YOUR LIFE..that you have to think of EXERCISE like BRUSHING YOUR TEETH..would you consider not BRUSHING YOUR TEETH everyday?

You can join WW on Line for a fee. It will spell out the diet. I'm a LIFETIME MEMBER. The MAINTENANCE PROGRAM is for maintaining your IDEAL WEIGHT. Checkout the CORE FOODS PROGRAM of WWer's. It's EASY! I personally LOVE the WWer's Program. You can eat what you want to eat without feeling like you are depriving yourself...gotta have my CHOCOLATE... It's about PORTION CONTROL and HEALTHY EATING..

LOL - hardly

Pretty much common sense. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

thanks, I'll check it out. Some of the possibilities are
WW, diabetic, blood diet, atkins, south beach, etc.

so many choices, but what I need to do is pick one. With WW I can see where that takes everything into consideration.

Queenie,

As far as weight, you will never reach your HEALTHIEST weight and keep it if exercise is not part of your weekly/daily routine. Why? Because without exercise, you cannot BE healthy.

Finding exercise that you will enjoy several times a week is critical to your overall health and PEACE of mind. Notice that word? Peace.

When I say finding exercise you will enjoy, I mean that you enjoy ONCE YOU ARE DOING IT. There will be days (often), that you will think to yourself, "I don't really feel like exercising today." But the key is that once you make yourself do it, you enjoy it WHILE you are doing it and afterward. It's the "getting to" that is challenging.

I confess, weight has never been an issue for me. But I believe that is because of the lifestyle I have chosen to live. I value my physical health as well as my emotional and spiritual health. I eat healthy and I exercise.

You may have reached that plateau that you won't pass until you increase your activity level on a regular basis.

Look for ways to increase your physical activity right into your day. There are so many ways our lives have become lazy, and when we start looking for ways to burn calories, there are some easy ones. Look at your daily routine and ask yourself, "how can I increase my physical activity doing what I already do." For example:

Use stairs instead of an elevator or walk the escalator.

Walk when you could ride, and walk briskly.

Don't look for the "easy" ways to do housework, look for the PHYSICALLY ACTIVE ways. Cleaning house can be a real workout if you really "work it".

My mom has always struggled with being overweight, and she is now a diabetic. When she walks daily, her glucose tests well. When she doesn't, she tests poorly...even if she ate perfectly. Exercise is KEY to our health.

Find something that clicks with you...yoga and tai chi are my personal favorites. It shouldn't feel like torture.

Check what all your local Y offers, or a health gym. Around here, Curves is really popular, and it is just for women (so no men watching <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> The possibilities are endless. My mom goes to her local Y and takes some water aerobic classes that have really helped her (she has some knee problems). Also, she recently started working with a personal trainer (consider a woman only) at the Y, and this has been a major success for her. The trainer knows about her injuries/physical weaknesses, physical health, and as she gets to know her, even her emotional state (discouraged, frustrated, etc.) She can customize the program for her, and adjust it as progress is made.

Lots of churches have women's exercise classes in the evenings (no requirements about religious beliefs).

Another possibility is dance schools.

If you try something and literally hate it, move on to something else.

Just at our Y, the options are huge: walk/run the track, swim laps, water aerobics, water tai chi, yoga, stretching, aerobics, spinning, pilates, weight equipment, and more.

Whatever you do, be sure to make some new friends there (woman only <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />). As you get to know each other, you may be able to help each other be accountable, and it's just funner when you are with friends.

This can help you meet some of your ENs...conversation, recreational activity, effection/admiration (as you receive complements on your wonderful personality, your determination and perseverance, and your success!)

How funny, in 9 months it doesn't seem that any EN's are getting met. No wonder I feel empty inside in so many ways.

I am really struggling for the moment, my contractor came by and lowered the price on our house. He asked me if I wanted to call my H, I asked him to do it. How can someone just switch one day and a couple that talked daily throughout the day to nothing. It's too much for me right now. It hurts so bad. I know, I'm praying. It will pass. I'm just getting it out and giving it away.

The exercise, you are so right. I just need to make the commitment to fit it into my daily life. I have changed and incorporated many of the ideas you have suggested. I also have a membership to the gym and a gym where I live, it's just that I haven't made it a priority.

I'm tired. I'm sad... and I just want off this pain....

Calgon take me away.....

Here are my dreams, hopes and wants....

Love and like myself
To be debt free
Have a loving relationship
Go to Israel
Investigate the rabbinic program
Go on a cruise
Buy a house
Begin quilting again
Have a garden I can be proud of

WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL! I was just about to ask you about these!!

And I sooo agree with SMB...

Exercise will actually LIFT YOUR MOOD...

It became a MAJOR PART of my LIFE right after D-DAY...

I also go to a FITNESS CENTER..

And follow a program designed by a PERSONAL TRAINER...

SHE was almost like a therapist to me...

nothing like getting out of my stupor with a little dreaming.

I actually got down on my knees earlier when I felt the spirally happening. I asked G-d to direct me to a thought, action that would help. I started counting money for school. I am doing better.

Now I want to claim my gratitude list for today.

My children
my wonderful friends which overwhelm me when I think about how many people I know and support me
My health
The fact I have lost so much weight
The fact that I have a roof over my head and a nice warm apt
I am loved by sooo many people
I can feel this pain and try to see what G-d is helping me to understand
That I can buy a house more than likely
My sobriety
My talents in what I am not sure yet

Queenie, something I just found just recently is sparkpeople.com. It's a free website that has a lot of free online tools for helping you lose weight and keep it off. Since you've reached a plateau maybe you can find some help there too. There are discussion boards with members supporting each other. It's pretty cool, if nothing else for monitoring your progress. My GF swears by it and it making good progress on changing her lifestyle.

Thanks PM, I will check it out tonight.

Queenie, I love your dreams & gratitude. I am right there with you on battling the weight thing. I went to the gym today and did 40 minutes on the treadmill and went to my dance class yesterday (and tomorrow and Friday.) I know I have got to seriously increase my activity levels and get back to being kick-butt healthy.

For me it all comes down to forcing myself to make small improvements every day.The extra gym day, the extra dog walk. I have to do it. My H tells me "biology isn't fair" and it is true-- my body requires a lot more work to stay healthy than the next person.

Now, what are you gonna do about that quilting? I have the blocks almost finished for the little girl quilt I started.

Do you know where your sewing machine is and can you give it 15 minutes a day?

I do know where it is. It's right next to my feet as we speak. I don't know why I am having such a hard time picking it up.

Who ever said life was fair. It certainly isn't.

I want to make a quilt about my journey, I just don't know where to start. And then the creativity isn't in me. Any suggestions?

Make steps every day to a renewed life. Go to a gym that has fun classes. I am a mamber of one and have made some great girlfriends there, several of which were recent divorcees and this was part of their renewal too! My favorite class is Latin dance!

I am really trying. My gym doesn't offer classes, but I am going to start going again, much more regularly. I've lost almost 81 lbs, but nothing for almost 2 months now.

I am in the process of trying to buy a house for me and my boys.

And my relationship with G-d is the most important thing I have in life.

I know hundreds and hundreds of people, people who I love and they love me, and my friends on here who have become so important in my life. How is it, ONE MAN, one very sick, destructive and unremorseful man has so much power over me. Hmmm... I think I need to practice the 1st, 2nd and 3rd steps again on this one. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm glad you popped over JP, thank you. As soon as I lose more weight I will look into dance classes. I did buy a new camera a month or so again, I could take lessons on how to take good pictures. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Good for you! See you do have something you want to learn how to do. Dance and photography. Congratulations on your weight loss! You are doing great.

You only are allowing him to have control. Take that from a woman who has a very very controlling xh who is getting ready to get one rude awakening!

Do not allow him to have it. Take it back. Now. It is a choice. You choose to live your life now. If and when he is proven to be healthy, no longer with the addicted ow, and makes firm steps to change his life, he has no say in your life. In firm step, I'd say counseing with a MB counselor.

I'm pulling for you! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You're sweet, thank you, come back soon.

Keep enjoying your new and exciting journey in life.

Hmmm.... are you up to doing a challenge with me? Something small, like a block, or a fabric postcard, or ???

Tell me what you like to do, quilt-wise.

I know...... let's each make a block that portrays our username, and photograph it and send it in to the photo thread?

If you don't like that one, I'll think of something else.

Hi Queenie-

Got my homework done and turned in too. It sure was windy on the drive home!

Weight Watchers online is the way my friend lost over 100lbs. Check out her website at http://msteechur.com
She was even one of their online banner ad people a few years ago. It was surreal to see her on my computer in an ad. But it was also very cool.

She also loves to support those who respond to her blog. If you search around her photos, you may see me. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

We're still on for next week-end-right? I'm planning on it.

I am up for the challenge of a block, I haven't made a postcard yet. Maybe next time...

Ok, I will plan to work on it this weekend. Thanks, Chrys, I need a little push in this.

Hi JT,

Yes we are on for next week. I will check out WW over the weekend.

I need to get to a meeting as I haven't gone since Saturday night. I was planning on going last night, but with the memorial service my boys asked if I would make dinner and I didn't want to leave them.

I noticed for a while now, that I isolate myself in my room because I'm tired and they are watching things I don't like. Before D-day I isolated as well because H and the boys watched all man shows and griped if I wanted to watch a girlie show, so I gave up and isolated. I was thinking to solve that, since it's not the show that is bothering me, I really don't watch tv anymore, I can bring a book out or something that just haves me with them.

I went to sleep at 9:30 last night and only woke up a few times. I'm still exhausted, but it was nice to sleep for a little longer.

I miss you JT, I am looking forward to seeing you next week. I will look at your friend and see if I can't connect with her through her board.

Lacrosse will be started Feb 25th, so that will give me something to look forward too. I really need that kind of stuff to make the days go by. I don't just sit and twittle my thumbs, but I could do a better job of stuff.

Hey there Queenie.. you're doing a lot better than you think. I watch you every day and see progress here, and progress there. You're not doubting yourself so much.. you're more accepting of the answers people give you rather than asking what something means or looks like when you already know the answer...

You've got lots of people supporting you, but you're letting God hold your hand rather than asking the people around you to.. THIS IS HUGE.. this is great progress and I'm very encouraged and uplifted to see you taking these steps.

Our journey is so similar.. I pray with the knowledge that our outcomes will be for the better of us, no matter what that outcome is.

Read the mass readings today and for yesterday.. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

JT,

I looked at your friend's website. Tell her she is an awesome lady. I'll bet she already knows that, but tell her I said so...

Queenie,

I'll bet I can think of what to read while you're lounging about. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Mark