Everyday Systems

Hello all, sure have missed you guys. I was StrawberryRoan without the space before but they changed my email when Winstream bought Alltel and I forgot my password here and couldn't get it mailed to me. So I have a space now....

Lots has happened the last few months, I have fallen off the wagon, back a bit heavier than when I first found this place in April 2009. I weighed 158 this morning, weighed 154 then I believe.

However, that is not No S's fault. I was so successful when I followed the plan, I was so happy and felt so good. I actually lost 20 pounds and was a bit underweight I didn't like the way my face and neck looked (I am 61 years old and looked a little gaunt) so I gained back to 145 where I flet and looked great (healthwise not beauty of course).

But, life intervened. My husband is seriously ill (I have talked to some of you by pirvate messaging so you were already aware). He has been hospitalized 6 times in the past year and faces an upcoming amputation of his left leg, not sure when - the surgeon says we will all know when it is time. I spent way too many hours eating out of hospital vending machines and getting no exercise other than pacing the halls or climbing the stairs.

But, I am back, I am rededicated and feeling good.

Can't wait to catch up with everybody.

Berry

So sorry to hear about your husband's and your troubles! I hope you can find a way to make eating work for you while you go through this.

Berry -- It sounds like it has been a really rough season. I'm so very sorry to hear of your DH's health issues. Good for you for prioritizing taking care of yourself in the midst of all of this. So glad to see you back ...

Welcome back!

I am sorry about your husband's illness, and the stresses that must entail for you both. Hope that good self-care will help you to cope, and hope that we can give you some support.

I'm so sorry that you and your husband have been having such an awful time. It's good to see you back here.

Welcome back, lil' Berry. Yeah, I remember you were verrrrry nice and supportive too !

With all that stress related to your husband's health no wonder you gained some weight back ... stress non stop leads to emotional eating (But remember, exercising is a great way to deal with stress too, how convenient !). I hope all turns out well for both of you ... my grandfather had his leg amputated too a few years before he died and that wasn't easy of course. My dad also lost one of his fingers, the lil' one on his left hand, probably easier to handle !

It happened to me a couple of times since I have been trying to maintain. One week, in late march, I gained 8-10 pounds due to eating a lot when I was stressed for a whole week, maybe 10 days. Of course this was a shock to my system so I got back on the wagon the next few weeks and lost the extra weight promising not to do it again ...

Now I'm back closer to my fighting weight and I learned from my mistake ... I was really stressed again later on for a week straight in late june - early july but that time I didn't gain a pound, nothing. (I was proud, I remembered that it was not worth it really, 3-4 weeks of hard work required just to lose that extra weight. Is that worth it to eat a few bags of cookies and huge bowls of ice cream, no !)

Hopefully you can do the same even if it was a 'longer' slip up ...
You just have to get back to your (good) old habits, you know what they are I bet if you were successful before.

Good luck !

Cheers !

Marc

38 Years Old, 5'10" Tall
Nov. 1st. 2008 : 280 Pounds
Nov. 1st. 2009 : 190 Pounds
(1 Year : - 90 Pounds)

Current Weight : 192 Pounds

Welcome back, Strawberry! I'm sorry to hear about your husband's illness.

Thanks so much to you all. Your kind words mean a lot.

Went shopping yesterday, what amazes me is how much junk food I had been buying. Didn't need to buy red string licorice (last time I bought three packs, luckily two haven't been opened yet), no cookies, no Ritz crackers, no Pringles, heck, I must have saved twenty bucks or more. Also didn't buy any diet soda, strictly morning coffee, then green tea or water. Diet soda always made me feel puffy. I love water so that's a good thing as Martha would say.

Got lots of salad stuff, some crusty rolls and Healthy Select vegetarian soups. That will be my lunch at work every day next week.

So much of losing weight is psychologial. Yesterday just walking around, I felt lighter, thinner, healthier. I had lost 3 whole pounds but the weight of worrying about it was what felt good.

Thanks again.