Yep.

:)


It will be 5 months Friday. Up until 2 months ago, I did not gain a single pound, but it was a struggle. I ate tonnes of cherries and blueberries all summer. Then, beginning of September I broke down. Tired of restraining myself. Bit of self pity and anger. And I started to pig out. And *poof*, 10 pounds in one month. Another 4 pounds this month.

I need to change my game plan. I am staying at home way to much and, I believe, I am just not getting enough stimulation. So I eat.

I was SO motivated last week after watching the new tv program "The Biggest Looser". So naive too: I really thought, ok wow! All I need to do is work out 3 hours every night and I will loose 20 pounds a week!!?? Yippeee!! Hahaha. Fat chance.

But still, I am psyched.

I am back at 167. This time last year I was 145. I went up to 153 by around January and stayed at that until September. And then started to gorge. And really, not a huge amount of eating....... ok, ok, yes, a huge amount of eating.

OK, so my new plan will focus not so much on reducing food as on reducing time spent alone or watching TV. And going to the gym. Perhaps every night even. Just get out of the house and get some non-food stimulation.

Plus, I'd like to try to play a game with myself: 5-10 serving of fruit and veggies.

I feel like this is it now for the smoking. And now it's time for the weight. I am 43 and I am just so tired of diddling around, spending my life stuggling with addiction, and yes, I think eating too much is an addiction.

My old "goal" weight was a conservative 140 pounds. I think I would look just fine at 140: I'm 5'5". But, you know, I was 118 in High school. 125 in my 20's. 132 in my early 30's. I want to be 120 again. Yep, I do. Realistic? Why not. I keep reading in the news that people who have gained more than 10 pounds since high school have an increased chance of all sorts of diseases. That implies to me that being with 10 pounds of what I was as a teenager is completely realistic. I want to be "slender". LOL. That sounds so silly. But yep, no sense setting a goal that doesn't excite me.

Oh my gosh! 5 months as a non-smoker! That is really fantastic!!! That should make you feel like you can do anything!

Sounds like you've got a goal and a plan! I look forward to hearing about your weight loss!

-Lindsey

Hi. I like how you think. It sounds like you can do everything you set your mind to do. Why is it that after awhile, we just want to go back to our old life of having exactly whatever we want instead of doing what's good for us? We feel better and are happier people when we're doing what's right, yet somehow the grass starts to look greener and greener on the other side and off we frolick, only to find out there's thistles between those beautiful tasty blades of grass. And we're not happier on the other side. So back we come, the trick is to stay this side of the fence. If you figure out how to do that, let me know. And, hey, you're going to look great at 120.

Congrats on quitting smoking. I'm quitting tomorrow morning. I started eating right for my health, I want to quit smoking for my health too. We'll both be strong tomorrow, me with my smoking and you with you're eating. Desire, Dedication, Determination and Discipline=Success

I have 20 months not smoking, and can I attest to WEIGHT GAIN! I was overweight as a smoker, when I stopped, I lost a good thirty pounds right away, and was doing great, then I gave into eating the wrong foods again, and I didn't gain the thirty back, I gained 50!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8-|
So, now am trying to use "common sense eating" and walking. I sure hope it pays off, cuz I'm not planning to ever "diet" again...and make myself worse. I figure, I gave up drugs, drinking, and smoking...I can lick this (no pun intended), too!
Way to go on the NO SMOKING!!!!!!! I figure, if I'm fat, well, I don't like it, but at least I'm not smoking! No way would I go back to smoking just to lose a couple of pounds! NO WAY! I like not stinking! I don't know if you have noticed, but my sense of smell is big time...and people who smoke stink sooooo bad, I never knew I smelled like that.
A friend of mine said, that ex smokers smell smokers differently than non smokers....but it's enough to make me say..."GET AWAY!" It smells like it's oozing out of every pore of their body and when they breathe, you wanna faint!
No offense to smokers out there...I used to be one...but just being honest.
The health benefits of not smoking is tremendous!
When I stopped, I had been wheezing for over 2 months, non stop...the asthma medicine wasn't helping...but now, I don't have hardly any asthma attacks. I can walk endlessly without huffing and puffing...even at this weight.
I do want to take the weight off, also...and am working at taking it off steadily, slowly but surely.
Glad to have you here! You can do it! :)

Congratulations on being a non-smoker Cath! :cheers: I'm very proud of you. That should make you feel better and make it easier to get lots of exercise. Maybe not 3 hours a day....but if we get that excessive we'll never stick to it anyway, right? :D (I'm watching the Biggest Loser show too - while I crochet so I can't eat because the darn show makes me hungry for some reason!)
Here's wishing you the very best success with your new game plan! It's funny you wrote a message in my journal just as I was thinking of coming back here and starting my own plan back up again. Maybe your note will be the kick in the pants I need to get back on track.... :hug:

GREAT ! This is just :super:

Beth :ghost:

Haha! Heya Badger!! I am so glad you came back! LOL @ The Biggest Looser making you hungry, hehehe. I must admit Maurice's bacon looked rather yummy. I hope you come back, I really really do!!! I used to really like your journal. How's it going anyway?

Sue! This is the big day for both of us? I left a note in your journal. I'd be so happy if you quit. I'm still not completely over the smokes. Like, it's there waiting, I think. So I need to be vigelant. We can be vigelant together!

Oh Jesse, I sure do feel for you. But 20 months, that is AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Now here is a little idea of mine. Because, I read that you too "broke down" on the food thing. Now see what gets me mad, is why do I have to have anything to "break down" from. Like, do I want to live under "restraint" for the rest of my life? If I feel that I am being restrained then surely I will break down sooner or later. Which is exactly what happened. I want to feel like I am not even restraining myself.

With the smoking, I have really been paying attention to all the negative aspects. Like you and your adversion to the smell, LOL!! (I still think a fresh cigarette smell a little yummy). But, like, I watch people smoke: people on the street, friends, and I focus on how addicted they are. What slaves they are. I've been watching "Sex and the City" reruns (never saw it the first time around) and I watch Carrie smoke. And like, I just look at her, albeit so skinny, I think she looks terrible and like a fool. I also cruise the internet once a week looking for lung cancer stories etc. I found a video of an artery (dead) being squished and all the fat oozing out of it!

So what am I trying to say? I'm focusing on brainwashing myself, truly changing my feelings towards smoking so that I really really really do not want to smoke.

And now, my idea is to the same thing with food. For example, I went away to a communal chalet with some skinny friends a while back. And someone not with us was cooking bacon downstairs. And they were commenting on how disgusting it smelled!!! LOL, bacon???!! And we were the same age, all brought up on weekend bacon. But somehow, they had reprogrammed their minds to think bacon is disgusting. They went on to denounce all sorts of other food: Kentucky Fried Chicken etc.

So, when those women go through a tough time, they will not be reaching for bacon, see? They no longer see it as something desireable.

Similarly with smoking. And my eating. I want to program my brain into thinking cookies and potatoe chips are disgusting. And I think I can do it because it's working for the smoking. What do you think? Hehehe.

Thank you Lindsey & Beth for your comments! I looked for your Journal Lindsey but I don't think you have one?

tmayder!!!! That's awesome that you've conquered the smoking!! I just think it's so great when people can cut ties from those nasty "cancer sticks".... You should be very, very proud of yourself!

I've been watching Biggest loser, too.... I've liked it so far. Amazing how they work out, isn't it? Wow.. wish I had a personal trainer to kick my butt to do that.

Take care and once again, congratulations on your not smoking anymore. If you can kick the habit you won't have any problems at all with losing your weight. Just give it the same focus and determination and you'l be fine!

Have a great weekend!!

Now this is Freaky, FREAKY!! Here I am, minding my own bidniz and reading mydiet's journal and remembering how I felt the same way she is feeling when I quit smoking 20 months ago, and I get to the last message and get a congrats from DJ. DJ, I know it is almost Halloween, but that is just downright spooky! LOL! (((((DJ)))))

Now back to mydiet's journal.

I remember that 5th month very well! I quit for 5 months a couple of times, but the hardest months came in 3's for me. 3 days, 3 weeks 3 months, 6 months, etc. You may experience the nicodemon nudge a few more times, but I can tell you that it does get easier and easier. The most important thing you said here is that you want to get moving. It is normal to get a little down when you quit, some get severly depressed. Once you make yourself move you WILL start to feel better.

There is a hill near our house that I have to ride up on my bicycle. Before I quit smoking I dreaded that hill. Thinking about it would make me think I should just stay home. It never failed that I would be gasping for air before I got over that hill and my lungs felt like they would jump out of my chest. The first time I rode my bike over that hill after having been smokefree for 3 months I kept riding and thinking that the pain was going to grab me any moment now. I was over that hill in no time and my breathing pattern barely changed. I look at that silly hill now and I am amazed at how hard it was for me 'back then'. It isn't like it is a big hill, nor is it that steep. You are going to be so amazed and so happy when you do those things that used to be so hard to accomplish and find out that smoking really did make that much difference.

You have that state of mind that shows that you have smoked your last. Congratulations!!!!

Linda

Hey Just thought I would drop into say hi. I quit smoking in January and I couldnt stand the smell.....here comes the BUT in May I started again but it was in hiding until August then I came out again. Thursday I smoked my last one again. I am on Wellbutrin they work....my cigs tasted like ..,ick.ick. You just dont even want one. I am hoping you are being strong. In January I went to www.whyquit.com and that was how I quit the first time. I am almost 33 and have smoked since I was 15 I dont wanna die......I wanna see my son's children someday. I wanna die OLD!!!! this is what I have to keep telling myself .....I did gain 12 pounds in 3 months BUT I dont know if that was related to Not smoking or just eating to much.lol I am trying to watch it this time.

Good luck and I will be checking ijn to see how your doing.
Trish