One year later- Now what

agree with you completely! Can you believe how great we all look.

Coming year... It is a big one for me. My existing job will be over and I'll be moving in a new direction. Presently, unless the "perfect" job is available, it means tightening my belt (fiscal belt, that is) and going back to school starting next spring or summer - depends which school I go to when the program starts. I should walk out some 15 to 18 months later with a Masters degree and a teaching certificate. I weigh myself every morning to make sure I'm not starting a path to weight gain. Right now I'm swinging between 187 and 190, though the trend is still downward. At a pound or two a month, in another year or two I'll be at goal. That will give me more than 7 days to learn that habit (I thought the rule of thumb was 21 days to learn a new habit - either way, the 2 years should cover it). I continue to need to excercise more and drink more water. The water drinking is going up since I gave up diet pepsi (geez, that is a habit I really miss). For excercise, my bike is in the shop getting a tune-up. I'll get it back later today. Then I'll actually have to ride it . I'm thinking I should get in the habit of riding it to the bus and back home at night. As I get better at biking, I can pick the bus up further down the route. This may just be another fantasy though. I'd love to be in shape to do the "Seattle to Portland" bike ride, or one of the other easier community rides in another year or so. I have no advice for the chocolate monster. I give in to it. But only for really great chocolate. Rarely crap cheap stuff, it isn't worth the calories. However, if I keep the stuff at home, I eat it. So, I only get it when I go out. Andrea, Goddess Andrea, you are doing great. Thanks for starting this thread. -Pam

pam- thanks for the response! I agree I only go for the dark yummy chocolate now. Great ideas for the coming year- I got to tell you, the best way to do the bike things is just to s--k it up and commit. Then you have to get ready for it! love you, Andrea

Andrea You Look great.. Can you beleive we are on the side all ready. My Goals this year: 1. Thanking GOD continually that I can Care for my "seniors" (parents) 1A. -Stay out of trouble ( no falls or car accidents or sickness). 2. Excercise when I am released again ( still trying to wlak though). 3. WORK HARD 4. Play harder 5. VACATION 6. Rebuild a fall/winter wardrobe 7. Attend social functions 8. Get out and try dating again 9. Drop the last 20lbs I want off and not gain an ounce!!! 10. Plan plastics surgery for tummy tuck and hernia repair when able and healthy enough.

patti ann- Good to see you on the board again. Let us know how the goals go.

I am working toward refining eating habits that don't allow me to gain weight. Unlike many of the guys, I stabilized at the 210-215 lb. level. I remain officially overweight at 29 BMI. My body type carries this well and I feel 20 years younger. I'll work toward losing another 10-12 lbs. but I really am at peace with my remarkable and sustained loss. I will retire from the Commonwealth after 33 years in December. I will then work with a published author friend to write a true crime book concerning our daughter's murder and how we solved the case and realized a measure of justice for her. I've also been approached by our financial planner to partner with her part time. I will probably accept that offer as I really enjoy helping others. I'll be involved with some house projects put aside for some years: ceiling and wall repairs, painting, retiling, updating the kitchen, and contacting hardwood floor refinishing. Marge and I may take ballroom cha cha this year! It will hapen. Dave

Yea for you! Cha cha away Dave

Well......lets see! This next year....I'm giving up men! I kid....I'd have to give up sex too and that just aint gonna happen! HA! Let's see.......for the chocolate......develop a taste for the really good stuff. This way everything else seems a little....."eh....not so great". This is what I did.....but I did it on accident. Ha! I started gifting my clients with high-end chocolates around the holidays and always found a little more room in my budget to buy myself something too. I go for Godiva or Sees. I find everything else to sweet or gritty or just plain....yuk! Can't stand Hershey's chocolate now! I would rather eat my foot than choke down that crap! I went from wanting it everyday to having it maybe...MAYBE.......once a month. Food for thought (nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!) Channan

I want to MAINTAIN. My biggest worry is with my doctor telling me to increase my calorie intake, I will start forming bad habits. Getting better muscle tone would also be nice. But I guess I would need to improve my excersise routine in order for that to happen.

What a great topic hun! Reading everyone's responses was fun. What do I want with the comiing year? First and foremost I want to get fit. Hmm, let me rephrase that. I want to *be* fit, not get fit! I hate excersizing! I just have to do it. And I will. I know I will. But it'll be slow. But I hate how flabby and unmuscular I am now. So that's a big one for me. I was hoping to be able to do a big annual bike ride next summer, but I didn't get on it this year, so I'll push that out another year. Hey, I spent the first year losing the weight; I guess I'll spend the second getting fit! I'd like to go volunteer at a barn some time this year. That's a big goal for me. Just gotta arrange my time and get to it. I'd like to ride again, but that costs $$$ and I would be tickled pink to just be around them again. So there's another goal. I also want to reach my weight goal. Which I think is 150. I keep bouncing back and forth between 150 & 160 but I really think my body type could do 150. So I'd like to reach it. I'd like to get my addiction under control. I'm planning on writing all about it in my OH journal hopefully this weekend. I am so addicted to chocolate and it's so bad it's scaring me. I haven't put on a bunch of weight yet, but I swear I don't know why! Hey, that felt really good writing all this down. What a great topic Andrea! Hugs, Lisa