Good Morning All - Arrived back at the farm around 12.30am after dinner in City with my son for his birthday. Didnt sleep well but will have an early night tonight. Just work planned for today - DH will bring home some cream so I can make creamed silverbeet with roasted capsicum & onion as a side dish - Decided on chicken fillet and will serve with some super grains I picked up yesterday - Sweet Potato. Chilli and Coconut - should be nice.

Reading back on everyones posts - So sorry to hear of illness and super cold weather

Liz - So sorry you had to go through this. You are such a strong lady whom I admire greatly. You take everything in your stride and solider on.

Diane - I so wish I could send you some of our heat in order to make your days & nights a but warmer. I wouldnt be leaving the house! Your weight question brings lots of thought - I also see myself like an onion - slowly peeling the layers back to reveal the person who hid behind her weight for such a long time. I was always "the fat friend with the pretty face (their words re the face part) Im learning as I go to love me for me but sometimes I still falter. Of late, I have noticed when we are out (DH and I) that men "check me out" - Old me would have been pleased - new me feels a mix of uncomfortable and curiosity. Its a complex journey we are all on. Im blessed to be able to share it openly with such a great group of people.

Ann - Sounds like a big sleep and lots of fruit and veg was exactly what you needed :)

BB- Sorry about the issues with the return of DH gift and also friends drama. Life is complex sometimes huh

DD - What a weekend you had - Im sorry to hear about DH and you. Sending you lots of get well wishes. Stay warm. Well done on getting yourself to the hospital and sorry the Dr made you feel like you shouldnt have come. What the !

Diane - Enjoy Costco and maybe time to invest in a cosy new winter coat?

Cec - Loving seeing your pictures and hearing about your amazing cruise

Peps - How is Ron today? Feeling a lot better I hope.

Shel - Gorgeous pictures - Im with the others - I would love to be able to experience the beauty you capture on a hike with you - I doubt I could keep up though. You are amazing

Stephanie - Hope your return to work goes well. Its a great idea to decide just to do what you can and ask for help. I think all to often we push ourselves and dont want to bother people by asking for help when thats pretty much all people want to do - is help. I hold up my hand as being guilty in that area - yet I love helping those around me......

Dave - Hope all is well with you and your lovely family

Hope I havent missed anyone - its time for a second cup of tea and 3 days of emails to shift through

Sending parcels of Aussie Sunshine to you all

Shirley

I sometimes don't get to respond to your posts later in the day, but I always read them and I just want to say thank you for being so cheerful! You always have such a pleasant "demeanor" over the internet! Even when you are sweltering.

Aww thank you BB :) Thats a lovely thing to say x

Ditto on what BB said!

XX Thanks Liz

I feel like my post was super complainy, so 2 updates.

1: I'm not all that sad about friendship drama. I used to feel like I had to put up with that kind of stuff, but now I think I'm worth more. So that's a win! Not to say my friends cannot have slipups or run emotional, etc. But there are some where this is their personality trait and I'm just not biting anymore. This is maybe some of the healthiest stuff I've done in awhile. I used to think it was too hard to make friends and I'd better keep every one I could. Maybe that was fat thinkin. I no longer think that way about myself. Hooray!

2. ((ummm what happened to my font?!)

Rich went to the other Best Buy and they were verrrry accommodating and did a straight return to credit card. Yayyy!! That's what SHOULD HAVE happened straight away! Instead it seems they'll lose a customer. But I'm happy to just take the win. Still trying to decide whether to call Best Buy Corporate.

Learning your own value is a very good thing. And of course, everyone has their moments, and we stand by them, but some relationships are better ended.

Greetings you Marvelous Monday Maintainers!

Okay, first things first! I wasn't kidding when I said I want to be you all when I grow up the other day! I simply adore you all and the role models you provide me. I reflect on my needed break from the board now and again. What I learned more than anything from that break is while it may have been difficult to feel like an outsider at times (albeit self perceived and self proclaimed), being involved with people who have been rather successful navigating maintenance is inspiring. I have gleaned bits that I want to emulate and habits I wish to adopt. I also have learned that some of you do some things to maintain or reboot I really can't or don't want to do, which I have come to be okay with. Some things just aren't for everyone. I really do admire you for your ability to manage your weight in a healthy range.

I also admire those of us here who have not maintained out weight loss long term. I admire us because we do not slink away in shame. I admire us because we have shared our truths and our stories and our hardships and feelings of shame. Still, we apexed our shame and continued to come to this wonderful group as real people with real issues that didn't vanish surgically with our excised stomachs. We are troopers. We are survivors. We are the embodiment of tenacity.

I have a plan. It is a plan to which I am able to commit. I am committing to 30 days. (I had contemplated committing to a single week, but that leaves me too much wiggle room to rationalize myself out of the process and not enough time to truly build new, healthier habits.) It is a plan that is not low carb. It is not super duper low calorie either. It is a plan that involves eating lots of protein, a moderate amounts of whole, unrefined carbs and healthy fats. My commitment to this plan begins tomorrow. I have a little bit of shopping to do tonight and then I'm good to go until the weekend. The hardest thing about this plan is going to be getting my water intake back to where it should be. I'm between 24 and 32, sometimes 40 oz of water per day. I will need to double that on this plan. Meals are fairly normal for a "diet". Breakfast is 400 calories, 50 grams protein; Lunches are roughly 500 calories, with 50 grams protein; Afternoon snack is 200ish calories, 20 grams protein, and dinner is 500-600 calories with 50-60 grams protein. So, a 1500-1600 calorie per day regimen. Should be fairly doable.

Ron did give his okay, though I don't know if he really will follow the program with diligence. I think his AADD may prevail and sabotage his ability to stay on program. Time will tell. The only thing of which I am somewhat leery is putting spinach in my morning breakfast smoothie. I understand it is not a deal breaker for taste, so I'm willing to give it a go. However, it is a bit worrisome. Not exactly my thing...spinach in a a smoothie.

Just so y'all know, it's "Go Day"! In elementary school vernacular that means it's the first day of the Girl Scout Cookie Season. Kill me F -- King now!!!!!!!! LOL!

You won't even know the spinach is there. Throw it in and it might turn your smoothie green...it's good for you. lol

I second all your kudos, Devon! Truth, transparency, no-judgment -- all those things are precious to me among this group.

I am VERY interested in seeing your plan in action. I want to see how a very high-protein diet like that -- hey, I can call it a diet, right? ;) -- will work.

Go for it. And no, I don't mean "Go Day." Man, I feel your pain on that front. Glad I don't know any Girl Scouts in NOLA.