The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[TheShadow]

Karli,
Thinking about your cafeteria plan. One thing I do that really helps me is to plan a weeks worth of medi-meals and then put my 5 packets and bars each into a quart size ziploc and just line them up on the counter. I work all day and have my L&G when I get home. So I just grab my baggie in the morning and that's what I have for the day. No decisions, no wavering, what you get is what you get. I have found that it's better for me if I do the same thing on the weekend, with the only variation being that sometimes I have the L&G for lunch on the weekend. I don't know if that will help you, but it works for me.

Tammy
200/165/135

[DonicaB]

Karli~ Congratulations on your new found motivation and excitement.

I got lost in some kind of "no-man's-land" after I hit about 40 pounds gone. Why ? Because the freshness of the program wore off, the super quick results right off the bat faded, I couldn't tell a huge difference in my appearence from 10 pounds to the next 10 pounds gone, I lost my motivation (or so I thought), and eventually I let temptation and apathy take over.

I think this is exactly what has happened to me on every diet/lifestyle change I have tried to make. I am really trying to stay aware of the fact that I don't want to end up in no-man's-land with this. I just can't wait to start seeing some major changes in my body.

I'm really looking forward in sharing your success with you the day you pop on here and tell us you're at goal. What a day that will be!!!!!

DonicaB

[nickieluv]

It was great to hear you so excited today! And thanks for the permission to buy clothes. My husband is going to hate you for that. And of course, you would not be Karli without putting tons of encouragement for all of us in your post. I did catch all the references to this being possible for all of us - it felt like you were talking right to me today, and probably many others will feel that way, too. Thank you as always for sharing your heart with us.

[Karli]

DeDe, thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate your encouragement. Hey we are pretty close to each other in weight again (or still), that's kind of fun .

Tammy, yeah, I aim to work myself up to a week of planning ahead. For some reason I can't quite get myself to do that yet. I can only manage to give myself a day of planning ahead. But, I think as I trust myself more and more (as I realize better what I really like and what I don't really like), I will move into a week. That is my goal anyway. I even plan to organize about a month's worth of eating (a general structure anyway) when I hit maintenance. Rationing out which kinds of foods I will have during a month, and so on. I don't know.

Donica-- I was just thinking about what you said here in relation to what I said. I will take a guess that you are a pretty visual person, as am I. I think it can be tough when we want to see the results, but they do not seem visually obvious (that was my experience for most of my journey after 30-40 pounds gone). When I was in my first 30-40 pounds gone, I could really see a difference in my face that was undeniable evidence to me, and completely motivating. I started to recognize myself in the mirror again and it was really fun. But soon, my face didn't seem to be changing as much anymore (though it was) and I just felt like my stomach and butt and thighs were the same, same, same from pound to pound to pound. I just kept going in circles, thinking I would just look the same no matter what I weighed, until finally I looked different.

When I finally got myself this pair of jeans and realized that I actually looked really pretty good in them, I could *see* a huge difference again and that brought all of my motivation back to finish what I am doing and to feel right about it all. I don't know if any of this helps or rings true for you, but if it does, you may want to take photos more often (from 10 pounds to 10 pounds) and compare the results as you go (I didn't do that, either).

I don't think you are going to get stuck in no-man's-land this time. I mean, for one, you are aware of it and that already heightens your chances of out-smarting it . Plus, we are here to help you !!

Nickie, oh, you are so welcome . I will take the heat from your hubby just because I like you that much and want to you have pretty things . You are very kind, Nickie, thank you very much.


Thanks so much, ladies, for stopping by and sharing in my excitement and for your encouragement !! Isn't it wonderful to be able to be doing this together ?

Cheers,
Karli

[Karli]

Well, I am sitting here in my new skinny jeans sipping my morning coffee and guzzling water from my 64 oz jug. I couldn't wait to put my new jeans on when I got out of bed . Often I will let myself be in sweat pants until I have to go somewhere or have a student arriving, but not today !! I woke up and put my skinny jeans on (and a new pair of shoes ) (AND my new hoop earings ) because I was *so excited* to be able to wear them.

Here is something interesting that I am noticing in myself : I am really starting to know what I like and want, and what I don't. Honestly, for years I have not easily been able to discern this. And, I mean this in a general way, but also specific to what's happening for me with my eating and weightloss. For example, I have not known what my favorite foods really are. Part of me would say something like pizza, but then, the part that has to deal with the afteraffects of eating it says "er... no, not my favorite." I think I will be able to figure this out soon (at least I will be able to figure out somewhere to stand on). It is the same way with clothing. I know what I want, I know when something looks good and when it doesn't -- and I don't know that it's ever been like that for me.

I was down again this morning, although I kind of cheated since I waited a full hour before eating or drinking anything and weighed in again right before I got on with the day. It had been the same as yesterday half an hour before that, so maybe that means I will see the same weight again tomorrow that I am counting today, but that's okay.

Anyway, cheers to all and cheers to knowing what we want and going after it like we are going to get it !!


Karli

[Lizabette]

WE think you are doing great, KARLI!

[Tawanda]

Karli, I am smiling about your enjoyment in your skinny jeans! I am so looking forward to that day for myself and am happy for you that you are there!

[Karli]

Thanks so much, Lizabette and Tawanda !! .

Okay. I put the skinny jeans to the test and went ahead and wore them out into public yesterday. Did I already say that they make me feel like an entirely different person ? It's really strange, but it's oh so true. I went to the Hall yesterday to watch a student-presentation on some Opera scenes and I wore my new jeans, my new hoop earings, one of my new pairs of shoes, and a scarfy thing as an accessory. I felt ... well, really different.

So, since I went to school there and a lot of people know me, in my own mind and for myself I had to pretend like I was a traveller from out of town, visiting to check out what goes on musically at this school (I pretended I was somebody *very* important ... hee hee ) in order to give my new self the confidence and room to exist. It was really pretty fun , but it also pushed me a bit to feel like I could "present" myself with an entirely new look to the world. I went yesterday evening to sneak a bit of a concert that my husband was playing in and my voice teacher was performing in, and again, presented my skinny jeans to the world (with different shoes... hee hee). And, btw, the skinny jeans are already getting a bit big . I think it's a success.

One thing along these lines, though. People treat me differently. I mean, sometimes they just stop what they are saying when I walk by them and they just look at me... . And, this is the kind of thing I have sometimes been unsure about whether I am willing and ready to handle... I am going to have to become willing to be harsh, I think, about protecting my marriage (maybe I need a bigger diamond ). I am going to have to be willing to be somewhat of a spectacle which I have already had to get used to my whole life being so tall with flaming red hair (it's a little less flaming in the past few years), and, I am going to have to be grateful for it because it will only help my performing career if I can get this kind of attention from people and therefore sell more tickets when it comes time for me to give my solo recitals (giving self a pep-talk).

Anyway, this is a whole new life I am venturing on now... I guess I hope I am comfortable enough, strong enough, and enjoy it enough to keep it. There were good reasons I hid myself behind my fat .

The scale was really low this morning, and the funny thing is that it didn't start off too low until I decided to take my long underwear off and weighin in the buck, like the good ol' days. And then, it was down a pound and a half from where it had been ... LOL. I guess it was worth the removeal of the unders.

I can see my new life now, just around the corner ... and, I will get there. Thanks for all of your support, prayers, and best wishes .

Cheers,
Karli

[Karli]

Okay, I am brimming with thoughts lately and just have to write a bit more.

Something interesting : I passed up my closet and my armour in what I can wear. I couldn't wear anything for awhile because it was all too small, and then there was this phase where I could go shopping in my closet again. But now, nothing in there fits anymore !! That is really strange to me to look at all of this clothing that I was hoping to better fit into one day, and then have it all become truly too big and baggy for me. But, I don't mind at all. I am deciding to embrace my new life and enjoy it emmensely !!

So, along those lines, I was looking in my closet at a lot of the shirts that I have and I have had many of those shirts around for years now... like 10 or 11 (or more), and they look gross to me. I feel like I am just waking up out of some kind of coma. I mean, what the ? Where did I go during all that time ? Why did I go there ? It's just a little perplexing.

It's strange ... 70+ pounds more than I am now. What in the world ? It really seems like some kind of bad dream that I just suddenly am waking up from, and I will say, I am glad to be waking .

Another thing is that I am so grateful I have kept this journal. And, even though sometimes shame wanted to keep me from posting about my struggles, I am so glad that I did. I haven't really been able to go back and read everything yet, but I will someday and I will have a better perspective on everything I learned during this process. And, I think that if I am ever feeling doubts about where I am at with it all, my words from days past will help me stay strong.

I strongly encourage people to journal, even when (or maybe especially when) you are struggling and feeling embarrassed to post about it. Who are you shying away from ? Other people who understand or who should, at the very least, be able to muster some compassion. And if they don't understand or have no compassion, they are deluding themselves and unkind, in my opinion. Do what YOU need to do to get through your own journey -- you will more than thank yourself later, and your life will go on (and so will everybody else's, btw).

Okay. Enough for now.


Cheers,
Karli

[katieb920]

Karli,

I just absoulutely love reading your post. I wish I could write everyhting I feel. 70#s <img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_34_2.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D23%252F23_34_2/image.gif">

Really cool about the Skinny Jeans

Katie

[Lizabette]

OH, KARLI,
A picture in the 'skinny jeans', please!
Inspire us!

[bikipatra]

Karli Karl, every woman everywhere absolutely needs a bigger diamond.

[Karli]

Yeah, I guess you are right Biki girl .

Lizabette, I was actually so excited about the jeans (and the way I look in them ) that I was wanting to post a new pic the day I got them. I am still in debate since I am so close to goal but not quite there yet; I don't want to take the umph out of my final picture . But, we'll see . I promise there will be one sometime sort of soon anyway.

On another note, I am currently working to not be freaking out about today. This is actually the first weekend in quite awhile that I have not more or less intentionally sabotaged my Sunday weigh in, and definitely the first Saturday in awhile that I have had an actual MF plan. However, hubby wanted to go for a hike, and I knew that I needed extra fuel, so I ate an extra bar and snack before we left. Well, on our way to the trail-head we ran into snow and we still got to our hike but I was planning to work pretty hard, and aside from needing to cut the length in half because of the snow, I also couldn't get quite the workout I had wished because of my shoes' lack of traction and the snow. So, I probably burned about 100 calories but had about 230 extra.

So, I have decided to have only half my L/G tonight. I feel like that might be tough to do, but I can do it. And, I have given myself permission to have half now and half later if I simply feel like I am wilting away .

But, I feel pretty anxious about tomorrow's weighin. I have been doing so well and feeling so good and seen great numbers this week, I really want to keep that up for tomorrow. 164.5 was my weighin this morning, and I am hoping that at the very least I can possibly maintain that for tomorrow. I really want to move my ticker there .

Anyway, my mind is going back and forth between wondering whether I actually burned enough to eat a full L/G, or maybe not and if I do eat a full L/G, maybe that would be too many calories for the day. But, maybe if I don't that would throw me off for tomorrow, too. This is why I can't handle exercising while on plan... it's just confusing for me.

I guess I will make a decision and if the scale is not what I hoped it will be when tomorrow morning rolls around, I will just know that I don't need to freak out and chalk it up to whatever I learned from today. I don't need to freak out about this, right ?

My other concern is the fact that I don't exercise so much now, so maybe besides everything else I already mentioned, my body will retain water because of its activity. Argh . Plus, TOM is *very* near and that's always something to contend with. But okay, whatever happens tomorrow happens. I know that eating off program is not going to help anything anyway, that I DO know.

Cheers,
Karli

[bikipatra]

Karli, remember the scale is the scale and always has a mind of its own...two days here I walked for three hours and have remained 100% compliant to the best of my abilities and I have lost 1.5 pounds this week. You seems to try to make it an exact science and we know it is not, but I DO understand!

[Karli]

Yeah, you are right. Thanks Biki. I don't know why tomorrow's weigh in feels so important to me, but for some reason it just does. It's like it's more important than any other weigh in has been for me. That's a little silly. However, I do know that no matter how it goes, it's not going to change my mind about what I am doing; I guess that's something to lean on.

Well, I am off for a bit now.

Cheers,
Karli