SuziJones

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It's been some time since I've posted.
It's been the same routine with family and eating, thankfully! I'm down to 170!!! WHOO!!!

I finally went to the second hand clothing store that I had kept noticing and I LOVE IT!!! It's set up like an exclusive boutique! So nice and lovely smelling and BEAUTIFUL clothes! I am going to purchase my faux fur coat from there rather then the mall store! It's half the price of mall store! It's a pretty dark grey. I think it'll look lovely with my dress for the ball.

When I went in yesterday I purchased a jacket, a henley shirt and the lovely shirt I'm wearing in the photos. I LOVE this shirt. It's actually a sleeveless with a long sleeve faux fur cuffed shrug. LOVE it. Love the color, love the fit and love the SIZE, wait for it...................................
MEDIUM

WHAT?!?!?! Yep. I'm in a MEDIUM!!! Oh my heck! I have not worn a medium since BEFORE having my first child. I have to say, when I saw the photos of how it showed off my boobies I loved it even more!! WOOT!

So, here it is.....Me wearing a MEDIUM.......DESIGNER shirt no less. WOOT! hehe


I have FINALLY arrived! I have come closer to accepting that I'm no longer a 280 pound woman. I'm blown away looking at these photos and realizing I'm looking at ME....ME!?!?! It's mind blowing.

When food temptations strike, I just pull out this photo and look at it. THIS, FEELING like this and finally being HAPPY with my body is worth more then any food that made me fat. This is WHY I did surgery. To be at peace and happy with myself and my life. To be healthy and comfortable in my own skin.

When I started this journey I was doing this to be a good example to my kids and to be more attractive for my husband (even though he's ALWAYS told me I was hot and turned him on no matter what my size! hehe), and to be healthy. Now, as I've come this far and nearly to goal (only about 30 more pounds to reach my surgeon's suggested weight and another 50 to reach my personal goal), I am doing this for me. For myself and my life. The added benefits is that I'm a good healthy example to my kids and I feel sexy for my husband and LOVE sitting on his lap.

It truely is the little things in life that make it worth living. A lovely shirt set bought in a second hand store is worth a world filled with designer expensive clothes when YOU are happy with you. I've reached an end with one journey. I am home in my skin. It's been a LONG time coming and I can't say how wonderful it feels to have that peace and just SMILE knowing that it was worth swearing off foods that made me fat, a lazy life style that contributed to my poor health.

My mom suggested that I put an ad out to be a dog walker since I could do that while my husband is at work and while the kids are in school. What a wonderful thing for me to do! Get my exercise in and spend time with animals I LOVE! I'm totally going to do it! Put an ad out there and a few flyers around and see what happens.

Love yourself. Treat yourself with love and respect and others will too! Find peace within yourself. It's worth the journey! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE GRAHAM FAMILY. PETS WELCOME THIS YEAR IT SEEMS. HEHE
HOPE STEPHAN DOESN'T MIND HIS CAT IS ENJOYING HIS thANKSGIVING DINNER. HEHE


We had a nice small family dinner of turkey, corn, mashed potatoes w/turkey gravy, rolls, and the surprise dessert I made special for my hunny! Cheesecake pudding pie in gramcracker crust! I had ONE piece and the kids each got a small one and the rest, Pattrick happilly topped it with the home made whipped topping I made. hehe He LOVED it!!

Tonight I made a wonderfully tasty cassarole using most of the left over turkey with a can of cream chickened soup abd styuffing, It was rather good. Patrick LOVES stuffing so these are going to be high on the priority list being put into our food storage. THe go to meal hehe Nothing like being able to break out meals that bring smiles to peoples lips and evoke those wonderful memories. It isn't about stufing food down your mouth .It's what associated with that food that makes the experiance as a WHOLE the reason that we eat specific foods over others. Now to just help these food be healthier and contribut to geting us to the life and healthy that we are seeking. Truly wanting to attian and live  by what we hae learned, It is a never ending lesson., Thankfully there is so much that we can do and so many paths that wil get us to freedom. For al those that have advice and suggestions to help on this journy, woulf be greatly appreciated and a blessing. Haveing as many that desire to help can ony benefit us all! Can NEVER have too much help! Take bits and pieces from some and a tad from anothr and create a plan that works specifically for you. That's the glory of having friends and knowdge. Learn from them See if any advice they offer can be of help to yuo, and if so, then run with it! Add it to your store of knowledge to help you win in thi game of losing!!! That's what it's about. Winning!! Winnging good health. WInning self confedence. Feel that FINALLY you are able to gather from here and there and able to make your own path and plan. Nothing lik any other persons. For each   one of us must find our own way to health. To the life that we have dreamt about since before they slid us into the surgery room. Gathering Knowledge so we would have a better understand o how to proceed. 

Keep listening to those that have gon bofore., Those that made i, and those that struggle, but stil trying, then thiose that have reverted back to their old life. They are a fountain of information. Learn, listen, read. Then go yiur own way and find you healthy body. It's waiting for you and it is SOO worth the exercising the changing eating to a healthy life long committment.

 I thank all those people that have stood by me and with me. That have reallly been there and showed me their wonderful experiance and how they charted their own course to success.. I thank them dearly. I hpe I can pass on what I've learned to those following after.

God be with you and keeep yiu all! Just keep pushing forward and looking ahead to that healthy goal! All of us wil one day be sitting therer singnig "Combya my love" with arms linked and swinging from side to side. hehe

A nice photo of my sweet Kaleb sleeping in his daddy's place. hheh

This afternoon  I spent it browsing for formal dresses for the ball my husband and I will be going to the first of the year. I have already choosen my gown....


This is the shrug/faux fur coat I'm getting...

http://www.dillards.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=301&langId=-1&storeId=301&productId=502542194&Ntk=all&Nty=1&splashlink=header_search&Ntt=faux+dur+coats&N=1000410&search.x=17&search.y=10&searchUrl=%2Fendeca%2FEndecaStartServlet%3FNtk%3Dall%26Nty%3D1%26splashlink%3Dheader_search%26Ntt%3Dfaux%2Bdur%2Bcoats%26N%3D1000410%26search.x%3D17%26search.y%3D10&R=03366039

For some reason the copy & paste didn't work right on this one.

I'm getting very excited about going to the ball. Though I'm anxious to buy the dress so soon. I need to since it has to be shipped to me, but I don't want to buy it so early since I'm still losing weight and I plan on being nearly 20 pounds lighter by the time the ball rolls around. I'm not sure if having it taken in that much will keep the shape of the dress. Ya know?? I LOVE the way it looks and want it to look like that on me, not altered and not looking the same as it does now. Something to think about.

I just fell in LOVE with that coat! It's soo soft and elegantly simple. I think it will go beautifully with the dress and my husband's dress uniform. He's gonna look soo sharp. Go him! hehe

I went today and tried on dresses to see how I looked in the different styles. I choose a dress that was off the shoulder, to try to get an idea of how it looks for me to have bare shoulders. I did actually really like that dress and so did my husband. It was a cocktail dress and I thought very flattering.


This is the off the shoulder dress~~~~

I thought it looked very flattering.



This full length formal gown is similar in color to the gown I chose online. I wanted to see how it worked with my skin coloring. What do you think????

I thought the roching was very nice on helping to draw attention from my middle and flattering. I think the color looks nice on me as well. I haven't decided if I'm going to wear my hair up or down.



This is how it looks from the side. I really do like the gathered look. The under slip was slit on the other side to above the knee and was very cute and flirty!
I'm VERY self concious of my fat arms above my elbow (also above my knees), and was even considering going with a long sleeved shrug or jacket to help cover them. I am hoping that by the time the ball rolls around my arms will have slimmed down.

Now I just need to get a clutch and shoes. I was thinking silver. White would stand out too much, and black is too dark. I think silver to match the silver detail on the front of the dress would be very nice. Whatch ya think???

My neighbor was kind enough to give me some clothing her in-laws were getting rid of and one of the dresses was a Donna Karen....

Here I am wearing a size 14 Donna Karen!!!! WHAT?!?! I know that designer dresses run smaller, and I was soo excited to slip that dress on. It just made me feel slim and pretty! It helped to motivate me and keep me moving in the right direction as well. I'm hitting my goal of 150! Then I'm gonna hit 135! My belly is soo big, I need to lose it, it's keeping me from actually being able to go down in pants sizes. My thighs are swimming in my pants, yet my belly is just flopping around there, hanging. UGH!! 

In the bag my neighbor gave me were Louis Vuitton purse, Donna Karen, and Fossel!! I had to make sure she didn't want them. I couldn't just keep them! I mean those are some EXPENSIVE pursees. The Louis Vuitton purse was sold for $800!! It's in PERFECT condition!! (you can see it in the background in the dressing room shots of me in the dresses) She said she wasn't a purse collecter and I was welcome to them. I feel soo blessed! WOW!! I never DREAMED I'd own a designer purse, let along THREE!!!  What a wonderful thing to happen. How lovely and wonderful people are. Yeah for great neighbors. hehe

So this evening after getting back from window shopping and trying on dresses, I went out back for a bit and showed the photos on my phone to my neighbor and she thought I looked really nice and agreed that the blue dress color looked nice on me. We each then had to pick up the dog pooh in our yards (they have two dogs) and I went in side to make dinner and sat down for a bit and just felt achy and icky and felt sickness coming on me. Sure enough, my whole body started to ache. I asked Patrick to please fry up the hamburger for soft shell tacos and to rinse it well before returning it to the pan. He diced up veggies to put on it and even made the kid's plates. It was soo nice of him! I could only at half of me (the tortillas were SUPER large hehe), and cleaned up the food. Went up stairs to take my daily meds/suppliments and some cough medacin and the stuff seriously knocked me out while just SITTING in my bed! I don't recall it even hitting me! I just sat down on the bed and BOOM! I was out! I woke up at midnight and took some more and decided to post a bit of my day.

I have not felt like eating all day. I had thought perhaps that was what was causing me to feel ikcy. but it's the coming on of the flu/cold. I am praying it is NOT strep or tonsolitise. I generally get one of those in the first of the year and end of the year. Yeah me...NOT!! hehe I had thought I dodged the bullet when the kids and Patrick were sick weeks ago, but it seems not. It was merely building up in my body. hehe I took some fever reducer since just sitting was making me sweat! lol Yeah for modern medican. I'm soo thankful!

I have to get laundry done tomorrow since I put it off since Thursday, there iis about three loads of clothes I need to wash and fold. yeah for laundry room being upstairs with the bed rooms! HEHE

Today was a PERFECT weather day! 71 degrees! It could stay this temp ALL winter. I'd be a happy camper! hehe I can hope ya know! lol I have a feeling when winter hits, it's gonna slam us..HARD! UGH! Not looking forward to that.  Hpefully no tme soon! Giving thanks for the blessings I had this day and for the wonderful life and chance to get back to health and happiness. Life is worth living, when living is life.




















 

It's been quite a journey the last nine months! Well a tad over nine months, but I have reached it.....the 100 lbs loss mark. WOOT!!!

Lately I have not been so good about my diet and exercising and it's shown in how slow I am losing and even a gain here and there. BOO! The proof is in the pudding as the old saying goes. If you work it, it WILL work for you.

I stil have 30 to 40 pounds more to go. I'm doing it though! I'm working this sleeve! The goal is in site and I'm running to it! WOOT! 

I swear that EVERY Weds here is a howling wind fest! Today there were gusts OVER 45 MPH reported! Really!?!? WOW! I was waiting for the tornado to hit down. Seriousily. Man-o-man.

Today has been a good eating day.
B: 1/2 cup left over chinese shrimp in garlic sauce
L: 1/2 texas toast grilled chicken w/sauted onions & peppers w/cheese
D: chipped beef on toast
S: 1 chocolate chip cookie
LS: nuts

I have been cooking ALL evening and late afternoon (after I got back from grocery shopping) for tomorrow along with baking cookies with the boys for family night, getting kid's homework done, and dinner cooked. lol Way to keep busy and NOT stuffing my face, always a good thing! hehe

I went over to the neighbor's for about half an hour to hang with the neighbor and her daughter and decorated her daughter's nails (she's two) since she always likes to see my nails after I have them done. Her mom said all the way back from their running an errand she was saying. "I have pretty nails like Miss Suzi. Miss Suzi and I have the prettiest nails." hehe Such a sweety!

Tuesday night Stephan & Kaleb went with me to the PTA BINGO at the school. I had a hot dog w/a bit of chili, onions on it and three or so chips. I had counted my calories so that I could have it that evening. Yeah me! hehe The boys seemed to have a good time until the evening wore on and they would get so close to having a BINGO and not get one. They of course don't understand the odds of winning. hehe Needless to say, I told Stephan he needn't worry about me taking him to something like that again since he got soo bored. Kaleb wore his new gloves I bought him and promptly lost them that night!!! Oh my heck!! lol I told him if he lost the pair I bought him today I was NOT going to buy him another pair! hehe Needs to learn to keep track of his stuff.

Tonight was a stress filled night for me since the hubs went to bed at 7:24pm!! He was up at 4am (or so he claims, I was sleeping and so I don't know. hehe) and tomorrow is his late night at work. So it was me and the kids all evening with home work and me trying to cook. UGH!! At least I got all the make ahead stuff done that I could. So I just have to make a few things tomorrow and assemble the stuff. I soo hope I have enough food! lol There were a lot of people there last time. hehe

It has been some time since I last posted.

It is nothing more then life. There have been a few rough days, and once or twice I was treading water and having to keep my head up.

My oldest son recently deployed to the middle east and until a friend on here really made me exam things I hadn't realized that I had slipped into a bit of a melonchaly over it. That coupled along with the cold, wet, windy, dreary weather was the combination for the perfect depression storm for me. I'm HUGELY effected by the sun and seasons. In the winter I DO tend to slow down and want nothing more then to hibernate for thos cold, long, chilly, bleaky months. hehe Too bad we can't! hehe

I'm alrigt now I have looked at it, I know it for what it is and I'm back on track. I have beem PMSing as well (though no period has started) and that has contributed to my weight being back up to 184 (my lowest has been 181). I'm ok with that. I'm not beating myself up over it. I'm back on track with my eating and back to my deep breathing, yoga, and dog walking.

I have found since losing weight that the cold does sem to just settle in me. Just sit and stay. I hate being cold. I'd rather it be summer and 115 degrees then ever go through winter! I rarely complain about the heat! It's the cold that just sucks the life out of me. Of course, with my mind set on it like that, it would! 

So, away with negative thoughts and welcome positive wonderful thoughts! Back to my daily schedual and eating.

I am taking in food tomorrow to share with my WLS group and I'm TOTALLY excited about it! I hope they love it as much as I do. It is recipes that I've motified or even just created myself. Hopefully it show cases how they can eat low carb breads and healthy meals without giving up taste. I'm hoping they will include them in their pre-op diets to help get ready for their new healthy post-op life.

Wish me luck tomorrow! hehe I could be crazy and just be the only one that likes these things. heheh Wouldn't be the first time. I did have my nails done for the occasion! WOOT! hehe Nice and coppery colored. I love it!!! 

I've been gone for a bit, nothing exciting or life changing happened, just got lazy. Plain and simple. hehe

I had my doc appointment for my BP & cholestoral meds and he ran labs and my cholestoral is PERFECT!! WOOT! My BP was 134/80. I thought that was good! But he said he wanted to see the dystalic in the 70's range, so he put me on meds similar to what I'm on but that had added liver benefits. Then I get to schedual my pap and mammogram. Joy! lol NOT! hehe But I'd rather do it then find out I have something and have to deal with THAT issue. UGH!

My friend Brandi gave me a GREAT recipe for a quick microwave protein muffin!
1 scoop protein (I'd stick with basic flavors. I used mocha chocolate and it SUCKED! But made another one with just chocolate and YUMMY!)
1/2 an egg, beaten
1/4 cup oats
1/8 - 1/4 cup milk or water (I use almond milk of course)
1 TBLS coconut oil (or margrine)
mix all ingrediants in small bowl
spray microwave safe cup w/oil or baking spray
microwave for 30 seconds. Check if still not fully cooked microwave another 20 seconds, check again, if not done then microwave for 10 seconds. I cooked mine for about 1 minute, but you want to do it in small incurments cause if you over cook it then it's hard as a hockey puck! lol Per Brandi.

Conculsion:
The chocolate was VERY tasty! My friend uses a WHOLE egg, I found that for my tastes it was too eggy. So I reduced it to half an egg and added in some oats for texture. It was VERY good! Tastes like brownies to me. hehe Which I guess it kind of is. If you want it sweeter add some truvia into the mixing process before microwaving. I can't wait to get the cake dough protein my husband ordered and try this! Oh it's gonna be soo yummy!! Mmmm
Here is the photo~~~

Today I will....
~be kind, loving, and healthy to myself
~love my body and mind and know that I AM who I want to be
~speak kindly, lovingly, and softly to my kids and family
~take time for myself
~eat only healthy meat & veggies
~ have a completely carbless day
~ leave desserts out of my eating from this day forward
~exercise my dog for an hour daily
~ review this affirmation as often as needed.

 

   With love, friends, and support; one can make it through ANYTHING!
 What I have ate:
B: 2 sausage & small pancake w/peanut butter & sugar-free syrup
L: Chicken sandwich w/cheese & light mayo, pickle & 1/4 serving bar-b-que chips
S: serving grapes
D: garden salad w/cheese, ham, & fat-free dressing
S: bar cookie, Kashi cereal on sugar-free, low fat ice cream

My Schedule:
The boys are on fall break from today til Monday. So we are not really doing school work. We are doing some reading, but mostly just family time and going for walks. I am making sure to get in SOME exercise. Plus I have my cleaning chores to get done also.

Thoughts, Feelings, Rants~~
11:30am~
 

Not much going on today. I got up with the boys and let the hubs sleep in a bit this morning. I made eggs, sausage, and pancakes. I had two sausage and one small pancake with peanut butter and sugar free syrup on it. I had my meds and suppliments.

The rain is coming down and so no fishing today. I promised Stephan no matter what, we'd go fishing tomorrow. I sure hope the weather man is right that it's gonna we dry and sunny! It has turned to where it's too dang cold to play in the rain and once you are wet, you stay wet. It has turned cold enough that the A/C is now off until the start of next summer. The fan has even been turned off and we have turned on the heater and set it for 72 degrees. Next payday I'm going to have to buy at least one more space heater. Hoepfully there will be a few fans on sale too that I can pick up and store til next summer. We are going to need them since our huge wind fan broke. hehe

Not much planned. Just finally nailed down the six things I'm going to make and share for WLS support group next month. I sure hope people like them! hehe I'm nervous that they won't. Oh well. I like them! I think that's all that counts. hehe

I'm going to do my yoga and look for a beginners pilates that I can stream on my computer to do today since the dog REFUSES to walk in the rain. Silly animal! UGH!! He's happily sitting at the end of my bed.

I did find two exercises to do for my arm that I can do in the house! Yeah me! One is the twisted plank, and the other I keep forgetting the name of! You sit on the edge of bed/chair/couch and then drop your butt down toward the floor and stop when your arms get at a 90 degree angle and then push yourself back up. Using only your arms. It's something 'drop'. Not sure. But it sure does work! I try to do them through out the day.

Gotta get that resting metabolism up! Wanna burn calories even when I'm sitting. Come on body. Let's kick it in high gear!

I would like to be at least 170 when I go in for my nine month follow up on Nov 16th. Totally due-ale. It will be the first time seeing Dr. Reyes since my inital consultation. I can't wait for him to see the before photo and me now! WOOT! hehe

Going to go to Good Will and look to see if they have some nice shirts with sleeves on them since I don't want to keep paying full price (even sales price) for clothes that I'm literally wearing for a MONTH and shrinking out of. It is getting dang expensive! As it is now, I have TWO BIG baskets filled with clothes I can't wear!!! UGH!! Hopefully that clothes closet will be happening next month. I'm hoping it will be the second Tues of the month. That would work so great for me!

Still hoping to start taking the yoga or pilates class that is offered at the new studiio that just opened. I would love to have a live person instructer to help me so that I know I'm performing the moves correctly. 


    With love, peace, support, and help, you can make it through ANYTHING!

This is the Sixth step conclusion. Loads of WONDERFUL info....

THE SIX STAGES OF DIETING

Stage 1: Pain and Desperation
"Although this is often the stage that propels overweight people into treatment, it can slo become a black hole, in which the motivation to change is overwhelmed by a sense of futility and self-loathing." (p.150)

Stage 2: Action
"The point at which you make the crucial move of getting into some sort of weight program or putting yourself on a diet." (p.150)

Stage 3: Structure
"You start applying the principles of the weight program to your day-to-day life." (p. 151)

Stage 4: Recognition
"The turning point...clothes feel looser..If you've been making the necessary cognitive switches, you understand that you may be losing the weight but you have not lost the problem. Just because the pounds come off doesn't chnve your taste buds or your vulnerability to your trigger foods." (p.151)

Stage 5: Success
"You've reached your [goal weight]!"

Stage 6: Maintence
"...the rush of success starts to wear off. You've gotten used to seeing your new self in the mirror. Your friends are no longer amazed at your appearance...you are getting down to the business of living thin."
"Now, more then ever, you need to make use of your tapes, your Cognitive switching, and the lessons of your eating print. Keep pictures of your old, unhappy self around as  vivid reminders of what the good old days were really like." (p.152)
These steps are crucial to keep in mind on the way to a physical goal. It's so much more then being a smaller size! It's about making those healthy eating choices and using your body as it was designed and intended to be used and feeding it the foods that make it work at it's peek performance.


PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
"...take one meal at a time, slowly but surely piecing together one small success aftera another."
"Most food control slips - are the result of momentary memory lapses."
"You can prevent momentary indiscretions from becoming monumental disasters by staying involved in activities that bolster your sense of vitality and control..." (p. 153)


KEEP MOVING
"...improving your health, incereasing your resting metabolism, and buildng muscle mass, exercise generates neurochemicals that lift your spirits and reduce your appetite." (p. 153)
This is HUGE!!! It should be memorized and kept forever in the fore front of thinking and behavior

HOOK INTO A SUPPORT NETWORK
"It is far more productive for those who share this problem to meet together and discuss it than to keep the feelings bottled up inside." (p. 154)
Sharing WLS experiance and getting help and sharing your own eating behaviors and changes is KEY in the success (in my view) of living thin and staying thin! I love OH for that and my WLS support group that I attend monthly. The more accountable you are to others, the more likely you are to always live the thin lifestyle.

GET A BUDDY (p.154)
I have found several 'buddies' and friends that are at different stages of WLS. Some just starting, some years out and maintaning, others that have 'failed' (not reached goal weight), and others that had WLS the same time I did. All of these help ME to keep focused on my own success and my own healthy living and exercising. I email daily with several of them and now I have even taken on mentoring two women that are just starting this process. It is a wonderful thing! You truly do help yourself when helping others! 

Coping in the Real World: What to Do When You have No Choice
"Treat it as a single isolated incident and don't waste time blaming yourself or feeling guilty. It is not the isolated incident of a dinner party or [occasional montly eating at a fancy resturant], but what you eat on a day-to-day basis that makes you heavy." (p. 156)
You are what you eat! Eat protein first then your veggies and follow that with a FEW HEALTHY startchs. Be sure to get in your daily fluids and exercise. That's the commandments of WLS eating.

MASTERING THE SIX STEPS
"When a piece of food endangers the quality of life itself, when you cannot run and play with the kids because your weight makes you easily winded, when you cannot enjoy a night out on the town with the one you love because you despise the way you look in your clothes, when your doctor has told yo uthat your cholesterol is way too high and that you are a heart attack waiting to happen, when your dissatisfaction with the image you see in the mirror affects how confidently or aggressively you present yourself at work or in the community, when how you look prevents you from meeting people or asking somebody out on a date, or just going up to a person and saying "hello," then THERE IS NO CHOICE, THERE IS NO CONTEST - THAT FOOD OR FOODS MUST GO."
"You can eliminate what you connot control...You can avoid or limit the foods and behaviors that once tripped you up and still feel satisfied after a meal." (p.157)
"Even if you slip, you'll pick yourself up and move on...You can take your occasional mistakes, learn from them, and come away even stronger....The slips in life should teach us not defeat us." (p. 158)
I love "There is no choice, there is no contest! That food MUST GO!" Nothing is more important then my personal health. Nothing! If I'm not healthy then I can't ensure my children's and family's health. I have to be as healthy, centered and as happy as I can be in order to help give those things to my family. Their lives are far more important then mine and they deserve a healthy, active role model so that THEY know how to eat properly and healthy.

** I know it's been some time since I've posted on the book. I have been reading it here and there though I have started reading a book on American history and it's 800+ pages! hehe I'm still working Dr. Gullo's steps to better my body and life. On with the sixth step!

Containment
 < "...unlike dieting, food control is a life management skill. It doesn't end on the fateful day you reach your target weight." (p.145)
I think that's a HUGE key issue for me. It's not just about reaching a goal, it's about changing habits and life!

< "The ability to contain these mistakes - to prevent minor slips from turning into major landslides...most important of the survival steps that set the winnders at weight loss apart from most dieters." (p. 145)
If I eat something I shouldn't, or don't exercise one day, I get back on the wagon and let it go. I can't change the past, no use on focusing in it. Move forward!

KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE!
< "...a far better response to an occasional slip up -- is to say nothing, do nothing." (p. 146)
Keep moving forward.

< "Don't berate yourself for your failure. Don't give up and eat everything else in sight. Don't try to make up for it by starving yourself later. Don't try to work off the extra calories by exercising obsessively." (p. 146)
Let it go, and get back on track. Feeling guilty and thinking you are a failure is NOT going to help. Leave this behind you.

BEWARE THE "TOMORROW" TRAP

< "I'll start  again tomorrow....And how many times did tomorrow remain just one day away -- when you'd be feeling a littler better, a little more motivated, a little less pressure, or depresed? That's the funny thing about "tomorrow"....it never seems to come." (p. 147)
< "... tomorrow people spend their time negotiaating with food, coming up with new and ever-more-creative rationalizations for putting control off until the next day." (p. 147)
< "If you slip up, you don't have the option of waiting until tomorrow to take back control. Even if you can't take back yoru mistake, you can stop yourself from making another one. Every food choice is another opportunity for exercising control and free will or for knuckling under to the old programming."  (p. 147 & 148)
I will NOT let myself be a "tomorrower" I take responsiblity for my actions and own them and will correct them.

< "..two most powerful words you can say to yourself to cut short a slip-up are STOP NOW!" (p. 148)

THE PERIODIC CHECKUP: USING THE NEW SCALE:

< "...you can periodically sound the level of your food control." (p. 149)
The New Scale:
Give yourself this quiz about once a week
1. Have I had (or thought of having any of my trigger foods or gotten into my triger situations?
2. Have I lost control of or abused any of my nontrigger foods?
3. Have I negotiated with food?
4. Have I thought like a fat person, glorifying food?
5. Have I maintained finger control?
6. Have I bought any of my trigger foods or kept them in the house?

The conclusion of step six tomorrow! It's good stuff!! Keep reading. You can do anything!