Posted at 10:59PM, 22 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Forget the scales buy a tape measure thats what I did and boy did it make me fell better. Over a 2 year period my bust went down by 20cm ( 8inches) my waist went down by 21cm (8 1/4 inches) and my stomach went down 20cm. I also came down from a size 26 to a size 14 to 16 dress size, and lost 31 kilos. I got off the coach and started walk and I havent stopped I also got some help with my eating habits which were out of control. Weight watchers helped me get it together. I spent 2 years undoing the things I had been doing for 35 years. It was worth the investment as I'm a happy healthy, sexy fit 50 year old. Marye

Posted at 11:04AM, 23 Oct 2009. Permalink.

thanks for that wondeful story Marye,amazing and well done!
I suppose the scales were me feeling the fear and doing it anyway to start with.
I will however take up your suggestion and do the tape measure thing.Someone else says sometimes you dont loose weight but can have lost measurements.
Appreciate you taking the time to reply!

Posted at 07:11PM, 25 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Hi Marshland, I enjoyed your honest and respectful post. I wondered if you are similar to me in that not only do you know all the things you're meant to do to loose weight and don't do them, but also that you are wanting some-one to be the missing and vital ingredient...motivation.
I am needing motivation from some-one outside myself to encourage me and hold me accountable. I'm also keen to also do that for some-one else and would not be wanting to give unsolicited advice on exercise, food, measuring progress etc unless asked.
I'm keen to have a daily motivation buddy with whom we can share our plans for the next 24 hrs and our progress over the last 24 hrs and call out to when we need support to do what we know we should be doing. It could be done over this forum unless, as time goes by, we feel comfortable, and feel we could use other forms of communication.
I find a week too long to wait to get and give support when it comes to my weight loss, so I'm not looking to join any weight loss programs at this stage as an exclusive way to loose weight.
I'm 47 yr old female from Hastings and want to loose 18kgs. I've just had a brief look at this site and I think good on Susan for setting up such a thing.

Posted at 10:05AM, 27 Oct 2009. Permalink.

OK LET"S GO I have spent the weekend procrastinating over how we can best get this challenge really working. First disclaimer.. I have no expertise in weight loss management but keen to help motivate others who are trying to either lose weight or need some help to stay on the exercise wagon. We have great Experts on the site so can easily access info when we need it.
You might think I am some evangelist type but despite having many moons ago been an athlete I now find my approach to exercise is a bit like a roller coaster ride (similar to my personality unfortunately) massive highs and lows but I have never needed convincing about the merits of keeping fit and healthy so hence the development of WW to help women connect the "knowing what's good for us and actually doing it.
I need to lose between 6-8 kilos..ha is that all well it may as well be 68 because it is that difficult and as always hard to take off but so damned easy to put on.
So my goal is to start today with 8 weeks to Xmas .
I think the important thing to remember is not to get too hell bent and fixated on the scales and to appreciate the overall health benefits as opposed to just the aesthetic..sanity not vanity. Measurements often reflect change not just scales.
So with all this in mind once I have hung out the washing tidied up the pig sty I will be off if it doesn't rain..oh the excuses.

Posted at 11:38AM, 27 Oct 2009. Permalink.

well,the first thing is,it's nice not to be alone!Thankyou hastings girl for a very supportive reply and Im keen to converse.My computer is at my business,on my propery but not in my house so I dont go on at night but in the morning before I start my daily work.
After the first hurdle of buying the scales and realising it's not the b all and end all there is often a sign to ourselves to change behavour and for me it was that!
Now its great that the lovely Susan is joining us.Im told at least one hour a day for the walking and ofcourse at a good pace.
Now.............this is where the psychology comes in remembering YES we want this to be taken seriously but ahhh going from not a lot to one hour a day is a biiig step.I have soft feet(pathetic) so I have to work up to it as I have been too inactive.
Also I honestly cant get my head around 7 hours walking a week.I have to start with bit size peices(so to speak) and work up to it.
Again,it's learning to think differetly about excersise and time and putting a value on it.So,my first week is nearly to a close(perhaps a touch meek)but never the less a start and I will see if my body has decided Ive made a start.!
My goal for the next week will be 5 lots of excersis and I will buy one of those thing's for walking to measure.Susan,I can only say thankyou for caring and I dont care your not a weight loss guru,you have acheived more than most of us could dream on.................

Posted at 11:49AM, 27 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Crikey you need to build up to walking every day or doing something but don't bust your boiler. Check out our 10 Week Walking Plan and start a Walking Diary. Slow and steady wins the race. The recommended guidelines for health are 10,000steps a day but for weight loss about 12-13 000. OMG you could walk to Rangiora and back. You can break it up morning noon and night doesn't have to be all at once I just like to get it out of the way.

Posted at 01:30PM, 27 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Rangiora,now there's a thought.I do sound a bit sad,soft feet!!OK,I will go to bed dreamin of my 12 to 13000 steps and hopefuly wake up slimmer.
Seriously,its just nice that my head has popped out of its shell and the race is on!
Go well.................

Posted at 11:50PM, 27 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Hi all,
well I went to weight watchers tonight and weighing in in my sandals I had gained 300 but weighing in in fip flops I had lost 200!!! I was going to just weigh in in my sandals until I saw the gain I can't believe a pair of sandals can weigh that much. So I have now lost 9.6kg in 10 months with the first 5 kg taking a month!!! I know all the stuff I am supposed to do and if it was a matter of knowledge I would be super skinny and fit by now but alas its the putting into practice and that big M word - motivation that forever haunts me. I must admit I haven't dome any measurements for a while did them when I started and when I lost 5kg but I actually want to get to 10kg before I do another load of measurements. I would love t lose another 7 kg before xmas to get into the 80s but don't think thats possible but I will give it a go and hopefully will be getting there if not there y Christmas. So I have had my usual scoff after weigh in (the goodies) and have now got to try to be good until next Tuesday evening! Good luck everyone.....

Posted at 08:56AM, 28 Oct 2009. Permalink.

morning hastings girl.Im still getting my head round how this site works,as Susan said,get with the programme!!I soo want too.
How did yesterday go?
I went to the gym and my 3 BESTEST buddies in the world were there.I arrived first(they didnt know I was comming)The first let out a huge laugh,the second yelled my name in shock and the third did the same.You had to be there but it was cool.I felt the love and they were so pleased Id fronted.I prefer the walking but a great way of getting some variety and also to catch up with my best mates in a busy life!
Sooo I was quite excited about weighing this morning.Not cause id been perfect but just the start of a measure of whats needed.I bought these weight watchers scales but all I wanted was the basics.
My partner has played with the buttons and I cant see how to get them back to what I need.God help me!!So Im none the wiser!

Posted at 02:02PM, 28 Oct 2009. Permalink.

just a quickie.................my panic is over,my partner fixed my scales and after my first week Ive lost 1 kg,only 19 to go!!

Posted at 02:46PM, 28 Oct 2009. Permalink.

I am soooooooooo over this weight thing.....It has followed me all my life..Literally....A year ago I had my beloved nephews wedding in Bali to prepare for...One year -10 kg's....seemed reasonable.....with 2 months to go b4 the big day I had about 12 kg's to lose ...so I went for broke and lost about 6....result....fitted my 'frock'(only just).....

Since then I have happily munched my way back to 10 kg's over weight.....Like most I know what to do......its the motivation...sometimes I have it and most of the time the carbo's get the vote.I think its something to do with something in the brain.........like carbo's send off some messaging which says more,more ,more..........Soooooooooo-I'm in.

My goal 8 kg's by Xmas.The good thing about being a regular walker is that if I wasnt I 'd probably be looking at 20 kg's;and it keeps the vitals like blood pressure,under control.The other and big thing is that it makes me feel better.......helps the mood and outlook so I can feel happier about being overweight!Before I satrt I will just have to finish all the duty free Toblerone chocolat and toss back a few glasses of the new bubbly Sav Blanc....If you havent seen the Julia/Juie movie and you like food and a laugh then this is a cracker...Meryl Streep is simply outstanding.....And its all about the joy of food-esp butter....and b...... the weight.

Posted at 05:36PM, 28 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Hello all

Great to see you all here. I will join in with this for sure.

I need:
a goal
motivation
energy
stickability
attitude

I will tune in regularly and let's hope we can get this weight thing clobbered.

Posted at 07:50PM, 28 Oct 2009. Permalink.

The Wonder Walkers Clobbering Weight Club.........I like it

Posted at 09:09PM, 28 Oct 2009. Permalink.

for me the scales was just about being serious with myself.We all tackle it differently,get the motivation differently but the great thing is we are not alone!
Hey and the odd glass of bubbles cant be bad!
Im concentrating on my healthy snacks while Im working instead of not having any and then being staving.

Posted at 02:15PM, 29 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Hi folks

I'm also trying to shift some weight. See, I did Trailwalker earlier this year - well, I tried to anyway. I made it to the 88km mark (29 hours of walking!) before I had to pull out. The thing that let me down, to be honest, was the difficulty I had with the steep uphill stints - even WITH all the hill training I'd done in the leadup. It's a long story, but I honestly think that if I'd done better with the hillwork, I would have been able to finish.

Interestingly, when one of my generous teammates carried my pack for me on the uphill stretches, I found them much easier going (although, obviously, not easy enough, or I would have finished!) So here's the thing: if not carrying 5kg of pack-weight made such a huge difference, how much would carrying 15kg less of ME-weight make?

Thus was born my 12 month Trailwalker weight loss challenge. I'm not Trailwalking next year (I actually want to have a summer this year!) but I'm going back for a second try in 2011, and this time, I want to be under 75kg when I start seriously training for it. Weird, huh? Most folk walk to lose weight - I want to lose weight so I can do a long walk!

Serious training (the kind that involves 25+km walks) needs to start around October/November next year, so I have just on 12 months to lose 15kg. I started in mid-September at 93kg, and I JUST broke 90 this week (89.6 - WOOOHOOO!) I just need to keep on doing more of the same for the next year (and of course, getting lots of smaller walks, and shorter, hillier routes in before the serious training starts as well)

So yeah, WW-ers - sign me up for the Weight Clobbering challenge!

Starfire

Posted at 08:31AM, 30 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Morning all especially my buddy Marshland. Hope the challenge is not too challenging but I note there are many keen to share the experience.
A beaut day here in the Bay but a weekend of kids sport and a husband at a conference in Sydney (or that's what he tells me) means I will have to be very disciplined in fitting in my exercise and avoid the dreaded I can't be bothered let's get takeaways pit fall.
A massive study from the USA re weight loss said the main factors for women who lost weight were
Eating a healthy breakfast..keeping a food diary..walking getting plenty of support and drinking heaps of water so some little tips to keep in mind.

Posted at 09:02AM, 30 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Morning to you too and all.............to be honest I am enjoying the challenge,great to see people joining in and very much appreciating the support.The sun is shining here in canterbury too and I have a wedding to look forward too this afternoon.Will try to balance the alcoholic beverage's with the wonderful food!! so no walk today but sat,sun and gym mon,tues...............oh my gd who is this speaking??
Good luck with the weekend Susan,but hopefuly enjoy.
Same to all the other W.W's

Posted at 10:07PM, 30 Oct 2009. Permalink.

Hope the wedding went well..have been web surfing tonight because I wasn't interested in watching Hawkes Bay lose to Canterbury (bit over rugby).

Saw this great little video on You Tube so if anyone gets a chance have a
look .

Goes to show the power of support and having someone believe in you.

Just wondering starfire if Trailwalker is the annual Oxfam challenge in Taupo?

Posted at 11:13PM, 30 Oct 2009. Permalink.

marshland...I'm here...oh i'm here...I waited for response for couple of days then gave up sorrrrrrry. I just popped back in here tonight on offchance that some-one had replied to me earlier post....and yeah...there you are>>>>and you're doing it....scales, weight loss and starting a new walking routine...yeah good for you. I want to know how long you walk for tomorrow. I'll be look out for your post ok. I'll post you tomorrow night ot confirm I did my own one hour walk at a fairly fast pace. And Susan thankyou soooooo much for your support.....you rock. Marshland maybe after a bit of posting daily confirmations of our walks I'll start posting my daily kj intake..what do you tink? you go girl.......

Posted at 08:24AM, 31 Oct 2009. Permalink.

morning all, especially my keen converser, marshland. I just went for 30min walk. Have all day scrapboooking and card making with friends. Plan a one hour walk this afternoon at around 5pm. I want to hear about your exercise for the day....yeah for you for even starting out on this change.

p.s Susan....you're so involved and supportive of us all...taking time to find and put motivating videos up for us...thanks so much....I'm 47 and probably much much older than you, but I think of you like a fitness 'mum' watching over all us girls. And I'm to distracted by the georgeous, caring, philinthropic, giving, thoughtful, Chris Powell to go into my normal teary self when I see lovely stories like the one on the video you put up. Maybe all of the amazing achievements and life changes David has made will sink into my heart when the dazed feeling of watching Chris has worn off. Hope not too inappropriate to say this.

have a great day