I can honestly say I have never seen a pink rainbow - wild! Today rain was forecast. We had some earlier but not for the remainder of the day. Cold north winds are heading for us during the next week with rain and colder temps. Have to wear those rain pants to work this week. Nothing worse than arriving at work drenched! Umbrellas are pretty much useless when the winds are high so I strap down with rain gear head to toe. We spent today visiting our aunt - I made sure to have breakfast and very light lunch because I knew there would be about a 12 point chicken wing, pizza and sponge roll for us...there was. I had 2 chicken wings, waved my WW Shopping Guide around and researched the meal before eating (new strategy...this woman always bugs me about having more and I have declined numerous times)...today she was interested in my weight loss. I had a BIT of everything, enjoyed it and told her how happy I was with things. Also chatted about all the opportunities and events I have to decline EACH week at work for hospitality events...so she is getting the message finally. I am always up tight about this visit every other week because I dreaded the who act between us with the food - but I have been sticking to my guns and actually walk my plate right into the kitchen sink as soon as finished and throw it in the dish water. Can't take seconds when your plate is gone. Can't make my point any stronger than that! I want to reach my goal more than a beer, more than a cheesecake, more than a night out...this is the third year running I have tried to do this and the first time I have made it past a certain point with INTEREST and DETERMINATION to continue. I see myself smaller, I have faith and can now see the difference from when I started. It has been slow. Sometimes too slow...so I give myself small rewards, reread the how to guides, dotties site, discovery health site and then, when I finish reading remind myself how disappointed I have been with myself the last few years for giving up. That is the truest feeling I have to motivate me. I am going to reach my goal - no matter how long it takes. It feels great wearing size 12 for the first time in YEARS. I feel great getting this far. I am feeling much better. I pat myself on the back for sticking with it when I was emotionally drained and down - eating right helped me feel better. What motivates you? Cheers for now, McPeg

Feelin -- thank you, thank you. I think too many of us beat ourselves up because we don't look 20 years old anymore. Just the other day I finally said, I'm going to wear this t-shirt that hugs my hips because I like it, darn, and to heck with trying to look like I'm not 65! Who am I kidding!? So, I have a little pot belly. It doesn't make me a bad person, and now I have another reason to not hate my curves. Thanks for the education.

Sorry, Gayle, you'll never convince me. My DH was a commercial tofu manufacturer, and I gave demonstrations on cooking with tofu and tempeh. I know there is conflicting information about soy products on the Internet, and I know some people are allergic to it, but soy is one of the few things I eat without concern. In addition to the soy powder, I eat tofu and use soymilk instead of cow's milk. I think it is especially good for older women. That form of estrogen is a whole lot better for post-menopausal women than estrogen replacement therapy. I'm always told that I look younger than my age, so it must be doing me some good. When we had our tofu business the whole family ate a lot of it, as you can imagine. Today my 17-year-old granddaughter is a vegetarian and eats tofu all the time. I wish I could give her some of the stuff we made back then. It was the best! By the way, I only buy tofu made with nigari (magnesium chloride), never calcium chloride. But that's only because the former tastes so much better.

recently i read a article and also followed some diet chart mention on the various threads in this forum.I gained some weight and trying to loose at-least 6 lbs before Christmas.I used to go for jogging on daily basis but then due to some work schedule I discontinued my routine.Then my physician advised me to brought a gimmick called plank-360.I was using this from last 45 days for plank ab exercise and I loose 2 or 3 inches of my tummy fat. perhaps its because of my efforts but really this resistance gimmick is working. please give some reviews about plank360. thanks in advance !!