No Cruise, but 50 lbs. Lighter!

[sandman&woman]

Cruisin' friends,

 

It's been awhile since my last post. I've been lurking because on this day two years ago today we were on the AOS somewhere near Curacao. Last year on this date, we were on NOS somewhere near St. Thomas. Alas, no cruise this year. My business is suffering due to the poor economy.

 

However, I do have good news to report. Today is the 6 month point since starting a new exercise/food plan. I've actually reached my goal of losing 50 lbs!!! Okay, which is better, being on a cruise or losing 50 lbs? I would have to say, the weight loss. I know, I know, it's hard to beat a cruise. This is probably the only thing that can do it.

 

I'm battling 'no-cruise depression', and hopefully will book again sometime near the end of the year. In the meantime, thanks for providing some much needed relief with all the cruise talk on these boards.

 

Have a great day everyone!

 

Lookin' good, Kathy

[want2seaitall]

Good work Kathy...I'm unfortunately heading in the wrong direction lately with my weight...I've lost 40 lbs 2x already and gained it all back...the hard part is keeping it off...OMHO...so keep up the good work. I hope you are able to cruise soon. What kind of business are you in???

 

until my Majesty of the Seas cruise!

 

 

Carnival Inspiration - June 2003

 

RCCL Monarch of the Seas - July 2002

 

 

[lovey]

congratulations on your weight loss - that's great - what plan did you go on - hope business picks up so you'll be able to cruise again.

[jimcald]

Awesome!!!

I have lost 32 Pounds since October on my way to losing 100 total and I love to hear success stories...

 

Jim...

 

 

Adventure of the Seas - Thanksgiving Cruise 2004

 

Carnival Elation - Easter Cruise 2004

 

RCI Explorer of the Seas - Feb 2003

Carnival Inspiration - Feb 2002

NCL Seaward (AKA Norwegian Sea) - June 1992

USS Dale (CG-19) - 1990

USS Coontz (DDG-40) - 1988

 

[ccletzgo]

no cruise in the near future, makes me gain weight! 20 lbs in the last 9 mos. I told DH, I have to have a cruise in the near future to have a reason to keep my weight under control.

 

Lets Go!

 

Royal's Viking Seranade 1/94

Carnival, Holiday 12/95

Carnival, Jubilee 12/96

Royal's, Song of America 11/98

Celebrity Galaxy 9/99

Royal's, Viking Seranade 6/00

Celebrity, Millennium 12/00

Royal's Vision 2/02

Royal's Vision 12/02

Royal's Monarch 6/03

Navigator of the Seas 12/2004

 

 

 

 

[skiiergirl]

Kathy....Congratulations on your weight loss. That is awesome. I am trying but not doing nearly as good as you though. Sorry to hear about your business though. The economy has affected mine too but I am still fortunate enough to get to cruise. I have cut back on some other things but say that I work to cruise. We would eat mac & cheese all year rather than miss a cruise. We are cruise addicts. Have you been lurking on the "Lose Before you Cruise" area also? I have been addicted to CC since I discovered it last spring but had never paid any attention (or even noticed) the "Lose Before YOu Cruise" section until last week. Now I am addicted to it also. Congratulations again on the weightloss and how you can work out a cruise for this year too.

 

 

[fireguy091]

50 lbs WOW. The saving on food alone ought to finance a cruise,lol...

 

 

Serenade 10/30/03

Destiny 6/02

Monarch 5/99

Holiday 4/98

Tropical 6/95

Asure Seas 3/93

Asure Seas 5/91

Holiday 3/88

Ms Southward 5/85

 

 

[SeaUThere]

Way to Go!

 

50 lbs! That's fabulous!

 

I lost 40 lbs 2 years ago for a cruise. I have since gained it all back. I am currently (as of today) trying to lose this weight again for my upcoming cruise in September. If I don't lose the 40 lbs, none of my cruising clothes will fit!

 

Grandeur of the Seas-September 4, 2004

Galaxy-June 7, 2002

Fascination-March 17, 2001

 

And the countdown begins.....

<applet code="countdown.class" CODEBASE="http://*************/java-sys" width="203" height="25">

<param name="font" value="lcdb0">

<param name="year" value=2004>

<param name="month" value=09>

<param name="day" value=04>

<param name="hour" value=17>

</applet>

 

[massey3]

Way to go 50lbs is phenomenal. I am in the same "boat" as SeaUThere. I lost 40 lbs before our last cruise, have gained it back and need to lose it before October or I'll not have anything to wear!!! Congratulations on your loss - you've remotivated me!

[sandman&woman]

Thanks for the kind words everyone! I hope to be diligent about keeping it off. This has been a long time coming and it's way too hard to gain it all back again. I did it with Dr. Phil's plan, which is just low-fat, more exercise and all the common sense things we know we should do. It really worked for me.

 

I actually have a group day care in my home. I live in a college town. Our schools have had to make so many budget cuts, some people are losing their jobs. We've also lost many, many manufacturing jobs in the past year, and to make matters worse, the largest employer in the area is a pharmacutical (sp) company which was recently bought out by a larger company. Many jobs were lost there. My families are moving out of state to find work. So, I am quickly researching other careers, after 20 years.

 

I am confident that we will be on a cruise sometime in the next year. My DH promised me one if we both lost 50 lbs. He is down 43! In the meantime, I'm living vicariously through all of you!

 

Thanks again! You've made my day!

Kathy

[cathykb]

Congratulations Kathy! That's a great accomplishment!

 

I'm sure there's another cruise on the horizon for you......just be patient.

[PH8]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> The saving on food alone ought to finance a cruise,lol... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

NO WAY~~~~~~~I am on the South Beach diet and all this "healthy for you" foods cost a fortune.........

 

Junk food is much cheaper...........

 

Congrats to the OP and the others who have lost weight..........Not an easy thing,I know...

 

 

 RCCL Serenade--5/30--Alaska

 RCCL Jewel--10/28--repositioning

**RCCL SOS-8/27/04** Carnival Miracle-2/13/05**

[jimcald]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sandman&woman:

I actually have a group day care in my home. I live in a college town. Our schools have had to make so many budget cuts, some people are losing their jobs. We've also lost many, many manufacturing jobs in the past year, and to make matters worse, the largest employer in the area is a pharmacutical (sp) company which was recently bought out by a larger company. Many jobs were lost there. My families are moving out of state to find work. So, I am quickly researching other careers, after 20 years.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I hear you there. The university I work for (probably in the same town you live in from your description) is getting hit hard with the cuts. We lost a bunch of people last year and looks like again this year.

 

Jim...

 

 

Adventure of the Seas - Thanksgiving Cruise 2004

 

Carnival Elation - Easter Cruise 2004

 

RCI Explorer of the Seas - Feb 2003

Carnival Inspiration - Feb 2002

NCL Seaward (AKA Norwegian Sea) - June 1992

USS Dale (CG-19) - 1990

USS Coontz (DDG-40) - 1988

 

[snowbun3]

I agree with ccletzgo and Parrothead...Healthy food costs a small fortune, so there is actually an increase in grocery bills as you lose weight! Way to go, Kathy-You must feel great! If you can't cruise, why don't you have a Cruise Party at home. Put on your bathing suit,crank up the heat, play some reggae music, mix up a blender full of tropical rum drinks,...

 

Majesty of the Seas

 

Enchantment

 

Majesty 4/01

Explorer 4/02

Monarch 6/02

Majesty 4/04

Enchantment 10/04

 

[flamingosun]

ParrotHead is absolutely correct!

We are on the South Beach Diet, which:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>

<LI>works (hubby has lost 19 lbs)

<LI>Is healthy (designed by a cardiologist to help his diabetic heart patients

<LI>Is WAY more expensive than unhealthy food (we spent ~$375 the first week)

 

Congrats and I, too am sending my best hopes for a recovery in your business very soon!

I, too, am self-employed, and it's been slow here for 5 months now. My next cruise (Sunday!!!) was booked back before business turned down, and paid for a little at a time, so I don't feel the outlay like I would otherwise.

 

  'til Radiance of the Seas

 

  'til Sovereign of the Seas

 

 

Sovereign 01/02, 11/02, 6/03, 08/03, 09/03

Fantasy 06/2002

Mariner 12/03

[Dode]

Kathy, Congratulations on your incredible weight loss. Hopefully I'm as successful as you. I've got 10 of the 50 off, but need to get more exercise as I've seemed to reach a plateau. Hope you are able to cruise again very soon. Keep an eye on those last minute deals...you never know when you might come accross something that meets your budget.

 

Dode

 

Century 3/98

Ecstasy 6/99

Explorer 2/02

Voyager 2/04

[cyncorrell]

Would also like to add my congrats!

 

My husband and I are south beach dieting - he has lost about 20 pounds and me somewhere between 15-18.. cruise happens end of this month (which was not the reason for the diet - clothes not fitting and healthy reasons)..

 

To my fellow new friends from the floridian get together = hello!! Kathy glad to hear your experience on sb hasn't been too awful

(and thank you so much for sending along the photos from the get together)

 

Flamingosun = have a great cruise on Radiance please let us know how much fun you will be having and cngrat to you both on your continued south beach success!

 

Cindy

 

 4/30/04 Brilliance Cruise

 

 

[PH8]

Thanks Cindy~~~~~~~stop by the Fl thread!!

 

 

 RCCL Serenade--5/30--Alaska

 RCCL Jewel--10/28--repositioning

**RCCL SOS-8/27/04** Carnival Miracle-2/13/05**

[abridalmaven]

On Protein Power ( like south beach abd atkins) I have lost 42 but am in a stall right now, so it is wonderful to hear of your success.I do lose inches on this diet even when the weight stays the same and now I have added some exercise, so I ma sure I will start losing again. Keep up the good work!

 

My vacation picshttp://community.webshots.com/user/abridalmaven

Norwegian Dawn May 23

[sandman&woman]

Thanks guys!

 

Whatever works for you. There is no one program for everyone. Don't get discouraged. You might go along for a few weeks not losing and then all of a sudden it will start to drop off again. Stay with it. That's what really works.

 

Have a good night!

[DocJohnB]

Awesome Kathy!!!

 

You should be proud of your accomplishment. I know that it isn't easy.

 

I too changed my habits 3 months ago. I have since shed 24 pounds and am looking forward to another 15.

 

Midway through, I took a last minute cruise with my wife. By then I was ingrained in the new eating style and found it "fairly" easy to stick with it on the ship. I only "fudged" the last day of the cruise. I weighed myself daily throughout the cruise and maintained my weight. Yet when I got home, my scales said + 6 pounds. Aaaaagggh. Or at least that is how I felt until I looked at my ring finger and noticed how swelled it was. It was all water gain. I was back to my pre cruise weight in 4 days and at the end of the 1st week post cruise was down an additional pound.

 

Proud of myself I am.

 

Until we sail on SUMMIT for 10 nights

 

 

 

 

Until MOAGC's on Explorer of the Seas

 

 

 

Seven Cruises last Century, then:

 

Norwegian Sky 2000 GGC2000

Volendam 2001 GGC2001

Paradise 2001

Sensation 2002 GGC2002

Millenium 2003 (Nov 16)

Mariner OTS 2004 (Feb 29)

Summit 2004 (Nov 05)

Explorer OTS 2005 (Jan 09)

[abridalmaven]

I have basically changed the way I look at food and eat, so mine is a lifestyle change also. I find anything you think of that way will work because it is not just a diet then. Cruising, vacationing or even holidays do not change my determination and if I am not served want to eat, I bring my own. But on a ship, the choices are Soooo many it is very easy.

 

My vacation picshttp://community.webshots.com/user/abridalmaven

Norwegian Dawn May 23

[vacationbound]

Congratulations, Kathy! I remember you from the NOS last year! What an accomplishment! We leave on the Mariner this Sunday, and I've been on Weight Watchers since the 3rd week of January. I've lost 25 lbs and would love to lose another 10. The problem is keeping them off for me! Hang in there for your next cruise. Good things will happen soon.

[sandman&woman]

It really is a lifestyle change. Lots of little things really add up to success. Besides making healthier choices in what we eat and how we prepare it, we now start the day with a healthy breakfast, drink a lot of water all day, stop eating after dinner and exercise all week. So, even though I've reached my goal, not much will change in my daily routine. However, I think I would be much more relaxed on a cruise. I don't tend to gain while cruising because we are so active.

 

Another key for me has been an awareness of why I reach for food too much. If you know why you overeat, you can get past that momentary 'feeling' and have something healthy. Some days are easier than others.

 

Vacationbound, it's great to hear from you!! Great job on your weight loss too. Weight Watchers really works for so many people. Have a great cruise! I know you will!