[Sandi]

Hi guys!!! How is everyone??

I am doing pretty well. I have started over (once again). But, you know I just have to keep trying. The only alternative is to quit and I will never do that!!! I seem to be having a fairly good week. Every day I get just a bit more motivated!!!

Is everyone starting to get in the Christmas spirit? I have started my shopping and have alot done. I did buy alot the day after Christmas last year, so that certainly did help!!!

So how is everyone else???

[Tammy32]

I did some babysitting to help pay for the children's Christmas this year. It has really helped!! We only have my son left to shop for. So, 2 out of 3 is not to bad.

My husband has been back for a week now. The adjustment from him being gone for eight months is going ok. He came home and started re-arranging quite a few things and that did not sit to well with me, but I confronted him on it and all is well. It is just going to take some time. I'm totally used to being independent and doing things my way and now I have to learn to share again. I noticed that some of my old eating habits are trying to re-surface since he got back. I changed them after he had already left so this is not good at all. I'm sure that with some time I will get past this also. He will help me and that will make it easier.

On a lighter note, I am so glad that he is back!! It was a long eight months. It's nice having my best friend back to do things with. We are going to start going to the gym together 3 nights a week now. I'm gonna work my @ss off!! I need the extra boost from the gym to keep the loss going. Walking 5 or more miles a day is not giving me as much loss as it used to. I know that I am going to have to tweak my diet and exercise again. I think that building some muscle at the gym will get my metabolism going a little bit better and I will burn more fat. Anyways, that is what is going on with me. Have a wonderful week ladies!!

[Sheila53]

Bah, humbug! I'm not feeling very spirited at all right now. I want a big meatlovers pizza. Just got back from the doctor's where I got the results of my cholesterol test. I have been working SO hard on lowering my cholesterol--lost weight, exercise, diet, fish oil, good fats, etc. And since my last test in April, my bad cholesterol has gone up. I am so upset! I've been trying to avoid taking statins for years now, but I've finally got to admit that my ancestors have saddled me with high cholesterol. It galls me to think that I'm in the best shape ever in years, and now I have to take Lipitor for my cholesterol and Actonel for bone loss. I shouldn't have bone loss either because I have none of the risk factors, but that's what the tests show. I'll stop venting now. . .

Tammy, smoke-free for over four months! I'm so proud of you. And you've joined the Onederland gang, too. Fantastic! I'm glad your DH is home safe and sound--having a gym partner is great. My DH goes with me, too.

Sandi, you're always an inspiration with your persistence!

[Ivanna B. Skinny]

Tammy, CONGRATS to you on your enterance to ONEderland!!And on that 50 pound mark thats quickly approaching! You and I are right at the same spot! I'm so happy for you that your hubby is back!

Everything has been hectic in my world for a day or two. Elderly Aunt in the hospital, mother (who is babysitter for all her grankids except mine) is staying with aunt in hospital, me taking on all the grankids taxi-ing needs to and from every extra curricular you can think of, plus my own little toodle bug. It seems to go on and on and on!! Oh well.........

Crazy here, nothing new!

I'm babysitting as we speak (they're supposed to be "sleeping") and I'm stuck here until midnight. I'm going to be SO TIRED tomorrow.

they are all freaking out right now, and it's after 11:00. excuse me.

Where is everyone?

[Jazzmine]

Hi everyone!! I am here!! Definetly struggling with eating...and that just depresses me.


Sandi-I am most certainly not in the holiday spirit!! If I ignore it will it just all go away ??? LOL

Tammy-Congrats on hitting ONEderland and welcome home to your DH

Sheila-I am sorry your cholesterol tests didn't come out better

AmyJO-you sond very very busy-I hope the Aunt is better and coming home soon!!

Apryl-hope you survived your late night and the next day. Did they ever go to sleep??

Have a great weekend everyone!!

[lessofsarahtolove]

Hello, all!

Sandi -- Glad to hear you're back on plan! And great job on being so ahead of the game with your shopping!

Tammy -- It's natural that you guys would experience a period of readjustment. You'll sort through it together.....it must be so good to have him to hold and be near once again, and your daughter must be ecstatic! I'm so happy for you and your family. As for the eating, I would definitely recommend a sit-down, heart-to-heart with DH he really knows how important your established improvements are to you, and can support you going forward. You'll probably end up talking as much to yourself as to him, I'd imagine! I'm really glad to hear that you'll be gyming it together, too! I've been focusing on amping up my exercise as well -- you have to maintain the challenge, you know?

Sheila -- I'm really sorry to hear about your cholesterol. That sucks. Well, you can't argue with genetics, eh? All you can do is all you can do. At least you can say that you're doing all the right things and are trying to be as proactive and responsible as you can be in taking care of your body's health.

Amy Jo -- Sounds like you have a lot on your plate, but it comes with the territory of Family, eh? You made me laugh with that "toodle bug." Too cute!

Apryl -- Hope you survived the insomniacs ok and are not too pooped today!

Jazzmine -- I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with the food thing. I can relate. I've had some needling cravings and have been "finding a way" to incorporate a couple of treatskies here and there in my diet this past week. What's up with that? Maybe a period of abstinence is in order? Good luck with it.

As for me, I'm doing pretty well, overall. I'm still losing, which is a good thing. At 210, I think I'm on track to hit Onederland sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. A few days ago, I joined this Every Day In November challenge over at Video Fitness, and in doing so committed to 26 days straight of daily exercise. As of yesterday, I had 8 days under my belt. What the heck was I thinking??!! I'm going to do my best to do it, though. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Speaking of exercise, I've ordered a few more workout DVDs and I'm pretty excited about it! (2 step and 2 weights.) I'm focusing on increasing the variety and intensity of my weekly line-up.

I mentioned my own food struggles. Maybe it's the increased exercise, I don't know, but I'm just STARVING during the day now, and just truly want to eat MORE! So I think I might increase the healthy eats just a tad on the weekdays to head off the hunger, so I'm not as tempted by off-plan stuff. I haven't been going OFF, but it's definitely harder to resist, and my stomach is just GROWLING!

That's pretty much it for me.....

I didn't get home until 3:30 in the morning! On a school night! I felt like a CRAZY woman all day w/ 3.5 hours of sleep in me.

I went to a neighboring town's high school play of Fiddler on The Roof tonight. It was awesome! They were so great, now I'm in the mood to watch the movie.

My older sister (the middle child) is engaged! Hooray.... but I just know she'll be "Bridezilla." She's a huge control freak. SHHHHHHHHHHH.

Now I have a new reason to lose weight... I must look GOOD in those pictures.

[Tammy32]

Heya all. My husband and I did a microfit test at the gym two days ago. Overall I was pretty impressed with myself at where I stand. The only bummer is that even with weight loss and controlled diet my blood pressure is still staying around 147/89. I know that is just over being normal, but I thought for sure that it would start going down some by now. I think I am going to make an appointment with my doc and have it checked out anyways.

So, Sheila, I sure can relate to how you are feeling even though we have two different medical issues. It really just blows!!

Amy Jo, I just can't wait to hit like the 180 mark so I am not so intense of breezing back into the 200's. Going under 200 is huge for me and I would really not like to go there again. I'm sure you are probably going through some similar feelings also.

Hehe Apryl...I read "Putting the Smack Down since 1988" as "Putting the SNACK down since 1988", is it obvious that I should not be out of bed yet? I could not sleep...grrrr....Nice to hear that your sister will be getting married.

Jazzmine, I think most of us can relate to eating struggles. I know I sure can. It is getting easier for me but there are days that are just torture. Hang in there.

Dear Sarah, 26 days of exercise is excellent. You push yourself hard like I do and it really pays off. Secretly I know you are insane anyways, so I know you won't have any problems with it. I know when I increase my exercise level I have that "starving feeling" also. You know why? Cause we are! Hehehe.....I have to up my intake a bit also when I exercise hard. Don't let your body go into starvation mode. You are a smart chica and know the drill.

Sandi, It's good to hear that you are back at it again I hope that you had a good week. We all know that the getting started can be one of the hardest things to do. Keep up that motivation!

[Annie-Rose]

Hello everyone!
What a weekend. It is so cold here! I'm sure that makes you hungry.
I've got a really busy week and then I'm away with some kids from school next weekend I'm sure it will be great (obviously trying to convince myself more than anyone else!!!) Isn't it ridiculous that its 6 weeks away from Christmas and already social stuff related to food/parties etc are popping out from all angles!
Big gulp... its all gone a bit wrong with the guy I told you all about. He's taken up with someone else from work and well... I don't need to spell it out but it has been horrible. I'm O.K though. Actually I'm not but I will be. I went a bit off plan this weekend, my lovely girlfriends took me shopping and out for coffee and cake and then we started on the wine!!! too much wine!!!!!!!!! I'm back on plan now because I want to be fitter and healthier much more than I want to console myself with doughnuts!!! I don't want to make a big fuss about it. I just wanted to tell you because you were all so kind to me when it started. Thats all really!
It was good to hear all your news. I hope you all have a great week and keep on plan, get lots of sleep, take lots of exercise and have lots of fun!
Love Annie xx

[seashell]

Hey Chicks,

So last night I went out for drinks with a friend. Boy, did we every have a good time! Great band playing and I sang at the top of my lungs all night. I drank way to many beers and I stopped my diet in it's tracks. SIGH. The price we pay. I figure one day of fun won't destroy me. Otherwise, I was really on target this weekend.

Hope you all had as much fun as I did! Any one in CT? Want to come next week?

[Sheila53]

Apryl, you're so funny! You'll have to let us know how the sister does with wedding planning, and if she's as bad as you thought. When I was in high school, I had a once-a-week steady school night babysitting gig. Brutal! Luckily, the kids were already in bed when I got there, and never woke up. I had no idea what they even looked like. Now that's the way to babysit!

Tammy, glad you're checking on the blood pressure thing. That's certainly nothing to fool around with. Hey, I'll gladly trade you some of my low blood pressure (100/68) for some of your good cholesterol. Don't you wish it worked like that?

I'm so sorry, Annie-Rose. I do hope, though, that you know how brave and awesome you were to take the risk, and hopefully you had some fun, too. Relationships have those pesky lows to go along with the highs, but if we didn't try, we wouldn't be feeling anything at all. I'd rather risk a low or two to experience joy. And how wonderful that you're realizing that you'd rather be fit and healthy than eat donuts. Good for you!

Hey, Shelley, you can't be perfect all the time. Glad you had a great weekend!