Booty Camp February 2003 Thread #2

[DNW]

:drill: Here we go again troops let's share the love and support and drop the weight, and get healthy...remember despite below "0" weather lately; our bikinis are waiting for us :yes:

[Tiffany123]

Right now, that would be an UGGGGLY sight. LOL....

Checking in...off to enjoy the rest of my weekend.

:D
Tiff

[GeTtInG_ThErE2]

Hey girls,

ok miss tiff,
thats like..umm...i think....4 posts yet, and you havent said hello to me????!?!?!?!!? what gives baby?

so anyways.......have i ever mentioned that chinese food is my weakness???? well, just for the record, it is...and i went out with my mom for chinese just now, and umm.yep...two plates later! but.....people have commented the last couple weeks that i have been "looking good lately" yessssssssss............

well, anyways......sorry i dont have anything good to say......oh yeah, ross and me....are done. well, i dont know, things are just, theres tooo much going on for both of us right now. well, anywyas.... i should go.

see you all later
luv
kayla

[brighterdays]

Hey all,

Busy weekend...made a good pasta recipe off one of the fit diet sites....7 WW pts. and even the kids liked it! That doesn't happen often....

Kayla: that "boyfriend thing" must be going round at this time of year...we have a little of that at my house too. Just hang in there, hon, when the weather gets better, everybody starts feeling better and it passes over.... It sounds like Ross was a friend first, so maybe he will be a friend lastly too. So Glad you are getting noticed for all that hard work with your wt. loss...you deserve those compliments so say "thank you!" and remember to smile sweetly!

DNW: Sorry you have been under the weather...I get those SI too! Awful things, they are! Thanks for fixing us up and getting us ready for another month, despite your yucky head, sarge. :drill:

Tired and need to get ready for bed. Hope everyone has a great week!

"Bright":)

[huntress]

Hi Everyone! Geez, it's seems like I've been away forever.

Tiffany - Congratulations on your marriage, I hope you two will be very happy. It's good to see you back!

I spent most of the weekend glued to the TV watching the latest on the shuttle. I agree with you Brighterdays, it must be a horrible way to go and to think they were only 16 minutes away from landing.

Don't have much to report, I've been doing OK. Bouncing around doing good some days and not so good others. One nice thing is we've had good weather lately but that will all change with the approaching front. Does anybody know if the groundhog saw his shadow or not?

I saw my best friend for the 1st time in about a month yesterday and boy is she looking good. Still trying to convince me to go Atkins and I have to admit it's tempting seeing how much she has lost. Alas, I would NEVER stick to it and don't see any reason to bother with it. She was telling me she saw a program that rated diet plans and the Zone came out #1. The people in the test lost more weight and were able to stay on it easier than the others including Atkins. Interesting, I might have to check it out since it seems to be a much more balanced plan. Anyone know anything about it?

Guess I'd better go get ready for work, another Manic Monday. Why do the weekends go by so quickly?

LJ

[Tigerlily]

Good Morning Chickies!
DH at work, kids shipped off on the bus. :D Sometimes Monday can be a good thing. :o
I did ok with food this weekend. Not great, just ok. My "obstacles" are kicking my butt. Obstacles being DH and the kids. They kick and scream about the healthy food. Anyone else have this problem? I could fix them their food, and me my food...but in the long run...they need to eat healthy too. And to be honest, I'm not up to fixing double the food. Do we have a SCREAMING smilie?! It took me almost a year to get the crew to quit complaining about the switch from 2% to 1%milk...I try to sneak in skim now and then...not pretty. Sometimes I pour skim milk in the 1% container.:s:
Does anyone have any great advice on this obstacle?

DNW, hope you are feeling better today.:flow1: Bikini, in my dreams!

:df:

[Tigerlily]

Screw the "obstacle crew". I buy the food, I fix the food. They can eat what I buy/fix or they can not eat. Like it or lump it!

But, DH works so hard...he wants to eat the way I've cooked in the past. He deserves to eat what he wants...one of the reasons I stay at home....to have a supper ready when he gets home...a supper he deams edible. The man wants ice cream in the freezer and fried potatoes on Sunday morning. But, these things are bad for his health too...he just wont face it. He's been thin all his life. ugh.

*voices arguing in my head* :stress:

[Jello]

Real quick today. Boss is already screaming at people. Mondays! :mad:

Huntress, yes that little rodent in western PA saw his shadow. 6 more weeks of winter weather. Blah. :p

Bright, I NEED that pasta recipe!!! Please?

Tiff, your "punishment" for being away so long is to post longer posts. Yeah, yeah, I know you're newly wed and all but, well, WE come first. :rolleyes: Just kiddin' girlie, but I missed ya.

Gotta go. Told you it'd be quick. Boss is lurking around the corner. More later....

[SEMO]

Good Morning Ladies! Well I spent most of the weekend watching TV. How sad that so many lives lost in an instant. I know that they knew the risk but do you ever really think that it's going to happen. My heart goes out to the families.

Tig, any way to motify some of the favorite recipes? Might start with one fav dish and everything else be healthy and slowly sneak in the good stuff. I do that with DH, he hates celery and chuncky tomatoes.....so I just puree them and he never knows the difference. (what he can't see he doesn't complain about)

60 degrees here today but very rainy looking. Supposed to get colder and rain today.

Kayla, don't dispair, guys come and go but true friends are your foundation. Pop in whenever you can. Still moving?

Don't really have much going on... such a boring life. Oh well you guys have a happy Monday, if that's possible.:lol:

Can't type or spell :dizzy:

[Cafe976]

Happy Monday, everyone!

I had a lousy cold/flu thing that dragged me down last week, so not being at work on Friday I didn't post... but DH and I stayed in this weekend and I'm feeling very determined to get back into the WL groove. Too much laying around this weekend - I feel like that big caterpillar in the Bug's Life movie this morning. :)

So sorry I was missing. I feel like Huntress said - like I've been gone forever. It's been 3 days! But maybe my attitude was missing a bit before that, what with being ill. At any rate, like DNW said, our bikinis are coming for us! LOL. Time to quit fooling around. I make excuses for myself when I don't feel good.

Reading all your comments on the astronauts got me on a tangent... I'd been glued to the TV this weekend, too. This morning I noticed the news was ONLY about the shuttle (with a quick break for weather)... And something gelled in my mind this morning that made me feel better (or not). Anyway, they interviewed one of the families of one of the 7 (I think it was McCool's) and they showed an image of him smiling, in a jumpsuit, holding up a poster-map of the globe titled "WORLD HUNGER" with different colors (I imagine representing where hunger was worst?).

And I thought, Wow these 7 people who so tragically died were really pretty lucky! Seven elite hand-picked individuals, in the peak of physical condition, highly trained, highly dedicated, each fully willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause... seven noble people that it's hard to us to imagine losing but who were fully prepared for that eventuality - gone in an instant... While there are millions of wretched people who will die miserably in 2003- in abject poverty from something as basic and preventable as hunger. It's scary and sad to think about it, but then again I felt like it was a message that he would have wanted to get across?

So I flicked off the TV and walked away from the media maelstrom... Feeling suddenly as though striving to be a better person myself is more important than making myself late for work mourning 7 strangers who had the privilege to die not senselessly, but for something they wholly believed in.

We're all so fortunate to be people in a position to make changes! Instead of being completely controlled by circumstances dictated merely by place and timing of birth.

Cafe, with an odd 3 cents to contribute this morning. Please roll down and pretend I didn't say that if I offended you in any way.

[Jello]

Cafe, wow.

I just popped in here quick to see if anyone posted and read what you wrote. What a wonderful post. What a thought-provoking post!

Again I'll say it...

Wow.

[QuilterInVA]

Cafe, you brought up an interesting point. If we'd all take the money we spend on extra food that makes us anguish over our weight and donated it to a food bank instead, we could be doing something to alleviate hunger instead of increasing our girth.

[DNW]

Tiger: If you prepare it they will eat it...also remind your husband that thin men die everyday of heart attacks. Weight is not always a factor...the cholesterol can be huge and the body can be quite small....I have an 80 lb. 5' friend to prove that; she is on Lipitor because they can't control her cholesterol.

Cafe: Thank you for your thought provoking message on the astronauts. Also with the media you are so right. I have had the Burger King commercial Latin theme song rolling around in my head for 4 days and I don't even eat them anymore. It is driving me mad. The only explanation is I have heard it so much it has yet to leave my subconcious. And this really pisses me off. Renting space in my head, when you have not been invited. The point is food commercials are very cleverly planned to make us want their food, whether we want it or not.

Also I noticed that as tragic as this accident was we do not need, for our mental health, to have this run 24/7. 9/11 proved that we can only take so much tragedy...in the NY metro area new anti-depressant prescriptions written by doctors skyrocketed for the 4 months after this horrible event. I was included in that number and I am now off anti-depressants.

It is sad that TV stations think more about ratings then the good mental health of their veiwers.

Quilter: Great idea about food banks and the extra money we could send them with the food we don't eat.

Semo: 60 degrees is not boing...it's heaven!!

Kayla: Sorry about Ryan but there are so many more great romances to follow and you seem to have your head on straight...the next one is always better!! I too adore chinese food, especially hot and sour soup...yum.

Huntress: Zone is simply several small meals a day with equal parts of carbs and protein, with a little fat added in....some poeple I know did very well on this but it's not a lot of calories...the book should be in the library by now if you don't want to buy it.

brighter: Thanks for the kind words and what receipe did you make?

tiffany: Thanks for your reply and tell us more, more, more...we can't live on a line or two a day...no fair!! :nono:

[GeTtInG_ThErE2]

Hey guys......

thanks everyone, yeah i dont know, im not too worried about the relationship thing, to everything its time i suppose. oh, but for the record DNW.....Ryan is my best friend, Ross was my boyfriend...but...yeah...

and good ol ryan! right there when i needed him. I luv that boy. I cried and he just listened, and then i went up and stayed with him and went to University with him thursday and Friday......

so yeah, umm.....about moving, its all up in the air right now, i dont know if i want to or not, im just trying to think that....either way....if we go, if we stay,....ill be ok.....so..im not worrying about it.

Today was a new semester for us! and i have the EASIEST semester....my only hard course is Math, and i have the best teacher and its one of my fav classes, so its not so bad!!!

anyways...how is everyone else????

Cafe,
Awesome point....its true...have you ever also noticed, that in the bible, in revelations, the perfect number is 7.......and 7 astronauts died, 7 teenagers were killed in an avalanche in Canada the other day as well.........I think the big guy up stairs might be trying to tell us something!!!!

SEMO, HI!!!
everyone else, HAVE A TERRIFFIC DAY!

well anyways...im off to...watch Boston Public!
luv ya'll!

luv
Kayla

[GeTtInG_ThErE2]

OH! another thing,

I am taking my Phys ed, for high schoo, by correspondance, so i have to record, and do 75 hours of physical activity! so what a perfect way to keep going eh? if its for school and marks and stuff, ill definatly stick with it!!! anyways......any suggestions on fun things to do for like, an hour at a time that i could use???

[Tigerlily]

Good Morning. Went to bed to the sound of rain and woke to snow. It's a slippery mess out there.

Kayla, ahh, gym class. Idea for physical activity...dance! I can't believe you dont have to take it at the school. What happened to the days of the lovely PE jumpsuit? Anyone else have those little snap at the shoulder jobbies? And, the teacher standing at the shower checking her list to make sure everyone showered. *shudder*

DNW, talking to my DH about healthy food is like talking to a brick wall. His greatgrandparents lived into their late 90's and they ate LARD. DH thinks when it's his time to go, it's his time...no matter how he eats. IMO, if he's lucky enough to have a health scare before "his time" comes...he may be scared into a healthy lifestyle. So, meanwhile I'm forced to drag him behind me kicking and screaming all the way.

:df:

[Jello]

Eww, Tig. I DO remember the snap at the shoulder gymsuit. Red with white pin striping top and shorts to show off all my rolls and my thunderous thighs. Yes, and the gym teacher with the clipboard making sure we showered. OMG. Now I'm just a little nauseous..... :stress:

In other news.... Know what I did this morning, yes, on the day of my weigh-in tonight? Tried my first Krispy Kreme doughnut. So what was I thinking!?! Know what else? I had a tiny bite, not even a mouthful ... and it WASN'T great. All the hype I'd heard about these things but it soooo wasn't worth it! :D I gave the rest away and probably won't be buying them any time in the future. :cool: Ah, I feel better about life.

A few minutes later....

Sorry. Had to take a break while Barry Manilow sang to me from the radio. This One's For You. My favorite Barry song. All kinds of memories with that one. :)

Nurse, I took your advice and popped over to Aphil's thread to ask about Curves. Got a couple of responses, they were very nice to me. Still hoping to get more info. One of these days I'm going to stop into the center near me but right now Rich and I are using one car and sharing and bumming rides, etc. Can't get where we're going easily.

But tonight I get the car to go to WW class! And I'm going to see what happens. I have no idea how well I'm going to do this week. :?: Just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, a coworker just walked by and whispered "he's coming" so I guess the boss is in. Gotta run!

[Cafe976]

Good morning everyone!

It's clear and cold at the North Pole this morning in the orangey glow of the sunrise - and the wind kicking up off our new snow pack is.... exhilirating.

I'm a little brain dead this morning - I wonder if it's because I ate breakfast before drinking my coffee? I'm trying to eat breakfast at home because if I don't I will want pastry... But was running late so I gulped some cereal and took my coffee to go... I think it's interfering with my caffeine absorption.

So I have nothing relevant to add... Except hugs & kisses around. I'm off to crunch some numbers and see if that helps sharpen the pencils upstairs. :)

edited because I can't spell...

[SEMO]

Hello to my favorite cyber girlfriends. Yesterday 60, today 33 with predictions of snow by evening. Told ya!

You know that I've decided to only weigh once a month, so I did it on the first and was down five pounds. Not back to where I was yet. It should have been a lot more, but I screwed up towards the end, but I'll take the five. BTW. I'm back to being good again. (story of my life):o

Huntress how do you like Flylady? I've been trying to fly since November. Wish I had found that site YEARS ago. (flylady.com how to get organized) There is a lot that I don't do but there is a lot more that I do do now that I wasn't doing before. :D Never again will I take vacation days to clean house.

Guess what I did last night...... I did the 3 mile WATP tape using 2 pound dumb bells the entire time. (tape only uses them for a while.) WOOHOO. I'm really starting to see some arm muscles.... guess that's what those things are. It's unbelievable how weights will up the intensity and get your heart rate up and keep it there while walking in place.

Work is starting to pick up and as soon as it dries up we will be in full swing. I better enjoy this slow time for the few days. Well I'm off so hey to everyone.

Susan, I got the recipes. I killed one tree but I got them printed. They look great, I hope to get a grocery list together later today and try a few of them. Thanks again.

[Tigerlily]

Hey, where is everyone today? Slower than a snails snot in here.
Me, working on taxes today.:fr: I'm suppose to keep everything organized all year so DH can just pop the numbers into the tax program. Me and the word organized. :lol: Guess I should sign up for the flylady newsletter.:dizzy:

[GeTtInG_ThErE2]

I just posted a long one...and its gone!!!!!!!!!:devil:

anyways..the jist of it was.....

Hola! Que tal?
I started Spanish last night...it was sooooo much fun!!! im soo excited for it!!! its going to be a blast...and possibly involve a trip to Mexico!!!!

Ross took me out for lunch today....:( i miss him sooooo much.....we talked and all ...but things are not the same. it makes me sad.

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

ah.....anyways......i better get going. see you all tommorrow

luv
Kayla

[DNW]

I must vent about one of the woman managers I support or I will bust. I spent the major part of the afternoon finding flights and car arrangements and then she changed them a million times, then when we got done making that movie I worked on editing a contract that she was oh so confused about....I can't go into detail but you get my drift.

Tomorrow I finally get to INTERVIEW FOR THE JOB, as a contract analyst, THAT WILL GET ME AWAY FROM THIS FOOL I WORK WITH.

Friends of mine pray, clap (ala Tinker Bell's revival in Peter Pan) , or whatever, just please do what you can cosmically so I get this job. I am so over being an Administrative Assistant I am ready to commit murder.

I was very cheered up by the gymsuite posts. Yes way back in 1960 they were blue and snapped up the front, and we did not have showers in my school...yucky poo!

Kayla:sorry I got the names mixed up but my intentions were good.

Tiger: Taxes...ah yes...how do you say...pain in the butt? We get raped every year by the Federal government since we have no children and no house...last year we paid over $22,000 in federal alone. It's funny when people say where does all your money go....and I tell them...my uncle takes it!!

Jello: Glad you thought the Krispy Kreme donuts sucked too. I mean the taste is no big deal and their so small too. Why all the fuss...ah yes...media hype.

Cafe: I used to love my morning coffee but after having gastric reflux syndrome for 3 years I can only have two cups a month...really otherwsie I get really sick....and I never was a huge coffee drinker...go figure.

Quilter, Tiffany, and Semo lots of love and hugs!!!

[Tigerlily]

Good Morning. If I can just make it over this hump(day). It's been on of those weeks where I can't believe it's only Wednesday...feels like Friday already, not good.

Somebody print me a T-shirt! I SURVIVED DOING TAXES WITH DH! What a pain in the :censored: I must block out how terrible it was the previous year in order to subject myself to doing it yet again. He gets so uptight and snippy. Next year, I'm just gonna do it all by myself. :snooty:

Jello, any news on Curves?
I noticed one popped up in our town about a month ago. I'm thinking about giving them a call. I just wonder how practical it would be for me...or if I'm just making excuses for myself. It's in my town, but about 15miles from my "stay at home butt". I do usually go to town at least twice a week...what's one more trip? :chin: Then there's the $. :rolleyes:

DNW, :crossed: :goodvibes :angel:

Well, I'm off to clean up the paper-trail left by the nightmare taxes. Hope everyone has a great day OP!

[Jello]

Tig, ooh, I don't even want to THINK about doing taxes with Rich. If your DH is anything like him, you deserve more than just a Tshirt! Ring, ring, hello? H&R Block? Should be quick and easy. I mean it's not like I have any money or anything. :rolleyes:

DNW, :crossed: Good luck! And when you get the new job, send some "new job vibes" my way so I can do it too! :goodvibes: Yeah, on the Krispy Kremes. I thought maybe the ones I saw were just "mini doughnuts" or something. I didn't realize they were all that small. Or lousy. :p

Oh geez, I almost forgot! Weighed in last night with a 1.4 lb. loss! I'm feeling much better about my weight loss efforts. It'll still take me another couple weeks to get back to where I was but I'll keep struggling. Doesn't help that a girl in my class has lost 42 pounds in 15 weeks. Brat. :snooty:

I haven't heard any more news about Curves. I guess I'll just have to stop in and check it out for myself ... once I get my car back! Rich and I are still sharing and he hasn't even taken his in to the mechanic yet but he can't drive it the way it is. Men!!! :mad: Anyway, the new Curves in my area is only about 3 miles from my house and on my way home from work. I have to admit that I miss the gym.

Huh! :o Who said that!?!?!

Kayla, bien, gracias. E tu? Uh, that's it for me and spanish. Mexico is beautiful! Be sure to go if the opportunity arises!

Semo, forgot to tell you CONGRATS on the 5 lb. loss! 5 pounds in a month is great. That's about what I'd like to do ... if I can ever get my act together.

Well, bossman is in and is talking about the distinct possibility of another visit by the infamous frenchmen. :headache: Guess I'd better go.

Later!

[SEMO]

Hi Ya'll.

I wasn't going to tell anyone what I'm doing but maybe it will help in the long run. I ordered the Power 90 program by Tony Horton. I know I'm such a sucker, but anyway this program is for 90 days with some butt kicking exercises. I figured the ending date as May 4th, with yesterday being my first day, just in time for summer clothes. I THOUGHT I was in fair physical condition....... the beginning cardio tape was, mildly put a KILLER. Tonight is weight training. I thought by confessing, maybe this would not turn out to be yet another failure. I can feel my muscles in my lower abs,(pooch) not really hurting but achy. I'm really excited about this and will do my best to stay with it. It's only 90 days and then you can go to maintance or repeat, depending on your results.

DNW: Best of luck to ya and just "Now Nice" the other lady. :D

I had those gym clothes too! :lol: We thought they were terrible then, think the kids would just die if they had to wear them now!

Awww taxes, we finally got everything gathered up and sent to the CPA. I don't want to talk about it!:( Keep telling DH if we have to pay in all this money in then where the heck did the rest of it go. Because DH sill farms some our taxes are due in Feb.

Yea for Jello, good going on the loss!

Kayla, the only spanish phrase I know would be one that they don't teach in school. :dizzy: Why are those the ones that are so easy to remember?

Hey to the rest of the gang, gotta get going we have fertilizer going out in a few minutes. Farmers, it's 20 degrees outside, and they think they are behind.......... Love 'em but holy molly they are hard headed. Chow.

[Cafe976]

Happy Hump Day, everyone!

Well I have bad news. I skipped my weigh-in last week because TOM was just arriving. But I weighed in today and gained 2 pounds! That leaves me with just a net loss for the year of 1. I'm very disappointed.

Still, there is nothing to do but keep going. Like I said, I know I make excuses for myself when I don't feel well - and this has somehow got to stop. I need to press forward in not-so-good circumstances as well as good.

So I feel down the stairs (all 3 of them) last night in front of my building in the middle of downtown. I twisted my good ankle and got a scraped bruise on my other shin that... is long and oval shaped like someone smacked me with a rolling pin.

Sitting on the bus I thought: what the heck? in the last 2 months I have endured a whiplash injury without the benefit of accident insurance to foot the bill, what I think was the 'flu, a crummy cold, and now injured myself on the stairs. WHAT is the freaking message that I'm not getting here? It sounds like "SLOW DOWN" but why? I don't get it.

Anywho - sipping my coffee and taking time to post this morning, taking it slow is Cafe. what. ever. :/

[SEMO]

Miss Cafe: Please cheer up :balloons: if we could we would just wish it to go away :wizard: but we know there are no quick fixes :grouphug: Hang in there and you will see results. Heck if we give up then who wins? Just one day at a time, you can do it!

[Tigerlily]

I forgot to tell you guys...
I bought tickets for a concert. Toby Keith and Rascal Flatts(yes, I'm a country bumpkin) are going to be at Notre Dame. We are taking the kids. It will be their first big concert. I can't wait to see how my youngest acts. He's 6. He already knows the words to several Toby Keith songs and he's not scared to belt them out.
Also, gives me a boost of motivation. The concert is March 8th. Gotta fit into my favorite jeans. :dancer:

SEMO, good luck with the new program.
Speaking of being a sucker (not that you are)....me. I bought One A Day vitamins aimed at Weight Loss. I think they were called WeightWise. Yep, I'm a lollipop.

Cafe, stop and think...you could have finished the year with a gain. Chin Up!...unless you are walking....then watch where you are going! ;)

[brighterdays]

Hi all,

Found my way back....busy week!

Jello: the recipe is for Penne Pasta Casserole with Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Tomatoes (quite a mouthful, isn't it?):

2/3 # penne pasta
4 tsp. of olive oil
1 1/2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 # lean turkey sausage
ground black pepper
2 cups diced tomatoes (I used a can of tomato sauce)
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips (I chopped it fine)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips(I left this one out-too much)
1/3 cup fresh, chopped basil (I used a tsp. or so of dried sweet basil
1 small sweet onion, quartered and sliced (I chopped this fine, also)
2/3 cup grated, fat free mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta to al dente and drain. Put olive oil in skillet and cook green peppers and onion for 5-6 min until translucent. Add garlic and cook about 30 sec. to 1 min more. Add turkey sausage and cook until brown. Add tomatoes (or tomato sauce like me) and basil and cook until warmed throughout. Combine pasta with tomato/sausage mixture. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish (I used a 9X13 glass dish so I could portion it easier) and top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Bake 15- 20 min until cheese is bubbly. Serves: 4 WWpts= 7 per serving = 1 1/2 cups of pasta! Enjoy!

Huntress: you sound just like me, girl. I find my way back eventually, too. I wish our weather was good....cold again! I can't wait for spring. I tried to do the Zone diet once before but it didn't work for me....I think it was the lower calories or lower carbs??? not sure which... I think I'm a little hypoglycemic and I have to eat at set times or I get a little dizzy-headed!:dizzy: Not good with my job and all the driving I do! I'm sure it's difficult watching your friend lose wt. but, just think... if she can do it, you can too...darn it! It's a trade off....she's giving up pasta/bread, dairy, etc. and you are giving up extra calories/ fat...... same thing.

I weighed in on Tues. and I was the same :( I didn't do much exercise last week and it was TOM so I'm thinking the same is ok but not 2 weeks in a row....so I'm on the treadmill each evening and I lifted wts. today....back in the saddle, again, and determined to be below 180 by March.:strong: Hurry up spring and longer days!!!!!

Cafe: what a thoughtful post...never thought of it that way...beautiful way to look at it...thank you.

Tiger: same problem with my kids (who are now teens). :s: Little do they know, I have been making changes in their food for years now. First it was the milk....down from 2% to 1% to 1/2% and now skim. Then, it was the chips....baked tostitos, baked chips, baked crackers, turkey bacon, canola oil instead of crisco/lard....they really do learn to like foods without all that fat! They still like french fries from fast food and a cheeseburger now and then but they are slim and healthy kids and I like to think I had something to do with that. Maybe DH can handle subtle changes ( I know kids adapt well)....

SEMO: here we go again! More white stuff! Wish I had your energy for exercise---I'm trying!

DNW: Sorry about the job....good luck on the continuing interviews!

Quilter, Kayla, and Tiff: Happy Wednesday! :cool:

"Bright"

[Jello]

Yeah, they're calling for snow here tonight into rush hour tomorrow morning. I'm not happy. :( A girl here is supposed to leave for Florida tomorrow afternoon. She's not happy either. She's been talking about (bragging that is) this trip for months now and although I've been getting sick of hearing about it, I feel sympathetic. Hopefully, she'll get to the airport OK and get winging her way down south.

Tig, must be a sucker born every minute then. I've been searching high and low for those One A Day Weight Smart vitamins. They must be very popular around here. I keep encountering empty store shelves.

Cafe, I'm so sorry to hear about your "unplanned trip". :cry: Take it slow and easy for a while. Me, I'm such a klutz, I'm constantly bruised. Last weekend, I banged my thigh (big target!) on something and I'm still sporting a huge ugly black bruise. Looks like I got hit by a baseball or something.

Bright, thanks for the recipe. Sounds wonderful. I've copied and pasted it into my recipe files. :T

This is interesting. I took my dog to the vet last night. He was sooooo good. :) I was so proud at how well-behaved he was even though he was obviously scared and just did not want to be there. So when we got home, I rewarded him....

... with food. Of course. Hmmmmm.......

I have to go. Late yesterday afternoon the old *itch came to me looking for an old file folder from about 7 or 8 years ago. I explained as calmly as I could that it was her file, she had it last, it was her responsibility, etc. She's looking for someone to blame for her screw-up (again! :mad: ) but it ain't gonna be me this time. I went through the motions of going through my files and then reported that I do not have her :censored: file and stopped myself before I added things like "why don't you do your job properly and stop being such a ...." Well, you get the idea. She's still giving me quite the attitude this morning. Oh, yeah. I'm worried.

It's actually kind of sad to see someone so petty and obviously unhappy with her life that she can't stand it if someone else is happy or competent, etc. Much as I wish she'd just retire already, I can't help but pity her too. What a loser. She helps to remind me what I NEVER want to be like. Gee, maybe I should be thankful to her....

:rolleyes: Yeah.

Bossman approaches! Later!

P.S. DNW, still thinking of you! :goodvibes:

[SEMO]

Hi Ya'll. Gosh am I sore this morning. I did the sculpt tape last night. I only used the two pound dumb bells to learn the moves, I hate to think what I would have felt like if I had used 5 or 10 pounders.... butts sore, under my ribs, calf area, arms, etc. I'm finding out that I was NOT in very good shape, unless pears are good shapes. LOL

DNW: did I miss something on the interview? Thought it was yesterday?

Jello, Cafe and Bright, we woke to the white stuff again this morning. I'd choke that little rat (ground hog) if I weren't afraid that he'd bite! This does not make me happy.

Tig, taking the kiddies to the concert. That should be fun, hope they can hear afterwards. Rock on!

Quilter, where are ya hiding out. Come back, come back. BTW guys if you didn't get her recipes your missing out big time!

Kayla, how's it going. If I could spell I'd tell you the spanish phrase I know. :o (Your dad would not be happy!)

Gotta run - at least we're not putting out fertilizer today!:D

[Cafe976]

Happy Thursday...

Thanks for the kind words, I'm not feeling so glum today. In fact, I'm planning a vacation! Dear, dear DH gave me his grudging permission to get the H-E-double-hockey-sticks out of here.

Hope is valuable at any price.

DNW - waiting to hear how the interview went! :)

GEEZ, I've had 8 distractions in the last 40 minutes. I want to say hello to each of you but this darn job - I've got to work. I'll try to drop by in the afternoon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[DNW]

Had the interview, and I think it went very well although who knows? I know I could do the job hands down, but that's just me. The last question I asked was about the money. It seems if I get brought in at the mid-point range, which is what is usually the case, I jump 4 levels, but don't get any money. Now here's my quagmire...do I take the 4 level jump, and get closer to a management position (which I really don't know if I want) or do I stay where I am and bite the bullet. It doesn't set well with me that I should take all the extra responsibility of this new job...IF IT'S OFFERED...but get no money. What do you all think??

On a "brighter" (sorry brighter if I had to borrow your name, but's it's fitting here) note, I weighed my self for the third straight day and I am really down to 258, so it is a net loss of 10.5 lbs. since September.

I was talking to my therapist about why I go back and forth, go on and off track with the weight loss. She said something that I have heard before but it really sunk in this time. And I quote:

"Don't spend time wondering why, just do it Carol. How much is accomplished by the time spent wondering...it will only reinforce your obession with the weight, and we want to diffuse that repetative thinking, not enforce it. People who don't have issues with weight just eat, they dojn't plan and mull over it, just eat like a person who is eating just to nourish her body, but make healthy choices while you are doing it, and that's all."

So I came to the realization that I will fall off and on the wagon, but pondering my every action and inaction with this process only serves to slow the process down.

Today I am staying on program and I'm not going to give it a second thought.

Cafe: Oh-h-h a vacation...someplace warm and sunny...sorry you're feeling so down! Sorry about your fall...hope you feel better soon. Thanks for your hugs too!

Semo: You are my exercise hero...your fortitude amazes me!!!

Jello: Snow..who said snow...I have to check weather.com now because you and I don't live that far apart..glad you handled the charmer in your office the way you did good for you!

Brighter: Thanks for posting that receipe. And I am glad to hear your kids never knew what was coming with the food choices...what a clever mom!!

Tiger: Glad you survived the tax man dance!

Tiffany, Dyan, Quilter: Come out, come out, wherever you all are!

Smooches :grouphug:

[GeTtInG_ThErE2]

Semo,
dont worry, i can swear in 13 languages!

[SEMO]

Kayla, Shame on you!:nono: :devil: Funny how you can hear that stuff once and it stays with you. :D

[huntress]

TGIF and good morning to you all!

Sorry I haven't been around lately. I've been too consumed with the news, guess I don't have to say much else.

DNW - I like what your therapist said. It makes a lot of sense to me. This may not be exactly what she is talking about but this is one of the reasons why I don't want count things. I tend to get obsessive when I start doing that and my main goal has always been to learn to eat only when my body is hungry. Like she said about slim people do. I only wish I could figure out how to stop eating when I'm bored. I've tried all the tricks and I know I'm eating for other reasons than hunger but I just can't seem to stop myself.

Our springlike weather has dissapeared and now it's cold again. Darned groundhog, it's his fault! I don't really believe in those old superstitions but I'll be danged if it wasn't really nice here until that rodent saw his shadow.

Just wanted to say "HI" to you all and even though I'm not posting regularly I do think of you all. Did Tiffany dissapear again? Get your butt back in here girly. Hope you're all doing well and staying warm.

LJ

[Tigerlily]

Feeling like I'm in the twilight-zone today. With the shuttle, possible war, media frenzy. I've probably over-dosed on CNN.:^:

I do have a bit of inspiration. My father, 54yrs old, who has probably been smoking since the age of 14 is trying to QUIT! It's been an issue within the family forever. He says he's doing it for the grandbabies. Whatever his reason, I'm overwhelmed with emotion...maybe another reason for my twighlight-zone feelings.
Anyway, if he can quit smoking....surely I can get my act together and GET HEALTHY! Right?! RIGHT!

Today is haircut/color day! I really need it. I'm looking pretty shabby. :yikes:
Hope everyone has a great weekend OP! :grouphug:

[SEMO]

Good Morning Ladies and a happy Friday.

I've been glued to the tv as well. Scares me, yet I'm sort of mesmerized by everything and want to know if anything else has happened.

DNW: Don't know what to tell you on the promotion. I've found that by following your gut feeling usually works out the best. Know that doesn't help but you're the only one that can make that decision. Good luck.

Did my second day of cardio last night. I think it went a little better but some of the moves are really difficult, hope to see some improvement soon on those. Day three on the program and food intake, or should I say lack of it, has been good. beachbodies.com is the site if anyone wants to look at it. I'm doing the power90. Surely all those people aren't in on some big conspiracy to get my money. Anyway the tapes are great and I'm getting a good workout so I feel that they are worth it. (and yes I have SUCKER written across my forehead) :lol:

Well work calls so I'd better get to it. Chow.

[QuilterInVA]

DNW, if they offer you the job, try the old "I'd really like the position but with the extra responsibilities I was really hoping for a 10% increase" and see what happens. That way if they say they can't give it to you, you can still take the job if you want it but at least you tried for more money.

Sorry I haven't been around much but the boss came back from his Patagonia fishing trip on Monday so we played catch up then the network took a nose dive yesterday and the accountant's computer decided it didn't like living anymore and tried to commit hari kari so I was running. Got everything working again. Boss is going for knee surgery on Monday so another hectic week on tap.

To be truthful, and I have to be truthful with my buds, I have not had a good week foodwise. I haven't ate junk so much as overate on the good stuff so I don't think weigh in tomorrow is going to be pretty. I've set myself down and gave my eating didn't actually help anything lecture and I'm back on track. Seems like every 6 months or so I have to have a week or 2 "slumming." Then I'm good to go again. I've given up trying to analyze it.

Tigerlily, I looked in the mirror this morning and said cut and color or a bag over my head! It seems like it get ugly overnight.

[Cafe976]

TGIF!

DNW - My opinion is that you should take the job if offered. Growth is good - you're frustrated with doing the same old thing or you wouldn't have considered it. On the other hand, if it's not offered - you CAN be a bit more content that you are at least paid well to be VERY good at what you do. It's comforting to be damn good at your job.

Thanks for sharing the words of wisdom about not obsessing. Isn't it funny that we always want to ask what's WRONG with us when we don't meet all our own unrealistic expectations? Hello, the only thing that's wrong is that we're not superwoman and never will be. We will never be perfect, we choose trade-offs all the time - so we can either be good at a few things but not necessarily everything OR crippled at our inadaquacy and good at nothing. This is hard for me.

SEMO - I'm so proud of you! When you get some steam, you get steam! I don't think you're a sucker - sometimes we need a new 'program' to get us inspired. The trick is minimizing the down time in between.

Tig & Hunt - Thanks for pointing out the news! I actually stopped typing to go catch up. :dizzy:

Mulling on it, over the past months I haven't had many doubts that we would go to war in the spring. All this positioning is like watching a train wreck in super-slow-motion. Bottom line, the administation NEEDS the war on terror - to keep Americans unified and to distract them from the terrible economy. With this horrible result a forgone conclusion, it doesn't even matter who's lying! Sometimes I hate the world we live in.

On a lighter note, I came home last night and I felt something strange. I realized that more than eating a quick dinner, what I wanted the most was a shower before heading back out to a 7:00 meeting. Could it be that listening really hard and meeting my REAL needs is the key to not overeating??

~Cafe, slugging down water and trying to LISTEN instead of eating the fresh bagels and cream cheese someone brought in.

Edited to say HI to Quilter - who posted at the same time as me.

:grouphug:

[Jello]

Ok, which one of you who lives further west sent this weather my way!?!? :mad: Yikes. Finally got into work around 10:30 and it's a ghost town here. Snow's been falling since about 8:00 last night and is still falling strong. For a while there, it was falling at a rate of an inch an hour. It's almost a foot deep outside my window. I'm not liking this!!! :stress:

Once again, I'm the only one on phones but fortunately it hasn't been busy so far. And now I have the advantage of being the "good one" who actually showed up for work. Score one for me! :cool:

... gee, wonder how I'm going to get home tonight... :headache:

In other news, went to a meeting at the VFW last night and fell completely off the wagon. :( Yeah, I'm a dummy I am. But I'm desperately trying to get back on track this morning. Not easy because I'm in my stress eating mode. But I'll keep trying.

A coworker wandered by earlier and offered to take my water and refill it for me. But that was 20 minutes ago. I think he got lost or something. :?: Gee, guess I'll have to leave the phones unattended while I go off and find him.

What a shame....

Be back later.

[Tigerlily]

Hey Everyone.
What a day so far. Hot water heater is on the blink. My hair dryer burned up. And the Check Engine light is on in my car!! All this and I haven't even made it to the hair salon yet. I'm wondering if I should even leave the house again...

Jello, it seems like "off the wagon" and "VFW" are related. :chin:

*thinking about calling it quits for the day*

[Jello]

It's 1:30 and it looks like that :censored: white stuff might be letting up. DNW, how is it out your way? So far today, I've had two calls from people in Texas and California respectively who have felt it necessary, when I tell them that the person they are trying to reach is not in because of the snowstorm, to tell me about the great sunny weather they are having. Yeah, thanks. I reeeeaalllly wanted to hear that.

Tig, you're right about me falling apart when I'm at the "V". Actually, I drink light beer but they're 16 oz. glasses and I usually do at least 2 so that's 6 WW points right there. That's almost an entire meal's worth! And there's always free munchies. Sadly, I just can't seem to get into the habit of drinking diet soda or seltzer and skipping the deep-fried junk.

So that leads to a big question I've always had. :chin: How does one avoid the food triggers? It's impossible to avoid food; it's everywhere and part of every occasion! A person can quit smoking or drinking or doing drugs and can never ever do them again. I'm not saying it's easy but a person can do it. But a person cannot go "cold turkey" on food! My big thing is learning to enjoy the party and not the party food or the holidays and not the holiday food or whatever. You know what I mean?

Hm, sorry. :sorry: Didn't intend to get deep and philosophical here. It's Friday and still very quiet around here. It's just that I'm a little worried about the approach of the weekend again. That seems to be another one of my food triggers!

Fretting just a little but still looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning...

[huntress]

Jello - Just to let you know, not all of us in Texas are having sunny weather. I am in Houston and it is cloudy and cold. Miserable enough for me! I'm sorry that you are stuck in the snow, if I could I would come shovel some of it for you.

LJ

[Cafe976]

Jello, for goodness sake, don't do anything like discuss diet issues here on a Friday. :rolleyes:

Your post really made me think! Unfortunately (for me) it seems like almost ANYTHING can become a food trigger. Whether I go out or stay in - the mentality to live it up for SOME reason pops up quite often. Sometimes it's a celebration, sometimes a substitute for not having anything to celebrate. Sometimes it's stress and having no time, sometimes it's relaxation and having all the time in the world to make something truly awesome.

I don't really get it myself. I can narrow it down a little bit. It's definitely a sort of a Carpe Diem mentality. When I was on my cleanse - it wasn't so much that I needed IT (whatever it was) as that the opportunity to enjoy something was there, and I wanted to enjoy it. It is possible for me to combat that but it's difficult.

What's so bad about the opportunity for enjoyment being gone? On a day-to-day basis I think I negotiate myself right out of a diet thinking that just a little won't hurt... Is it that I feel like life is passing me by???

Where I also fall down is the tracking. IF I was using the discipline to write everything down, I would KNOW that I either COULD or COULDN'T. The problem with this is... I am terrible at "systems" like that. I'm sporadic at using my planner. I get obsessive and then sick of it. Fanatical and then distracted. ??? Wonder if it's part of the same issue and I don't like being reminded or something like that.

So what's getting to you?

~Cafe, wants to play on Friday.

[SEMO]

Awl Now Geezzzz Cafe, now you've gone and done it. I don't wanna think about stuff like that, it's the weekend. :lol:

[Cafe976]

LOL! Semo, I guess I was out of line. Even without DNW here, I know I need to drop and give you 50. But guess what! I'm going AWOL instead. It's Friday and time for a beer.

:devil:

[DNW]

Jello: I did not go in today, 6-7 inches of snow and no one expected me to...and to that point, none of my poeple were in either, they telecommute on bad weather days. I don't know if that will be the case if I take the job I am looking at. Got me to thinking that I go in, do my job, and no one is looking over my shoulder. Once in a blue moon one of my "children" act up and I get pissed but it ain't so bad...however, if the money is right with the new thing, I have to consider that. I just have been my own little boss for so long now...:s:

Tiger: When it rains it pours, huh!! By the way most times the check engine light goes on because the sensor for that light dies. This has been the case for DN and my cars 99% of the time over the years, but please let your mechanic make that call. In fact in DN's 1990 Saab S900, that he refuses to part with, well I think the check engine light has been on for the past 3 years...I swear to God. And the car runs like a charm. Afterhaving it replaced twice we said screw it...nothing is wrong with the engine...probably the connection to the check engine line is bad. And that is way too much money to put into fixing...fixing wiring on an old car, I'd rather chew glass.

Cafe: The only way I am keeping my food in line is journaling on Fitday.com. That bottom calorie line increases all day long and I can't bulldoze myself into thinking I am eating less, which was the case for most of my life vefore I started journaling. I just try to find low calorie alternatives to everything.

As of late my newest is low calorie cranberry juice with lots of seltzer, because the taste reminds me of pink champagne and I feel like I am enjoying a cocktail, while I am really nourishing my bladder wall with the wonderful enzymes from the cranberries. It's 40 calories for 1-12 oz glass of selzter with 8 oz. of cranberry mixed in and I feel very decadent. My DN makes "eggcreams" with fat free ahlf and half and sugar-free chocolate syrup...about 60-80 calories all tolled and very chocolately and delicious. You'll find what works for you!

Semo: Once again I have to say it...you are my exercise queen!!

Huntress: I am sorry for your crummy weather and was glad to see your post. For me personally, I am a firm believer in finding a professional to help with food issues when all else fails. Food is so personal and I most times it is way more personal than even our sex lives.

I am amazed that the woman I see is actually helping me because I was so "been there and done that" when I started seeing her. I didn't think it would do any good, but I was so miserable I decided to give it one more try...if that is not for you, a good and stable Overeaters Anonymous group, with lots of "oldtimers" in attendance, is cheap (usually a very small donation at each meeting..a dollar or so) and you may be able to identify with others...just suggestions. :^:

Quilter: Boy, I know whenever I have gotten down to a normal, or near normal weight, I start doing everything to gain the weight back....and evenutally I do. I liked what you said about slumming. If you don't mind could the group borrow that phrase.

Instead of saying we were "bad", meaning we ate what we shouldn't, we could just say, well today I was "food slumming".

If we make it a verb, and not a description of what we are, maybe we can lick the habit of considering ourselves bad because we ate something we shouldn't have on our plan.

Gotta go, thinking too much about why and I promised myself I wouldn't think.

As Yodo said, "There is is do, and not do". Today I choose to do.

Tiffany, Dyan, Kayla: :drill: Front and center recruits....what gives??

Smooches :grouphug:

[Tiffany123]

Hello Kitties...I am still here, never fear. *Yeah right, like I have THAT kind of power:lol: )

Things are just hectic around here. Boo hoo for me.

Here is a little background...I still work for the County Clerks office as a temp. They want to hire me, but if they hire me before my contract runs out with the Temp Agency, they have to pay a fee, which they can not justify to the County. PLUS, they have to open the job to other County employees first. So, I submitted my application and now I have to wait through all the other people coming in to interview, which makes me nervous. I know I have experience and I know they like me, but I am still nervous.

I am working in Vital Records and I love it, but so many young people are coming in to get their marriage license because they got called into active duty. One girl was crying today because their wedding was supposed to be in June and he is leaving on Monday and they came in to get the license so they could get married "just in case" he never came back. Very sad.

Another older man came in and wanted to buy his daughter's marriage certificate, if she had one. Turns out, he saw a ring on her finger and came in to check it out. She had married a man from Pakistan and hadn't told her family. The poor dad was devastated. I really felt bad for him.

So, my week was interesting. The food thing has been bad. But I am here. I did take a Diet Dr. Pepper and an orange and a little package of the fat-free tuna salad with crackers and a Lean Cuisine. My intention was to have the orange on break, which I did. Then have the Lean Cuisine for lunch, which I did NOT, because my daughter called from out of town and got her period, so I had to use my lunch hour to drive home, get her and then drive back to work. *sigh*...so I had mozzarella sticks and a roast beef sandwich instead. :( My tuna salad is still sitting sadly in its little package. I had a giant bowl of cereal for dinner and 5 little fat free cookies with a Diet Pepsi about 10 minutes ago.

Well, as Scarlett said...Tomorrow is another day. I am just funky. Weather sucks, the heightened security has me on edge, the astronauts made me sad and I am ready for a change.

I think I am in one of those introspective moods. Sometimes when I think too much about things, I get scared and depressed. I look around and think that our lives as we know it could change or end at a moments notice, and I am simply not ready.

I think about Pompeii and how they found all those people buried under volcanic ash and some of them were still doing their daily chores. I picture people finding me with a donut in my hand and a few rolls around my stomach. *sigh* I can hear those people now. "Wow!!! This one sure was a "healthy" specimen. Must have been a time of excess. Note all the crumbs that have fossilized into her triple chins?"

So, slowly, I will make my way back into the healthy world. Some fat free cookies and diet soda will help. I had been drinking regular Dr. Pepper and Pepsi and Subway cookies. Small changes girls.

Oh yeah, before I get into trouble....HI KAYLA!!!!! KISSES!!!!!! LOVE YA GIRL!!!!!!!! :D

Well, I am off to bond with my family and I will check this little corner of my world tomorrow.

Peace and love to all of you, and it is nice to have a family to come back to. Kind of like leaving home, finding out that it is too tough out there and coming back to Mom's house and finding your room just like you left it. :cloud9:

Tiffany

[huntress]

HAPPY SATURDAY!

I love weekends! Ya Yippee, I can hardly stand myself..........:lol:

Got a question for ya'll: I was doing some reading on Oprahs website and Dr Phil said that overweight people WANT to be overweight. Do any of you feel this way? I certainly don't want to be and am wondering if this is some kind of subconcious thing. Or maybe if it's just that I'm not willing to change enough to get slim and healthy. Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this.

Well I'm off to drink some more coffee and figure out what I'm going to do (or not).

LJ

[SEMO]

Hi and good morning, just a quick hello.

Huntress: I wanna be fat about as much as Dr Phil wants to be bald. :dizzy: Sorry, but I think he's on the wrong path with that one. (just my opinon) I don't think I have anything wrong with me except I LOVE food and lots of it. Really don't feel that I have any deep seeded emoitional problems...... now where did I put that gun........ :^:

I'm off to the antique shop in my near by town. Heard they had some of my dishes that I collect and I wanna get there first. Snow is still on the ground but the roads are clear. 5 degrees, burrrrrrrrr.

Tif, girl don't wait so long in between visits. We love ya.

Hugs to all.

[brighterdays]

Good Morning all,

After of two pages of posts read...I'm ready to talk.

I confess, DNW, I'm an emotional eater most of the time and especially at work. I take my lunch and that saves me most of the time (know what ya mean, Tiff):( But deep down, food is a comfort for me (and I guess very necessary to keep my blood sugar up) but I have yet to eat by hunger signals alone.

Having a little trouble with the 'ole stomach again, lately. I think it was the Aleve I took last week to combat hormonal headaches.(I know better but I wanted to be functional last weekend and I had plenty of food with each dose). I see a specialist at the end of this month, so maybe they will help me with these "headache hurdles" that turn into stomach problems that I have once a month. Anybody else get these? They seem worse as the years go by..

Cafe: My journalling has fallen by the wayside a little, too, but I don't think I'm off program---I will journal today and try to keep up. It really makes me more honest with my intake.

SEMO--how ya handling this white stuff? I could have done without the ice on the roads yesterday---my trip to work was treacherous! Started out with clean roads in town then the interstate was a sheet of ice! Never saw so many cars off the road in ditches! I think I traveled at 5 mph the whole way! Way to go on the exercises! What is the name of your vitamin that you take? I need some of that!;) Antique shop? That sounds like fun....hope you find great buys!

Kayla---good to hear from you once in a while....Ross and Ryan, huh? Take your time, you are young and you deserve the very best!

Huntress---I love Dr. Phil and his sayings! I'll hit Oprah's website this am and check things out....sorry you don't have sunshine....we have it but it's glaring off that white stuff!:cool:
Got the neverending laundry to do today and some organizing in some rooms. Gonna hit Oprah then FlyLady web sites then I'm off to do chores today.

Jello: My food triggers are mostly fast food and great smelling restaurants---when I walk out my building in the eve after work, I smell delicious steaks seasoned with onions. It about drives me mad since I have about a 40 min commute after that! Can't hardly pass up the fast food joints when I'm that hungry but I somehow drive home in a daze and fix something there. It is tough, darn it! BTW, I did not send the snow....it couldn't have been me...I was busy wishing it away.

Tiger: good luck with weigh-in today!

Quilter: how's the snow your way? Are you guys geared up for that down your way? Didn't think you usually got snow..

Shout out to Dyan---hope you are still around---missing you! :(

Peace out all,
:cool: "Bright"

[GeTtInG_ThErE2]

Hey everyone!!

Ok, well..i read Dr. Phil's sons book,,, and i loved it. The one thing he did say, was some people are scared to lose weight becaue they think people wont like THEM......they can hide behind people not liking them because they are fat..but they are scared that once they lose it, they still wont be liked. It makes sense to me.....


Tiffany, im glad you FINALLY said hi to me! lol..so how are ya??? things are going ok here.....im pretty happy right now, despite all the reasons i shouldnt be, i just am.....whats your email address again??? i lost it, but i want to make sure you cant escape me this time! lol......

Bright, yes, Ross and Ryan, I have this thing for 'R's....lol..my last boyfriend was named ryan as well....who is not the ryan that i my best friend. I also aparently have this thing for gay guys. lol. Either that or im turning them gay! ooh! thats a horrible thought! anyways...so yeah, Ross was a little on the Fem side...this guy i was in love with since grade 3, just announced he was gay the other day, well he didnt announce it, we went out for coffee and he told me.....bah...what can ya do??? Ryan (my friend ryan) is definatly not gay. He still has a fem side though...hes very sweet and caring. I love him to bits....sorry i talk about them so much. I do wish me and ross were still together......we might as well be, nothing has changed......ughh...i dont know. but i guess if i move then...its not good to be attached anyways!

Huntress,
So whats new??? you sound like me...TRYING to figure out what im going to do! however, there are some hotties down at the rink today, i think were going to go up and check that out!!! lol

Semo,
How are yah???? hunnie, i gotta tell you, "5 degrees Burrrrrr"?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?!
COME TO CANADA!!!!!!! its like, -25 here and we are like..hmm...its not too bad out!!!!! lol. 5 is like....OMG bathing suit weather! lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have a good one!

to the rest of ya's! have a terriffic, fantabulous, wonderful weekend!
luv
Kayla

[huntress]

SEMO - I apologize if I offended you or anyone else with Dr Phil's quote. I'm just frustrated with myself and don't know why I can't stop eating and start losing weight. I like Dr Phil and find his no-nonsense advise refreshing, although I don't really get this one.

Again, I'm sorry.

I was a bum almost all day yesterday. Laid around sleeping and watching TV and movies. The most excitement of the day was going out to eat mexican food last night.

Kayla - Did you find those hotties and have a good time? Good for you girl, there's always plenty of other fish in the sea. I didn't know that Dr Phil had a son also writing books. Are they geared more towards younger people? Not too much going on with me just the normal stuff, working, cleaning, being a taxi. You know mom stuff.

Have a good day all!

LJ

[SEMO]

Huntress: Silly girl, you didn't offend me one tiny bit. Most generally I like Dr Phil, but I just think that he missed the mark on the statement. I probably spoke out of turn because I didn't see the program so there may have been more to the comment. So smile, cause somebody luvs ya!

[Jello]

Yeah, yeah, I've heard all the "stuff" about how overweight people are afraid to lose the weight because then people would notice them and talk to them and they have to be personable or how overweight people hide behind being fat, etc. Comments like the one Dr. Phil made just tick me off! :mad: No, I do not like being fat. Yes, I DO want to lose the weight. As for wondering what it's like to be thin, well just let me give it a whirl, 'k? ;)

Sorry. It's Monday and I'm in a really p*ssy mood here. You should hear the little princess twins and the old *itch over there talking about what they did on Friday, etc. Like it was some sort of holiday that they were entitled to or something. Um, excuse me. Some of us actually bothered to show up for work!!

.... a moment passes ....

Have I mentioned I'm in a mood? Sorry to take it out on you guys. :^: I'll shut up about all this now.

Weekend wasn't bad. Overate only a little this time. Hey, baby steps, right? :bb: Kept myself busy with housework and all. Rich and I went out Saturday and rented a storage unit just so we could do something with all the ... stuff ... that we have to keep moving around while we're renovating. Have made three trips over so far with boxes and bookshelves and packed up clutter. Sure beats having to move it from one room to the other and back again while we sand and patch and paint, etc.

BTW, Jello with power tools ... NOT pretty. :fr: And Jello with a can of paint ... well, let's just say I'm glad we're going to be pulling up the carpeting. That's all I'll say about that.

Huntress, while the apologies are going around, I want to apologize to you for what I said on Friday. I didn't mean to imply that I thought everyone in Texas is lucky and having good weather, just that guy who called me to rub it in. :sorry:

Tiff, glad to see you here. The job sounds really tough but interesting. Sounds like you could write a book!

Bright, your post reminded me of when I was in high school and used to stay late for after school activities. Our school was entirely too close to a Burger King and when we left school around 4:30 or 5:00, the smell of burgers and fries would just hit us in the face. Hm, interesting. Back then no one ever thought of suing a fast food place for making us overeat..... :rolleyes:

Guess I should run now. I'm thinking that since I was the only one to show up and handle phones, etc. on Friday that I should leave early today, don't you? Actually, the snow is supposed to start here within the next hour and make the afternoon rush hour ... interesting.

Yuck.

[Dyanm1]

I'm feeling like such a stranger!!! I read through the weekend post and was happy to see some old names....Tiffany and Kayla, good to see you.

Giving a shout out to DNW, SEMO, Jello, Cafe, Brighter and Tiger!!

So I'm bbbbaaaccckkkkk, walked a mile this morning....hey I gotta start somewhere! I stood on the scale this morning and looks like I've gained back 15 pounds in the last. let's see....I guess it's been almost 3 months! Fell off the wagon after I my GB removed. The pants I had bought shortly after are WAY to tight now. Now that Cheyenne is back in preschool, I feel like I have some sort of routine, even if that means just dropping her off in the morning and picking her up in the afternoon. If I've learned only one thing, that would be that I NEED A SCHEDULE, without one, I feel out of control and some what helpless. Anyway, I have to get Cheyenne up and ready for school. But I will be posting every morning, now that I am feeling a little like my old self.

Have a great day ladies!!

[SEMO]

Good Morning! I had a really good week stayed with the exercise program and I think that I did well eating. We did go out Saturday nite for Mexican, but this was planned and I ate very lite all day.

Sunday Morning I was taking out the trash and hit some ice. :yikes: Hit the ground like a ton of bricks....... landed on my right butt cheek, knee, ankle and wrist. Everything feels okay except my wrist and woundn't be surprised if I didn't sprain it. Today is my day off from exercising and Tues will be cardio so hopefully by wed I can go back to weights. I can't believe I did that and happy that I didn't break my neck............

Jello, don't let them eat at ya, if you do they have won. That a very positive thing for me working with all men. If they have a problem, they tell you and it's over.

Dyanm.......... we miss you. (((hugs)))

Time for payroll, back later.

[Tigerlily]

Hello Girls. Monday Funday...if your in kindergarten anyway. :p

About Dr. Phil...I don't think I'm over-weight because I want to be. I'm overweight because I eat the wrong foods in the wrong amounts and I don't exercise on a regular basis. Basically, I'm lazy and I like junk food. He also talks about "payoff". There's suppose to be a payoff for our behavior. I think my payoff is at the moment I eat and the moment I decide to sit on the sofa. It's that simple. I need to eat less and move more. Now, what got me in this mess to begin with....??? What made me think the junk food was ok? What's wrong that I dont exercise daily? Beats me, I'm broken. My brain knows the right foods to eat and I know I need to exercise. It's just getting myself to do it ON A REGULAR BASIS. ???

Weigh-in was ok...down 1 pound. 192.5

Glad to see everyone back in the saddle! Strenth in numbers!

[Cafe976]

Good morning everyone! It's great to see so many here!

DNW, you're right of course - I simply have to find a way to journal my food and NOT flake out on it...

Bright, maybe we can work this together since you just said you're back to your journal? I have begun recording my points today... Gotta start somewhere.

Tiffany, nice to see you :) Hey, I think it was awesome that you packed your lunch! Sometimes stuff happens, but the more you build the habit of packing the more times it will work out right. I had a tough week last week because I had (count 'em) 4 different lunch with so-and-so's scheduled. Why did I do that? Usually I try to restrict eating out to once a week because I tend to make bad choices when I'm hungry and going out to lunch.

Oddly enough, I was just reading about Pompeii, too... I guess the mountain was spewing ash in the afternoon - and then blew up in the early hours of the next morning. So really, some people left... In a way, that's what you're doing. It's really hard to leave the comfort of old routines, but we'll live longer for it. Unfortunately there's no jet plane, we just have to keep hiking one step at a time.

Tiger - congrats on losing a pound!! Looks like the dread of DH is working to give you some motivation. ;)

Huntress - I don't know about you but I find it hard to access what emotion could possibly be behind the food thing. I think that's because sometimes there is none and sometimes it's hidden, while rarely it is obvious. A little couch time watching movies sounds awesome - I wound up helping a friend pack up her chaotic house to move on Saturday and let me tell you... I was really sore on Sunday!

SEMO - sorry to hear about your fall on the ice! I'm glad you are only bruised, not broken. I'm proud of all you're accomplishing with staying on your 90-day plan!

Kayla, I guess I can't complain about living in the North Pole since you're further north than I! I'm not going to discuss crushes I've had on men who turned out to be gay... but lemme say I'm feeling ya. You'll find the right one. and the one after that, too.

Dyan, glad to hear from you! I am definitely a person who accomplishes more when I have a routine - know where you're coming from. Good time to cut your losses... I mean gains... I mean... you know. Anyhow, I had thought that you were in training for a new job?

Jello - Oh! I hope you can get away from work this afternoon. You do deserve it. I'm repeating after you... babysteps... babysteps...

~Cafe

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning ladies! Rain this morning, but it's better than snow. We rarely have snow - 5 inches is the average winter so when we do get it, we have no snow removal equipment to speak of and everyone acts like we are snowed in with 20 feet. Only the transplants have any idea how to drive, the natives think they need to go faster to out run it...and end up in the ditches.

DNW you may certainly use "slumming". I don't like to classify foods as good or bad. Food is for nourishment, socializing, enjoyment, comfort, and lots of other things. We need to learn to use it in all situations to our advantage and that is the hard thing.

One thing I find that helps me a lot is to have only one place where I eat in the house, the office, etc. For example, at home I only eat at my place at the table (unless I am slumming), at work I eat in the kitchen. For some reason, I'm better able to control myself when I do this, no reading, tv or anything but dinner converstation while I'm eating, and I always eat off a plate, even if its an apple. This is when I'm doing well. When I let these behaviors go by the wayside, the food starts taking over again.

Journaling has been my mainstay. You can't say it TOM and my pants are tight when you can see the evidence in black and white on the paper in front of you.

I've got bursitis. It started up on Thursday, got really bad on Friday (bad enough to make me want to go to the doctor) and is now beginning to subside with the help of some good drugs.

Ladies, it's Monday - have a good week!

[Cafe976]

Good morning quilter - amen, let's have a good week!

Sun is out and half my water for today is gone. Somehow I always forget to drink it on the weekend. Must be because of not having that PLACE for it like on my desk. I'll be giving some thought to that... especially as regards home.

[Jello]

Interesting. Cafe mentioned water which reminded me of my still full water bottle sitting right next to my left hand here on my desk. So I picked it up and chugged half of it down. See, all I needed was to be reminded.... :rolleyes:

New rule, each and every time someone posts, they have to mention the word WATER.

Thanks Cafe!

And now everyone picture Jello coming here after having not been in a while and seeing many posts containing the word water and having to gulp some down each time she sees the word. :lol:

Anyone familiar with the pop group Styx and their song "I'm sailllling awaaaayy....."

[DNW]

If I don't get a good night's sleep soon I will just :faint:

Water....so OK I mentioned it. And drank about 40 oz. so far today....now if I could only get my *** in gear to exercise but I am too tired from not getting enough sleep....whine, whine, whine.

Quilter: Thanks for your fine post about only eating in places where we should be eating in our homes. Me, I strayed and was on the wrong side of the tracks this weekend..you guessed it "food slumming" again and this was obviously because I lost more weight and thought:

"Oh no :nono: ...I can't be this successful...let me eat something so I stay in the same place with my weight as last week...I don't want to succeed or anything silly like that!"

Jello: Unfortunately it doesn't really pay to be loyal in the corporate environment, that is why there is so much mediocraty in this arena. This is just a caring suggestion, but please put yourself first next time, as your two office "buddies" did...and if it snows again, and the roads are bad, stay home and take care of your safety first. Come raise time your boss will not remember all the times you showed up when no one else did...because he/she wasn't there either! OK tell me to mind my own business.

Dyan: Glad you checked in. You'll be back on track in no time so just hang in with us and we will carry you..it's important to post so you don't lose the focus...the courage will come...I struggle every day with this and I don't always win.

Tiger: The Dr. Phil thing....h-m-m-m :chin: Every time I lost a lot of weight I never stayed on course and always fell back. And being married to my husband and having been given the "permission" to be obese has really not helped. I continually lack motivation. And you would think me being at risk for a heart attack at my age would be motivated, but oh no not me. I think for me it comes down to the devil I know...the devil I don't know is scarier!!

Semo: Sorry about your fall...don't let this get off your success track...you are my inspiration! :yes:

Kayla: Gay guys are the greatest friends and way more interesting than straight guys...but you want a straight guy to be your boyfriend right? Gotta go where those cave boys go.....good luck, you have a whole lifetime of men...ah memories!!

Huntress: You can do this...it's a matter of a change of mind...I know as I am struggling with changing my mind everyday...right now I am focused more on doing than understanding...because I will philosophize myself into an early grave if I don't watch it.

Tiffany: Your here and that is all that matters...the rest will come...at least you were conscious about what you ate and made some plans to eat. That is a big step....the awareness.

Brighter: Hope you are feeling a little bit better...I had the hormonal headaches and hives for years right before, or during, or after my period, for 3-4 days straight. And my doctor used to say oh it's coincidence. Excuse me for 34 years? Please give me a break. I don't take anything but Tylenol anymore and it does seem to help my headaches...also any aspirin product makes me die.

So folks bye, bye and very sleepy smooches.....gotta get some sleep tonight.

[huntress]

Jello - Waterrrrrrrrrrrrrr,, Waterrrrrrrrr
DNW - Sleeeeepp, Sleeeeeeep

Sorry, I still have some of the tapes I bought when I went for hypnosis. I've been thinking it might be beneficial to listen to them at night as I'm falling asleep. They are very relaxing DNW, want me to send you one?

Dyan - You can do this! A lot of us have had trouble the last few months with the holidays and the cold gloomy weather. Just keep coming back posting like DNW said and before you know it those extra pounds will be gone and you'll be back in the swing of things. Besides I miss you terribly!

Brighterdays - I'm sorry you're having troubles with your stomach again. Hope you get to feeling better soon. I'm an emotional eater too, I've figured out the biggest problem for me is boredom.

Tigerlily - Congrats on the loss! Monday-Funday? (not) lol, I hate mondays, sorry. But hey I like your attitude!

Cafe - I hardly ever drink enough on the weekend, I like routine too.

Kayla - How was it at the rink? Skatings great exercise!

Quilter - Hope you get to feeling better soon.

Tiffany - Hey! what up? How's the newlywed. I'm jealous, first you then my ex-sister in law getting married. It's just not fair! I've been single for a LONG time, when's it my turn?

OK, hope I didn't miss anyone.

TOM is finally gone, thank goodness. I was a total bum this weekend and I chalked it up to hormones. At least now that it's over I'm feeling better and have been a little more motivated. I'm doing much better on the eating thing and have been walking when the weather permits. Time to get ready for work.
Later........

LJ

[Jello]

Woo Hoo! I sat down last night just before bed and counted up my WW points for the day. 21! Felt like I was snacking all darn day long. Felt like I'd eaten twice that! I was happy dancing all the way up the stairs...

... then I fell down the stairs. Bruised my ... um, lower back region. Ah the life of a born klutz. It was quite comical actually. :lol: I wasn't seriously hurt. Darn near killed the dog however. :o

Annnnyhoooo.....

Nurse, I will never ever tell you to mind your own business. Especially since I know you are right. ;) It's just those darn work ethics I was raised with. I know they're walking all over me but I just can't stoop to their level. Still, if/when the bossman does not remember that I was the only one who came in, I shall be most certain to remind him! :s:

Huntress, in my cleaning over the past couple weeks, I've come across a weight loss cassette tape that I bought years ago. As I remember, it was very relaxing ... even if it didn't necessarily help me lose pounds. Still, I think it's about time to dust off the cassette player ... if I can find that!

Quilter, I had to chuckle reading your post about how people in the typically warmer areas can't handle the snow and cold. Rich's parents just moved to North Carolina after living all their lives in the Boston area. Then they had all that snow and ice down there. Everyone was snowed in and without power for days. His parents - with their backup generator and snow blower - just couldn't get over it.

BTW, I read over the last posts and am now half way through my first bottle of water. Good going, you guys! Ah, refreshing!

Well, off to the trenches. Later!

[Cafe976]

Morning kiddies. I'm so tired this morning, I want to die just to lie down. This tiredness must be spilling over into my attitude because it stinks!

Nothing to add, except water. You know, like Jello... Just add water. :)

[Dyanm1]

Good Morning Ladies.....

Didn't work out this morning, but I am here, to say good morning!! I could say that I'll workout later today, but that would be a lie, because I know me. If I don't get it done in the morning, I can just kiss it good bye. Well.... good morning ladies :wave: , I'm hoping to be back up to par in no time.

Cafe: You mentioned work.....that is a totally sore subject with me at the moment. It's part of the reason I haven't been hear. I feel like such an ***. Hopefully in the near future I'll be able to tell you all what's been going on.

[SEMO]

Morning to All.

Okay Huntress, you're not still mad at me are you?:?:

Nothing going on around here, snow still on the ground. I'm making a quick run to Wally World at noon to pick up a ace bandage for my wrist. I just can't get side tracked on my exerciseing this early in the 90 days. Eating well and hope to see some progress by the end of my first 30 days. I'm on day eight already and feeling pumped. :strong: I know for me that if I drop the exercise It ain't gonna happen.

Oh, almost forgot............H20.....WATER, WATER, WATER!

[huntress]

SEMO - I'm not mad, never have been. I'm sorry, sometimes I try to write something to everyone but since our group has gotten so big I don't always remember everyone.:grouphug: :balloons:
Love ya lots,

LJ

[QuilterInVA]

You know, the group has grown since DNW changed to name to Booty Camp - why do you think that is?

Shoulder is feeling a little better. Boss is recovering at home - hopefully for the rest of the week but he thinks he'll be in Thursday (with a long flight of stairs, I don't think so!). Our morning receptionist left me a voice mail - won't be in because her son had an emergency appendoctemy(?) last night. The girl who fills in for her had a doctor's appointment and had already left when I called...so I'm being Mrs. Superwoman and doing it all today...until noon!

However, the sun is shining - and we have high tree pollen already (I'm allergic to trees and grass as well as other stuff).

I'm hoping it warms up so I can start walking again.

Have a great day ... super woman must fly!

[SEMO]

Huntress: Your too much of a sweetie for anyone to think that you're anything but a great gal!

Quilter: have visions of you in a quilted cape with a mask over your nose to keep from breathing the pollen. heehee

Feeling ornery today!

[QuilterInVA]

SEMO, I'll have to get to work on that outfit over the weekend - I have quilted jackets and vests and even dresses, but no cape. I do, however, have a pattern for one. I'm thinking shades of purple - and a red hat!

[Cafe976]

Sorry to hit a sore spot, Dyan... Glad you're here with us, what you do for $ does not matter one iota to me.

Having a difficult day emotionally today... Just in a funk I guess. Even the dolma (greek stuffed grape leaves) that I made last night and packed in my lunch didn't cheer me up that much.

Drinking my water... and proud of that because at least my mind is going the right direction. :yes:

Helped my friend move this weekend - I think I mentioned that - she needs more help and I'm dreading it. I'm too tired! But moving is such a big thing. I don't want to but I feel like I should help the poor thing - she's got 2 toddlers bless her heart.

sigh.

[brighterdays]

Howdy all!

What alot of posts!! Took me awhile to read them all! And before I forget....water....water....water ;) (that's 3 gulps, at least, Jello)

SEMO and Jello: I fell down last winter on the ice but didn't have a red spot or anything on my behind....know why? Because when I fell I was soooooo embarassed that my feet went out from under me and I stood up as fast as I could and I just BOUNCED on the ice! :o Sounds like you girls need more bounce in the behind like me!:lol: :lol: Hope your bumps and bruises get better soon.

Huntress: Thanks for the well wishes....I'm better now. The stomach bug is going around up here, also, and I'm thinking I could have had a touch of that, too. My boss has been sick for several days with that bad stuff! I'm Really looking forward to better weather! Glad you've been able to get out walking, girl. YOu reminded me I have a few cassettes hidden away...might pull those out.... How could anyone ever be mad at you...you are such a doll! :grouphug:

Cafe: You are such a good friend to help! What is a dolma? You have such exotic foods... :cool:

Quilter: the purple cape and the red hat sound very valentine-y. I used to live in the south as a transplant for a few years...dustings of snow caused 6 car pile ups! I can relate to what you are seeing...believe me! :lol:

DNW: You sound like someone has done you wrong....are you okay? ARe those interviews getting to be alot or the present job itself? Forget those people....you are a sharp, witty, fun and intelligent woman and you need to take care of yourself! I hope you get some quality sleep and/or whatever is on your mind finally is resolved, so you can relax.:yawn:

Dyan: It is so great to hear from you....please stay....you are so much fun! :cb:

Tiffany: I pack my lunch everyday but it does not keep me from smelling all the good smells from the food places....thank good ness I pack alot of different things to munch on! Huntress got me onto those jello/fruit cups and I take Baked chips and anything else with low points like fruit and an entree. Healthy Choice has wonderful French bread pizzas that are 7 points and to die for!

Kayla: Howdy up north! :wave:

Tiger: Congrats on the pound down! :bravo:

It was weigh in today...I'm down another 1/2#. Thank goodness the numbers are moving again. Just read an article in Women's World about a modification to the WW plan to encourage more wt. loss...anyone else read this? It alternates low pt. days with higher pt. days to stimulate the metabolism. Interesting..... I'm think I'm going to try it. I'll let you know.

Take care all,

"Bright"
195/183.4(current)/176/135

[huntress]

Good morning ladies!

Brighterdays - I'm glad you're feeling better. Congratulations on the loss! One of the ladies in my office was out 2 days last week with that stomach flu, nasty stuff, thank goodness I didn't catch it. Hope your family doesn't get it either. I haven't read the WW article but seems like I've heard about calorie cycling. Let me know if it works for you. I'm with you, come on Spring. We've had a few days a week that it's been nice but most of the week is cold and rainy. I figured that even if I only get out 2-3 days a week it's better than nothing.

Hope you all have a nice day, Ooops.......water, water, water

LJ

[QuilterInVA]

Having endured metabolism problems for years, this plan (Wendie's plan, been around for years) is just another gimmick. Talk to an endo and you'll know it doesn't make that much sense. Fortunately, our body is smarter than we are sometimes.

I did hear an interesting discussion on talk radio on the way to work about organic foods this morning. I know they do taste better but they were saying because they do taste better and have no pesticides, they satisfy better and we tend to eat less...so the cost tends to be the same for groceries. I'm going to try it for the month of March. I figure it would need a month to be a fair test.

The sun is shining - it's already 40 degrees, I'm one happy camper today.

I hope you all have a great day.

[Tigerlily]

Howdy. Just pop'd in to catch up on my reading. Lots of posts. My daily dose of inspiration. :)

[Jello]

Gulp, gulp, gulp. Ahhh! Thanks Bright! ;)

OK, know what I did last night. Skipped my weigh-in. :( Yeah, it was stupid but I just couldn't face it. I know it's a gain and I just couldn't deal with it. I have got the winter blues something fierce. If this weather doesn't clear up and warm up soon, I'm not sure what I'll do. :o

I still have a couple days this week to schlep my big ol' body into a weigh-in and I'm hoping I'll have the courage to do so but right now I just don't want to think about it. :cry:

My big problem is I keep thinking "something's going to change". Like I'll wake up one morning and say today's the day and suddenly I'll be able to lose the weight, etc. Well, that day hasn't come yet.

Enough whining. Well, almost. I got to work this morning in a driving snow squall that included drifting snow, white-out conditions, traffic accidents all over the place and Jello pretty much in tears by the time she arrived. It also included the snow stopping and the sun emerging by the time I got to the parking lot! Weird weather. I'm still not liking it. :mad:

Best wishes to those of you attacked by that flu bug. Hasn't hit me ... so far. :crossed: Knocking wood here. Then again, will it help me lose weight? Hm.... :chin:

Dyan, glad to see you again. Sorry about the job stuff. I can relate, trust me. Let's get together and make up some boss and coworker voodoo dolls, what do you say?

Speaking of which, I have to go. When I came in, I had to (get this) get rid of the half-full styrofoam cup of old coffee that the boss left sitting on my desk yesterday. I'm not his :censored: mommy!!! Or his wife!!! Yuck. Gimmee those straight pins....

[SEMO]

Hello to all!

Jello, girlfriend you need a vacation.......... Let's all load up and go see Huntress. We can play cards on her rainy days and walk on the pretty ones. All kidding aside you need to get out of town for at least a weekend, even if it's in a motel with an indoor pool.

Oh ya, water, water, water.......starting on mine as soon as I finish my coffee. I've actually been doing well with the water.

Bright, I did jump up quick from my fall, then checked to see if I was hurt...... I did my cardio last night and Whoa, the knee and wrist are hurting worst this am. Tonight is weights so I'm going to much lighter ones to see if I can make it through. I'm afraid if I skip I'll never start again.

Quilter, you just blew my justification of having a free meal once a week......... dang "Wendy's plan" sounded really good to me! :) Guess I'm pretty gullable. Wonder how such smart women can fall for all that "Miracle" diet stuff. We watch our $$'s on everything else in our lives yet surrender to easy fixes when it comes to dieting. Like I've said I have sucker written across my forehead! Altho, my latest purchase seens to be working. Yea!

Cafe, feeling the funk, :eek: :sp: :fr: there did I scare it away? Anything we can do to help? (((Hugs)))

Kayla, Dyan, DNW and Tig....... :chockiss: 's

Work calls gotta run.

[QuilterInVA]

I have to admit, I buy those "Woman's World" magazines for the latest loss-30-pounds-in-a-week diet, always hoping for the miracle plan. At least they are cheap and have a couple of stories in them. What I need is a personal chef, a personal trainer and a cage to keep me in while I lose the weight. I'll bet we could all get rich (and go to a spa), if we offered a service like that.

My boss, who had knee surgery Monday, came in today. Just needed help carrying his stuff up the stairs but managed to haul himself up. Jello - I fix his lunch and his coffee - the man is helpless. But he does treat me much better than just an employee - he sent me and my husband to Disney World for a week, with spending money, staying in the Polenesian Village last February. Bonus and raises are large and forthcoming on time. I do, however, mind cleaning up after the slobby men in the kitchen. You'd think they never heard of wiping up the counter when the get done or putting a dish in the dishwasher.

[DNW]

Bright: thanks fo your concern but I am fine just cranky because of all this war talk and us being so close to NYC (just 15 miles) and wanting desparately to stick to my program and just barely doing it...but I never give up...I need some real warm sun!! Also DN is looking for another job as he has had it with the pharmaceuetical company he works for and wants to get back into "real nursing". He had a really good offer from a hospital in mid-town Manhattan but I tihink I have got him convinced to stay in NJ. He has many, many interviews due to the shortage of nurses in his specialty and also the nursing shortage in general. I will only take the job I applied for is they can show me the money.

Jello: You and I are having the same weight issues and although I wish you didn't, I am glad I am not alone with these feelings. Hope you start to feel better soon...and your boss is lucky I would have taken the cup and left it back on his desk with a note that said,"I believe this is yours. How Nice!". (see Semo for meaning of How Nice)

Semo: You are not gullible; just open to new ideas and that is what keeps you so young!!

Quilter: Can I come work by you? Speaking of work I have a horrible srory about my nephew-in-law who is down in Midlothian with my niece. Last fall in his previous position he was asked to arrange for a shipment of materials to a large customer, by his district manager at Sherwin Williams. He was hesitant about doing this, because the account had been blocked for late payments, but the DM assurd him it was OK. So my young and not so savvy nephew was afraid to get this request in writing from the boss because he thought he would get in trouble and so he "followed orders".

Long story short, my nephew transferred at the beginning of the year into a more lucarative sales job within the company and was doing great. Last Friday he was called into HR and fired for the above incident and charged with "Gross Misconduct". Apparently at the year end audit this must have come up and in order for the District Manager to save his butt he handed them my nephew's. He is so upset and cannot believe anyone would do this to him. He is the smartest and nicest person you could ever meet. And people say us Metro New York folks are cut throats!

[Cafe976]

Hey chicks - busy day at work today. Nothing much else to say for myself although I did get treated to lunch out today. FUN but not so good for my diet.

[DNW]

Tiger: See your back on track and congrats on the lost pound..you lost it and found it :lol:

Tiffany: Water, water water...where are you, we miss you terribly again...show up please!! P-P-P-L-L-E-A-S-S-SE-E-E :dizzy:

Bright: thanks fo your concern but I am fine just cranky because of all this war talk and us being so close to NYC (just 15 miles) and wanting desparately to stick to my program and just barely doing it...but I never give up...I need some real warm sun!! Also DN is looking for another job as he has had it with the pharmaceuetical company he works for and wants to get back into "real nursing". He had a really good offer from a hospital in mid-town Manhattan but I tihink I have got him convinced to stay in NJ. He has many, many interviews due to the shortage of nurses in his specialty and also the nursing shortage in general. I will only take the job I applied for is they can show me the money.

Jello: You and I are having the same weight issues and although I wish you didn't, I am glad I am not alone with these feelings. Hope you start to feel better soon...and your boss is lucky I would have taken the cup and left it back on his desk with a note that said,"I believe this is yours. How Nice!". (see Semo for meaning of How Nice)

Semo: You are not gullible; just open to new ideas and that is what keeps you so young!!

Quilter: Can I come work by you? Speaking of work I have a horrible srory about my nephew-in-law who is down in Midlothian with my niece. Last fall in his previous position he was asked to arrange for a shipment of materials to a large customer, by his district manager at Sherwin Williams. He was hesitant about doing this, because the account had been blocked for late payments, but the DM assurd him it was OK. So my young and not so savvy nephew was afraid to get this request in writing from the boss because he thought he would get in trouble and so he "followed orders".

Long story short, my nephew transferred at the beginning of the year into a more lucarative sales job within the company and was doing great. Last Friday he was called into HR and fired for the above incident and charged with "Gross Misconduct". Apparently at the year end audit this must have come up and in order for the District Manager to save his butt he handed them my nephew's. He is so upset and cannot believe anyone would do this to him. He is the smartest and nicest person you could ever meet. And people say us Metro New York folks are cut throats!

Huntress: I woud give anything for cold and rainy....this is the first winter where I have been saying am I nuts wanting to move farther north when I retire....all of a sudden that "moonlight in Vermont" is not so appealing, although I do love the place.

Dyan: I bet you are busting your butt and working way too hard for the money. Is Utah looking better and better?? We really miss you honey!!

OK my sermonette is finished....love and smooches to you all...if NY gets bombed and you don't see my posts anymore you know what happened...remember that I always tried to be kind and good? :grouphug:

[brighterdays]

Hey all,

Busy day....found some clearance sales and down a good size in pants so I feel better about the money I spent. Bought mostly work clothes anyway.

Feeling kinda silly for bringing up the article in Women's World...thought it might help....sorry.:o

Huntress: We had sunshine today! :cool:

Jello: water, water, water, water! :D I am sending some sunshine your way.... :flow2: :flow2: How's that?

DNW: Sorry you are having a rough time. I understand your hubby's need to get back into real nursing----I'm sure it is the reason why he became a nurse in the first place.... A job in Manhattan? I love NYC but I understand his hesitation with that traffic alone! Sorry about your nephew...what a terrible way to learn about the lower morals of others.

:drill: Is Sarge on furlough or should we be expecting her back soon?;)

SEMO: You go, girl! You are my inspiration in the weight dept.! And with bruised/sprained joints, too! :strong:

Cafe: Hang in there, girlie! The sun has to be on its way to you too!:flow2: :flow2: How much better things will seem with a little sun and warmer weather each day....

:goodvibes to Tiger for the weigh-in Sat. {o' brave one}

Tiff, Kayla, Dyan and all others....have a great rest of the week.

"Bright"

[huntress]

DNW - Please, please don't say things like that! The war talk has me nervous too but I try not to sit and dwell on it. I can certainly understand your concern with you living so close to NYC and all but I believe that our police and others who protect us are doing the very best they can and hopefully can stop anyone who tries to hurt us. I REFUSE to live my life in fear of what some maniac says hes going to do, that's exactly what they want. To cripple us as a society and turn us into a bunch of scared little mice crouching in the corner. :grouphug: :grouphug: For you and the rest of our group. :chockiss: :chockiss: :chockiss:

Brighterdays - I read those articles most every week. I can't stand it, I NEED to know how to lose 25 lbs before my BD! Actually I just read them for a little motivation and I figure you never know when you will hit upon something that might really do the trick.

SEMO - I hope you're not too bruised up from your fall. Ya'll come on down too see me. What a party that would be!

Jello - Water Water.......I'm finally getting back into the habit after drinking Cokes again over the holidays. I know you're having a tough time right now, but hang in there Spring will be here before you know it. And you will have one of those light bulb days soon, it just happened for me. Brighterdays had it a few weeks ago I think.

Cafe - What do you stuff your grape leaves with? Not sure why since I've never had them before but as soon as I read your post they sounded good. You'll have to send me the recipe, is it hard to make?

Quilter - I like the stories in WW too, especially the mystery. Wonder what happened to Richard Simmons? I just adore him and was not happy to see that he's not doing the column anymore. Guess they got tired of paying him. I especially liked the big articles he did at the beginning of each year that usually had success stories. I haven't even seen his infomercials on TV lately.

Where's Kayla & Tiffany?

Tigerlily - You are a much better person than I. Usually if I pop on to read I don't post cause I'm at work and don't have time. Still cold and snowy there?

OK, who'd I forget? I know I did since everytime I post I do. Even when I'm 100% sure that I got everyone I figure out later that I didn't.

So far this week, so good. I can't really put my finger on what changed for me but I'm so glad it did. Maybe, just maybe it's because I'd been thinking about the turtle and the hare. Decided that if I just did a couple little things like I did in the very beginning that eventually it would all fall into place. #1 of course is water, which is usually the hardest part for me since I'm a die-hard Coca-cola addict from way back. I'd rather drink it than anything else and as I mentioned before I started drinking them during the holidays and have just not been able to stop. But I made myself do it and now I'm back on track, now my clothes are loosening up and the scale is going down. It's a really good feeling since I have pretty much stayed in one place for so long and have a strong desire to get another 40 gone before the end of this year. For those of you who are still struggling I hope you find your motivation soon cause it really does feel good!

Have a wonderful day all! Guess what? Tommorow is Friday! YA!

LJ

[Jello]

Hi everyone and thanks for all the water! :lol: Uh, except Nursie who gave MY water to Tiffany! :snooty: Humph.

(Just kidding, you know that! :lol: )

BTW Nurse, your nephew's boss must be related to the old *itch who works here. She has done that!!! She's been called into HR and charged with things like that. And NOTHING has been done to her!! :mad: I can only say that she must have something on members of management or something. Anyway, I'm sorry your nephew had to learn the hard way. Me, I always get EVERYTHING in writing and usually make secret backup copies of things she gives me.

Bright, thanks for the sunshine! :flow2: I'd ask for more but I think you should keep it for yourself. It won't do any good to send it our way for the next few days. Our weekend is supposed to be snow, sleet, freezing rain, etc. etc. for at least 3 days starting late Friday night. I think I'll be staying home. ;)

OK you guys. I decided on the way to work this morning that I'm going to weigh-in tonight and face the music. I got on the scale this morning and DID NOT like what I saw. Makes it worse that I have been good for the past 3 days and the scale's been going UP! :mad: What the heck is up with that!?!?! But as I said, I simply cannot skip class this week. That'll just make it worse, right?

Right?

I can't hear you!!! :drill:

OK then.

I'm off to refill the water bottle ALREADY! But first, I think a stop in the ladies room ...

Later!

P.S. Rich and I are both off tomorrow. :love: No big V-Day plans. Just going to bum around and take it as it comes. Ahhhh....

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning, ladies. Just stopped by to get some motivation for the day. It's been hard to get back on the wagon but I'm running to catch up. We certainly have a great, support group going here.

Bursitis has not gone away, it was resting and has now waged another attach in both shoulders. Won't be exercising for awhile. My husband had to help me get dressed and drive me to work this morning. My boss just likes to see my wrinkled old face smiling at him, even if I don't do anything - except keep the coffee pot going and make his lunch. I think I'll have Chinese sent in for him today. Easy way out. One thing, the medication I'm on for the bursitis has made me not want to eat. I just want to sit in the corner and be miserable.

[DNW]

Quilter: Sorry about your bursitis. I have been using Celebrex lately (past 4 months) for chronic long term (over 8 years) tendonitis in my achielles heel and lower calf and it has been a miracle. Nothing and I mean nothing ever helped the excruciating pain. And after a week on this drug it seemed like I never had it. Also as long as I take it I have no pain. I stopped taking it and the pain returned in about a week. Since I cannot take aspirin this is a god send.

Jello: Didn't mean to give your water to Tiffany; I thought we just had to mention it! I am very proud you are going to your weigh-in, as long as you don't give up you're ahead of the game.

Bright: Good for you and it must feel wonderful to be a size down. You have really worked hard.....I am so proud of your efforts.

Huntress: Sorry I bummed out in the last post. I am really not so scared as I just cannot believe this is happening again...there are police all over. I went shopping last night and was astounded to see 3 police cars in our very small food shopping mall in town. Something is up because we usually are lucky if we see the $6.00 an hour security guy twice a week. But I shall refrain....you are however, a lot safer where you are than I am here.....

Cafe: Being treated to lunch is always a hard one for me!!

See you all later my system was slower than sweat yesterday and I have a lot of catching up today at work.

Smooches!! :grouphug:

[SEMO]

Love it, love it, love it, when I get on here and see lots of activity it makes my day. We know when someone starts to get quite, then there's trouble brewing. I know that if I had stopped posting I would not have gotten back on board. And I have to tell you that I feel GRAND! I don't know what finally made me get back on track but what ever it was I'm oh so happy about it. It will happen for those of you that aren't back on board too. You know how I was struggling just a few weeks ago.

I limped through most of my exercise tape last night. Had my knee and wrist wrapped, looked like a prize fighter! ;) It did help so hopefully recovery will be right around the corner.

Rain is moving in here today so guess we're looking at another wet weekend. Okay, so it's a good time to get caught up on some housework. Then I'll have more free time to spend outside when spring does get here.

Love you guys!

[Tigerlily]

Hi. I'm kinda in "lerk mode". Doing just OK on food. A lot going on....just found out my Dad is sick and it's hit the family pretty hard. Also, having birthday party at my house this Sunday for DS. So, trying to get some cleaning done.

I've noticed it's lighter out in the morning when the kidlens get on the bus....spring is come'n!

Water for everyone,
Tigerlily

[QuilterInVA]

DNW I know what you mean - the largest Naval Base in the world is here...a nuclear power plant is 5 miles from where I work, I have an Air Force Base a mile from my house. But there is nothing I can do so worrying isn't going to help and it is going to bring on other problems - like overeating.

Boss came dragging in a few minutes ago and said maybe he shouldn't have come back yesterday he felt he had overdone it and he's not getting around very good today...but the dumb man went right up the stairs again. Men!

[Cafe976]

Breezing through with a quick hello. Just wanted to acknowlege that I'm here. This has been a very hard week for me personally & professionally... So I'm just moving forward. Can't really formulate a response to the many thoughts here today.

Except that inspiration is everything.

TGIFT(omorrow)!

Hugs~Cafe

[Jello]

Hello and Goodbye! It's been a heckofaday and I'm so outta here! Just wanted to wish you all a

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! :love:

Talk to you all soon!! :D

[brighterdays]

It'a so great to see everyone on today.

Huntress: you sound so wonderful....glad things are looking up for you. After I get off here, I'm heading for my treadmill....you have inspired me, girl!:cb:

SEMO: I'm with you.... if they are gonna send us rain, we will deal with it and get the insides shiny! :rain: Sorry, I think I gave all our sunshine away the other day... :shrug: But it was for a good cause...see how much better these girls are! :D

Cafe: Hope things go better for you...always glad to see your posts here. I would miss you dearly if you weren't here... TGIF, definitely! :cool:

Water, Water, Water, Ms. Jello, and a Happy V-Day to you and yours!:chockiss: :chockiss: :chockiss:

DNW: You know, we just have to circle the wagons and protect ourselves and our families. :grouphug: We have a strong country and we will get thru this together. I understand your worries but I'd be more worried if I DIDN'T see those policeman! Hang in there, Sarge! Better days are coming...:D

Dyan, Tiff, Kayla, and all others I missed, TGIF!

"Bright"

*Down 11 1/2# (and 7 1/2 # to go to 10% goal)*

"No man who is occupied in doing a very difficult thing and doing it very well, ever loses his self respect."------George Bernard Shaw

[huntress]

WOW, Valentines and Friday all wrapped up into one, who could ask for more!

I hope you all have a lovely day filled with flowers, chocolates (yes chocolate) and romance.

SEMO - You go girl! It feels to good to be back on track doesn't it. Hope you're bruises feel better soon. You have a lot of willpower to get out there even when you are hurting. I don't know what got me going either, it just happened and I'm rooting for the others too! We have a rainy weekend coming up too, yuk!

Brighterdays - Congrats! Congrats! :bravo:

Looks like the train to Motivation Station is loading up, c'mon let's have a party! Jello, Cafe, Tiffany, Tigerlily, DNW, Quilter, Kayla - We're waiting on you, can't leave without you so let's go!

xoxoxo,

LJ

[huntress]

Ooops...........can't forget Dyan!

What did I tell ya, sorry :foot:

[SEMO]

To all my 3FC Sweeties!

:love: :love: :love: HAPPY VALENTINES DAY :love: :love: :love:

Just wanted to post before everyone got busy today.

[Cafe976]

Good morning, gals!

Thanks for the cheer, bright, I really do think I'm doing better. Tu & Wed were the bad days. Hey, it's Friday and we have a 3 day weekend! I have to be pleased about that.

Oops I was drinking my coffee when I started this, and was so groggy I drank the whole cup down quick... and now I'm suddenly wired. LOL! OK, I'll be back in a minute when I calm down.

:hyper:

[DNW]

I hope you all are going to have a great day and night :lol:. I am!!

Thanks for all the love and support in the past 6 months that I have received here and it's wonderful to have so many new women friends. I don't know about you all, but getting married somewhat diminished that part of my life, and through no fault of my husband. We are both equally free to be who we need to be and I think I just got a little too comfortable with it being just me and him all the time.

In any event I am going to enjoy my Valentine's dinner and goodies and tomorrow I am jumping back on the train....next stop MOTIVATION STATION :drill: A-A-L-L-L ABOAR-D-D-D!!!!!!!!

Lots of Love to All :grouphug:

[brighterdays]

Just stopping by for a sec.

Housecleaning mode....

Ate more tacos than I should have last night and ate 2 cookies and some fudge as my Valentine treat. Have to go easy on the points today....I think I ate todays points yesterday! Haven't had a problem with going overboard until last eve. I'm gonna blame it on boredom and keep on keeping on.

It's cccccold outside today...expecting sleet, I think.

Trying to figure out the best time to do the grocery shopping today....maybe later.

;) See ya,

"Bright"

[huntress]

Hope you've all had a nice weekend, it's pretty dull around here. It rained all day Saturday so I spent most of the day cleaning house and doing the dreaded laundry. Bought the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it was really cute.

See you all next week!

LJ

[brighterdays]

Snow, Snow, go away...!!!

Too white here. Boring this weekend with all the sleet and snow. Made white chili and a low fat fried rice to eat...not sure of the points yet---still calculating.

Not sure what to do about tomorrow...may not be able to even get to work.

Hope everyone is able to stay warm,

"Bright":)

[QuilterInVA]

Rain, sleet, snow, ice, rain - that sums up the last 4 days. At least it's not real cold but the parking lot and sidewalks are covered in ice this morning. Guess who is NOT going to put the rock salt out. Bursitis is getting better slowly but still painful. The big quilt show is next week so I have to be better by the 26th. Nobody here but me anyhow, guess everyone decided to take President's Day off of come in later.

We had an article about Atkins might be right in our newspaper yesterday. What do you think about that? I know when I lost my weight WW had 10 servings of protein and 2 slices of bread per day - no cereal, potatoes, pasta, fats - and the weight just fell off. And I wasn't hungry and didn't crave carbs. Maintenance was an 8 week process of gradually adding foods back that you didn't have on the weight loss phase.

DNW, I asked the doctor about Celebrex but it's no go because I have aspirin induced asthma. There are a lot of things I can't take because of asthma or Hashimoto's.

[SEMO]

Good Morning. I'm working this morning too. We're having the same icky weather. Fell of the wagon big time this weekend, dang all the valentine candy laying around. But I'm back with vengeances this morning. I am not going to blow all this hard work!!!

My Sis called and I met her Saturday for lunch. She drops the bomb shell on me that in a few weeks she plans on filing for the big D. They have been married for 23 years and she is just so unhappy. They don't hate each other or even fight, just have gotten to the point of just passing each other on the way in or out. More like distant roomates. Sad. Her plans are to find a teaching position in a small town somewhere and move out of the area. She has always been the independent one! She just wants her husband to find someone that will make him happy and for her to have happiness too.

On a happy note, my friend that had the surgery. Well, she will be returning to work on Tuesday for a few hours a day. She has made such improvement over the last month that it's just unbelievable. Thanks to all of you that were remembering her in your thoughts and prayers.

Quilter, there is a big quilt show in Paducah, Kentucky in March, don't know if you have ever heard of it. I haven't been yet, as that's usually a very busy time at my work, but I'm gonna make it one day. It's about an hour's drive from me so I could go for the day.

Nothing much going on so I need to get payroll done. Bye for now.

[QuilterInVA]

SEMO, the Paducah Quilt Show is one of THE quilt shows - the hotels are booked years in advance. I want to go there badly, have been to visit the quilt museum in the summer. It was wonderful. They have gotten so congested that they are going to do it twice this year - once in Paducah and then in Nashville.

[SEMO]

Quilter: You know I saw that advertised where Nashville was having a show but didn't know that it was a branch from Paducah. Paducah has lots of antique shops and a huge Hancock Fabric Shop. I used to go over there quite often but I hate to go over that big old bridge. I've sort of lost my interest in all day shopping trips!

[Tigerlily]

Hello Chickies.
Is everyone snowed in? I can actually see the grass over my way. Strange for this time of year.
DS turned 11 this past weekend. I'm getting old. The bday party at my house went good. I made taco soup, everyone loved it.

Some really bad news for me...my Dad just found out he has cancer. Lung/Brain. They've started treatment already and he is very positive. I feel like I'm in a twilightzone. My Mom is a wreck. I'm 36 years old and I feel like a child dealing with this. My kids don't know yet. I think we have a couple more weeks until we have to tell them...until he starts looking different from the treatments.

So girls, if you don't see me around much...just know I'm still trying to stay OP. Healthy lifestyle...ringing in my ears.


:df:

[SEMO]

Tig, I'm so sorry to hear the news about your dad. There is power in prayer and I'll certainly keep you and your family in mine.

[QuilterInVA]

Tigerlily, I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. Keep a positive outlook, that seems to help the most. I know this will be a difficult time for you, but try to stick with your food plan - overeating will make you feel better temporarily, then you will have a load of guilt added to everything else. Please keep us posted about your Dad. I'll add him to my prayer list.

It was actually snowing big flakes at my house this morning and one of our 2 county sand/snowplows (yes, we have 2!) was spreading sand already and the road wasn't even snow covered. I guess we have to use the supply up before Spring. It's stopped and supposed to be in the 40's today and increased to 60's over the weekend.

I find this time of year depressing and just want to eat. Eating a lot more soup - homemade veggie - and having some SF FF Pudding today.

[Jello]

Hallllooooo!!! Is anyone out there!?!?! I can't see around these :censored: 5 foot snow drifts!!! Our company was closed yesterday. Snow emergency and blizzard conditions. Spent literally all day trying to dig out. Our cars were completely covered by drifts. My back is killing me today. Ah but I'm one of very few here at work today. Once again, the only one on the phones so no lunch or potty breaks for me. :mad: Sadly, boss made it in and so did the old *itch. Otherwise I'd just go on breaks and leave the stupid phones and ...

...ooh, doing it again, aren't I? I've simply got to stop coming in here and whining at you guys. Sorry. :sorry:

OK, I weighed in on Thursday night. I had a gain of ... well, a lot. :( But at least I made it to a meeting. :^: Then the weekend came. Oh well. Could have been worse, I suppose. The good news is that I burned A LOT of calories moving all that icky white stuff around. The official number is "only" 19 inches but the drifts were 4 and 5 feet high. That wind was a killer! Then came the sleet and freezing rain for a while. Then more snow. And even more snow this morning. It'll take weeks to melt this stuff!

I WANT SPRING!!!!!!!!!!! :fr: Grumble. Stupid groundhog. Grumble. Grumble....

Things more important than my whining now...

Tiger, I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. He'll be in my prayers and so will you.

Semo and Quilter, my aunt used to live in Paducah and used to talk about that annual quilt show and the crowds all came from miles around. Sounds like fun to me!

Semo, sorry about your sister but I hope everything works out for her. Maybe the divorce will go smoothly and be as friendly as possible. Mine sure as heck wasn't!

Nurse, how's the weather where you are!?!

Have to go. I was supposed to be in a meeting now but can't leave my desk. Hope they don't volunteer me for anything. :rolleyes:

[QuilterInVA]

Jello, I know how you feel when you say you can't even get to the potty for answering the phones. I have actually had my boss standing outside the door to the ladies bathroom to give me work - that could have waited.

The sun is trying to shine and everything is dripping today. Even the little pansies are perking up.

[Jello]

OMG, Quilter! Me too! Mine talks outside the door while I'm in there!! I once had to tell him to repeat what he asked for because I couldn't hear him over the "flush".

Speaking of which, I just got back from the ladies' room. Yes, I went and no, there wasn't anyone watching the phones. Oooh. Ahhh. :devil: :lol:

See, I'm trying to look at this with something of a sense of humor. Good thing about not being able to go to the cafeteria is that I can't give in to the PMS terrorists that have taken over my body and are demanding chocolate! :chockiss:

I'm off to find someone willing to take my almost empty water bottle to the cooler for a refill. Must admit, I like being waited upon! :queen:

Only 2-1/2 hours to go... :yawn:

[Cafe976]

Hi everyone! I tried to post this morning but I couldn't get through. :(

Work is terribly busy, can't invent a new post so here's what I typed:

Good morning ladies!

Quilter- You are so right about this time of year... a person always thinks the eating is going to get better after the holidays but it is still hard until spring arrives.

Tiger- My prayers will be with you and your family! Please remember to be kind to yourself during this difficult time - trouble is a good excuse to neglect self but you can do more for others when you're at your best. {hugs}

Guys, I wanted to say hi to each of you but this job is interfering with my other interests. Imagine! :) Plus I was late today which doesn't help. :stress:

I finally have a warm vacation booked and my mood has picked up to about 75% where I was running at about 30% last week. (anyone ever play the sims? I was a dangerous pink last week but today I think I've edged beyond khaki into a healthy light green) March 1 - March 8 is my week in the sun. So now I have all kinds of incentive to diet! Not that it will make that much difference in 2 weeks, but it will jump-start me and hopefully I can add to the motivation level here instead of drag on it.

Ciao for now~

[huntress]

Good morning..........hope all you snow bunnies are staying warm, safe and dry.

Tigerlily - Your family will be in my prayers.

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. My boss dropped a huge project on me at the end of last week. He has been procrastinating since the 1st of this year and now needs it immediately. I am totally frustrated! On a more positive note, I barely have time to pee much less eat and by the time I get home I'm too tired to care. Oh well.

Sorry to be such a bummer, I'm just tired.

LJ

[Tigerlily]

Hello. Thank you for all the well wishes.
You guys are so right about taking care of ones self during hard times. This next 6 months looks like it's going to be extremely hard and I'm going to do my best to take care of myself so I can be of help to the rest of the family.
Right now, I'm still in the "raw emotional state". Can't even listent to the radio w/o breaking down. Poor DH, he doesn't know what to do with me. Heck, I don't know what to do with me....never been here before.

I was space'n out watching Winsor Pilates informercial the other day. Anyone try that? :chin: Looks interesting. I used to like WAP videos, but bored with them and tired of Leslie.:^:

:angel:

[SEMO]

Good Morning!

Just another day on the Ark, geez is it ever going to stop raining or snowing or being dreary. Just wait, when I'm working seven days a week, I'll be wishing for rain so I can get a day to catch up. I know, I'm never, ever satisfied with what I have. :(

How are our little snow bunnies? What we have is bad but I know yours has to be like a zillion times worst. Hope your staying warm and dry.

Tig, I bought the tapes and didn't like them. PM me your address and I'll send them to you. If you like them you can pay half or if not send them back.

Well nothing going on here so I'm going up front to watch the rain.

Chow.

[Jello]

Good morning all. Guess what. I could actually see the black of the road this morning on the way to work. And the sun's desperately trying to come out too. Might even get above freezing. And only 30 days or so until Spring, right? Hey, a gal can dream. :cloud9:

We had a baby shower in the cafeteria this morning. Big old cake and chocolate cigars. Yes, I had both. :T Actually, had just a little piece of the cake and the chocolate cigar is still sitting here looking at me. I may eat it. Or I may not. Either way, I'm OK with it.

Didn't go to weigh-in last night. Once again, I couldn't face it. :( Last week when I finally crawled in, the gal was saying about how great it was that I didn't quit and that I did come in even though I knew it'd be bad. But I'm thinking - is it really that great? Is it really so important for me to drag myself in there, worrying about it the whole time, obsessing and pacing before I go?

Yes, I want to lose the weight. And yes, it seems like it's all I can think about once again. But now I'm wondering if this is the way to do it. Yesterday, all I could think was "well, I can't eat today because I have to weigh in tonight but after I weigh in I'll be able to eat again..." You know what I mean? So the wrong way to be looking at it!!!

I'm rambling I know. :?: Seems to be what I do when I come here. But I'm trying to get into the habit of eating right all the time. BTW, "eating right" should include the occasional "slip up" i.e. piece of cake, extra helping, etc. Somehow having terrible weekends followed by starving myself until the weigh-in and then falling off the wagon again doesn't fit the definition of eating right! :mad:

Besides, I fall off that :censored: wagon one more time and I'm liable to break something!!

... but never my spirit...

Oh, I'm sure I'll go back to a WW meeting. I'm sure I'll keep trying to get healthier, get some exercise, make wise food choices. And I'm still hanging onto the hope that Spring will arrive and the warmer weather will shake my want-to-hibernate mood. But I want to be invited to a party and not have my first thought be "what kind of food will be there". I want to look forward to a holiday without worrying about what I'll be able to eat or be tempted to eat. I want to know that I can go to a baby shower and not have to worry that the only open seat will be right next to the cake and I'll be able to hear it taunting me. I want to be able to walk into the KMart or Walmart and walk right past the big candy display or the food aisle that EVERY store seems to have.

Have I mentioned that I tend to ramble? :^: Guess I'll shut up now. I've not said anything mind-boggling or come to any startling conclusions about my life or LIFE in general. I'm just venting, I suppose.

Anybody have any comments? Arguments? Inputs? Complaints? Opinions? Etc. Etc. Etc. You know I love and value you guys and what you have to say.

But I do NOT value this stupid boss and his moods. Sheesh! Gotta go.

[Cafe976]

Jello - It's totally alright to use this forum to try to work things out in your head! no apologies. not sure there are specific answers (don't have 'em here), it's just a process to work through.

Maybe the key to not feeling so bad about things is to plan ahead with positivity instead of dread? Like I will chose to use discipline today and eat the lunch I packed and not candy and then tomorrow I _WILL_ allow myself that cake at the party - rather than facing each things that comes up as a fresh challenge to be passed or failed? dunno.

But my query that I sent away to find numbers for me has come back so I've got to get them into my report now. later maybe?

~~

[Cafe976]

Now I'm LOL at myself because this is something I don't do.

"I'm going where there's cake, I know I will ultimately eat the cake, therefore I will allot calories for the cake in advance." NEVER! The cake is always an emergency, I grow weak, and then there's no way to undo the damage done. (OK, no way that Cafe is going to contemplate for more than a split second.)

ah, hm. something to think about.

[Tigerlily]

my 2 cents...
I dont think the extra weight I carry around is about the occasional birthday cake/shower cake/whatever cake.
It's about the every day habits. It's the dingdongs in my cupboard. It's my everyday choices.
I have a very thin mother. She always enjoys herself at special occasions....but she eats healthy otherwise. Why I couldn't take after her is beyond me. :p

[QuilterInVA]

Those sweets are going to be around us forever. How we react to them is all that we can control. I find eating less during the week and more on the weekend works pretty well. When I go to work, my day is more structured and I find it easier to stick with my plan. Weekends have the unexpected so I try to have more points to use then. I've been at this so long, sweets no longer call me. I don't care for cake or cookies anymore and the only pie I like is Lemon Meringue (i make one with a meringue crust and cool whip on top and it isn't too bad for me). My downfall is salty stuff like potato chips and pretzels. I don't let them in my house except in the smallest bag - which is one that sells for 25 cents here and has about 5 chips in it.

I have to plan my meals in advance. I still can't eat on the fly day after day and not fall off the wagon onto my head. I try to plan my meals on Friday night so I can go to the grocery store on Saturday and get everything for the upcoming week. I have trained myself to only eat what is on the paper. But if I don't have the paper - watch out! It's not so complicated as it seems. I use Mastercook and save my menus so I can rework them.

Jello, I can ramble something terrible, too.

I've been doing all the right stuff for 2 weeks now and started exercising again but the scale seems to be stuck. It gets that way sometimes. I know I have to be patient and it'll drop again.
My thyroid was up to 22 again when I had it checked last week. So that is not helping. Doctor increased my meds so we'll see how that does.

[Jello]

Thanks for the support and the insights, girls. Knew I could count on you guys for some discussion and thoughts. And some ramblings too, eh Quilter. ;) Giggle.

Actually, like Quilter, I've lost much of my taste for really fatty or sweet things. Doughnuts and cookies, etc. don't really call to me like they used to. I no longer have the desire to make an entire meal out of a package of cupcakes and a soda. But every now and then.... :rolleyes:

Have to go now. Have to handle a big tough job for the boss. "See, sir, you take the paper clip off the folder, open it, put the paper inside and close it. I can see how tough that is to do..."

Sigh.

P.S. I'm getting a little concerned about our Nursie. She's probably been having the same weather as we are here. Hope she's not lost under a snow bank.

[DNW]

Jello: Actually I have been trying to get online since Friday night...our computer at home kept crashing...see old DN loves to download free shareware and sometimes it freezes up our machine...but old DN says that not it...um-p-h-h-h :mad:

Well we officially got 20 inches of snow, but DN and I measured 25 inches where we live. Since DN can't shovel becasue of his heart disease, we purchased a Toro Electric Snow Shovel for about $100 bucks and this really made all the difference. He used that and I used the regular shovel and actually got the cars and walks and driveway shoveled out by 4 PM Monday, then we went upstairs to take a nap and when we woke up a few hours later the wind blew it all back....so Tuesday I stayed home from work and did the same thing all over again...he had to go into work Tuesday and could not stay home. I am so sore my fingernails hurt...but without the electric snow shovel I would still be at home.

Tiger: I am really so sorry to hear about your Dad, having gone through this 3 times already with my parents and my stepfather I do know what you are going through. And as far as handling it like a child...you ARE his child and how else would you handle this? My mother died after a long and nasty illness when I was 47 and I cried everyday for a year before, and and a year and a half after she died. Be kind to yourself when you can, you may not always be able to do this, but try because you have tense times ahead.

A word of advice, (not that YOU need it) but maybe someone in your family will need it) that I learned from my experiences:

Everyone grieves and handles this type of situation differently and sometimes people feign indifference when they are hurting as badly as you are. When a family member is this ill it can make or break a family. It brings out the best in a family and sometimes the worst too. I hope everything will work out for your Dad, be positive and he will be positive. If you want to PM and talk further please do. I will continually pray for your Dad's recovery.

Quilter: Thanks for the wonderful on how to stay on plan...it helped me too and I have used some of the techniques in the past so I know they work.

Cafe: Youu're right and it makes sense to plan to eat something tomorrow and stick to the plan for today...lots of times you don't want the cake the next day...in OA we used to say...wait 15 minutes and the craving will pass...and it always does.

Semo: We are going to have a huge rain storm this weeknd...my hallway in our house is leaking already (thank God I only rent) from the snow which is beginning to melt so I can only guess what it will be like on Saturday. Stay dry and if I float by your house reel me in and we will have tea!!

Huntress: Trust me I hardly got to pee today either since I haven't been in work for two days...take care you can always go to the bathroom tomorrow :lol:

Tiffany and Kayla come on we miss ya..write darn it!!
:mad:

[Jello]

Good morning. It's almost 10:30 and I've already had 2 meetings (Z-Z-Z-Z :yawn: ) and am heading to another in about 10-15 minutes. Wish I had just one nickel for all the time wasted in meetings around here.

I'm feeling a little better about weight-loss and stuff today. Maybe it's just because the sun is shining, who knows? Maybe I'm just on the "up" part of the roller coaster that is my life these days. Whatever. I do have to admit that I like being back on BC pills again. Even the PMS isn't quite as severe.

The other night, Rich stopped at the grocery store on his way home from work and came home with this pre-made oriental chicken salad. It was huge and the whole thing including all the veggies, chicken, sesame seeds, crunchy noodles and dressing was only 160 calories and 3 grams of fat. :T And it was delicious!! I stopped this morning and even fought to make a left turn in an EVIL intersection to buy another for lunch today. So looking forward to lunch now. I love it when I find things like that. Feels so indulgent but it's not bad for me. Hope I don't get tired of it too soon. That seems to be my biggest problem. Too easily bored.

Nurse, glad to hear from you! I know all about shovelling for hours, taking a break and then coming back to find it all "undone". :mad: It's the drifts that are causing all the problems - two lane roads suddenly becoming single lane, etc. :yikes: Let it melt, let it melt, let it melt!!

Quilter, the lemon pie sounds tasty! I make one with a low fat graham cracker crust and fat free vanilla pudding mix made with fat free cool whip and lemon crystal light mix. Very light and fluffy and good in other flavors too. :T

Well, thanks again, you guys, for letting me ramble on. I knew you'd understand. Just another reason I love coming here.

Meeting's going to start soon and I really have to pee first! (Like you really needed to know that. :rolleyes: ) Later!

[DNW]

Dear Rochemist, Tiger, Jello, Cafe, Huntress, Semo, Quilter, Tiffany, Dyan, Kayla, and Everyone Else Who Would Care to Read This...I read the poem below and IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF ALL OF YOU!!!!

"GirlFriends"

"Don't forget your girlfriends," Mother advised, clinking the ice cubes in her glass. "No matter how much you love your husband, you are still going to need girlfriends. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them. And remember that girlfriends are not only friends, but sisters, daughters and other relatives too."

What a funny piece of advice, I thought. Hadn't I just gotten married? Hadn't I just joined the couple-world? I was now a
married woman, for goodness sake, not a young girl who needed
girlfriends!!

But I listened to my Mom. I kept in contact with my girlfriends and made more each year. As the years tumbled by, one after other, gradually I came to understand that Mom really knew what she was talking about.

Here is what I know about Girlfriends:

Girlfriends bring casseroles and scrub your bathroom when you need help.

Girlfriends keep your children and keep your secrets.

Girlfriends give advice when you ask for it. Sometimes you take it, sometimes you don't.

Girlfriends don't always tell you that you're right, but they're usually honest.

Girlfriends still love you, even when they don't agree with your choices.

Girlfriends might send you a birthday card, but they might not. It does not matter in the least !

Girlfriends laugh with you, and you don't need canned jokes to start the laughter.

Girlfriends pull you out of jams.

Girlfriends don't keep a calendar that lets them know who hosted the other last big party!!

Girlfriends will give a party for your son or daughter when they get married or have a baby, in whichever order that comes!

Girlfriends are there for you, in an instant and when the hard times come.

Girlfriends listen when you lose a job or a friend.

Girlfriends listen when your children break your heart.

Girlfriends listen when your parents' minds and bodies fail.

My daughters, sisters, family, and friends bless my life!

When we began this adventure we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead, nor did we know how much we would need each other.

Love and Smooches!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jello]

Whew! Anyone else having trouble getting in here yesterday afternoon? No? OK, just me then. But then where is everyone?

Went to the VFW last night. Ate ... nothing. Drank ... diet coke. I'm such a good girl. :cool:

Remember that big ol' salad I bought for lunch yesterday? Well, I got sucked into yet another meeting and didn't get to eat lunch yesterday so it's still waiting for me. I'm looking forward to veggies and low fat stuff!! :eek: Wow.

Not much to say this morning. Just glad it's Friday. I'm taking Monday off as a vacation day. Was supposed to go for my mammogram but we're supposed to have snow and ice so I postponed it till March 24. Then I was going to cancel my vacation day and come in to work. Then I stopped and thought about that for a moment. :chin:

Now I'm thinkin' rented movies, my jammies, a nice long bubble bath maybe.... I think I'm going to enjoy the heck out of this. This weekend's plans include lots of painting and woodwork so I'm probably going to need a day off.

But the big thing is that I'm also thinking about what I'm going to eat. Usually, on a day off, I take a vacation from my diet and weight-loss efforts too. Not this time!!! :nono: I'm going to prepare and plan, have the right foods to eat and know exactly where and when I'm going to eat them. This I vow.

Uh, wish me luck? :crossed:

Off to do some planning and scheming.... :s:

[Cafe976]

Good morning, gals! I'm hanging in here - but I even get to read all the posts yesterday let alone post myself!

Still lots of stress at work but I had a heart-to-heart with my boss yesterday and I feel better. Now I'm only worried about the crunch of all the business, rather than letting the conflicts that seemt to have arisen on my floor bother me. That's my goal and my mantra today, at least. If I'm square with my peeps then all the other BS should not effect me. It's just an emotional time of year for me - HATE February - so things that might not normally ruffle me are amplified.

So on a lighter note I went tanning yesterday. I have not done that in YEARS but I thought I should try to toughen up my skin a little so I can have fun in the blue waters of the carribean. [I wear THE lightest shade foundation comes in, pale ivory, so you can imagine sunscreen only buys me so much time.] It was fine, but getting nude in a semi-public place (walls an ceiling had a 6 inch gap at the top so noises from the small salon were easily heard, although I was in a locked little room)... well let me just add this to the list - Reason #635 to lose weight. Now that I think back, it's kind of comical but at the time I was about as comfortable as a wet cat (until the lights were on and all I could hear was the headphones, then it was okay.)

Drinking my water, water, water!

Hoping that I get my work done early and can come back!

[Cafe976]

Just a quick addition - I like this new planning and scheming Jello! Good job, girl. :)

[SEMO]

Happy Friday!:cp:

I bought a digital camera from eBay and it arrived yesterday. I was scared to death that the thing would be a dud but it's great. I've been reading the manual and hopefully I will be a operating wizard soon!:wizard:

Doing better on my eating after my face foward fall over the weekend. If I could only learn to jump back on the train by the next meal instead of the NEXT WEEK, it wouldn't be so bad. Note to self.....new challenge.

I'm now on day 18 with my new exercise program. Girls, I am getting so much stronger, can't believe the difference in this short amount of time. The tapes have 35 min of cardio on one day and 30 of sculpt the next, with one day off per week. Thought I was gonna die for the first week but it's getting better every day. WooHoo. In the program they also include the advanced tapes but it's gonna be a little while before I can move up to those. I haven't even opened them to view yet! LOL

I'm thinking about going home at noon, nothing going on here and I'm bored, unless we get to really chatty this afternoon!

Back later.

[Tigerlily]

Comfortable as a wet Cat. I will have to remember that one.

I'm still in a twilight zone, but keeping up on my reading. :)

[GeTtInG_ThErE2]

Hey Girls,

Sorry I havent been around much...ive had lots of things on my mind the last couple days....

We think we found a house where we were moving..we just have to see if they accept the offer.

So im moving to the town my Ryan lives in right..which is great..but im so scared. He graduated 2 years ago..but he took me to the high school yesterday..and showed me around and stuff (he has reading week this week..so no school for him)...its a huge school..im scared. but at least Ryans sister will be in the same grade as me when i move..so...it will be nice to have her around.

Ryan has been amazing through all this..hes been so helpful..and he like..is helping me with course stuff, and finding things and just...everything..hes been right there. Im so happy im moving closer to him..but im leaving so much behind..which scares me.

I was cleaning my house last night for someone to come look at it..and i just started balling...like....thats my house..how can someone just come and buy it....the memories that are there....cant be boughten...i just...dont want to leave my home....and i was thinking that.....there was a boy at the house we are buying..and he was there when i was looking at it..and he didnt look happy and i was just thinking like....this is HIS house..and were just buying it!!!! like..i dont know..ive been ove emotional the last few days.

I also found out yesterday that my camp might be shutting down...can you imagine....like..what will i do????? I almost started balling..and i was like...Ill do anything...i dont care how busy i am..or how half-moved i am.......or how far i have to drive..ill do anything to keep it open. im so worried

and on top of this all..im trying to keep my family together. My dads business is failing, my sister is trying to adjust to moving.....and im trying to be her mother (my parents are divorced and we live with my dad) and im trying to help my dad figure out a way to move and buy a new business and wht to do with this business and how to go about it. He is sueing his the company he is with now......its just a mess...and im trying to keep everyone happy and trying to encourage everyone and keep my family looking for the best in it....

but its so hard. I cant be the strong one always....If i didnt have Ryan there...i dont know what i would do.....I cant show my dad and my sister that im hurting and stressed and....drained.....I just have to keep tredging on......so at least i can tell ryan, and hes there when i need to break down....(which has been alot lately).....its just hard.....

im doing the best I can. last night i was crying and my dad was like...whats wrong...and i was really thinking that im really sad we are moving....but..i just said...oh i forgot to do something and i dont know if ill get it done by tommorrow and i dont feel good.....so...yeah. it was lame..but......i dont want him to worry about me right now...

anyways...sorry to drop in and have nothing but depressing news for you! thanks for listening!

-Kayla

[brighterdays]

Pretty far out of the loop this week....just reading these days.

But, wanted to say sorry to Tiger. I'm sure it is difficult to think of your father being so sick...I would have a hard time with that to.

"Bright"

[DNW]

Kayla: So sorry to hear you have so much stress going on. You're so young to have to deal with all of this. By the way do tell your Dad and your sister how you are feeling, you will give them an opportunity to let them share their feelings to. Holding it in will only hurt you and them in the long run, besides by not letting your Dad know you're hurting you are not letting him have his "Dad" moments...I know this sounds a bit much by I have been where you are. As far as crying about the moving. When I was 39 I moved from a place I had lived for many years and it held of memories for me. I cried for an entire month before I moved and then when I actually moved I couldn't even understand why I was all that upset.

However moving is one of the most stressful things you can do so you are acting pretty normal for this type of life change. Sounds like Ryan is a great guy for being there for you.

Tiger: Your dad is constantly in my prayers as are you....hope things are evening out for you...sometimes it's less stressful after the initial shock starts to subside.

Love to everyone else....talk to you all soon!

[SEMO]

I did leave early Friday, went home and rearranged my living room then DH came home and hated it so Saturday it went back. 24 years with the same furniture arrangement! Ugh. Got everything vacuumed under tho! Yesterday, I put a glaze on one wall in our bedroom, if you will remember it was one of my painting experments from this summer! It was painted a bright sage green with stamped leaves in a lighter shade of sage. Anyway, I thought it was too bright so I glazed it and I'm much happier with the result.

Kayla: Come here and let me give you a big 'ol hug. (((:goodvibes ))) Everything will be fine, just stop and take a deep breath. You are the oldest young person I know. Just remember worry makes you have wrinkles! No really, just try not to worry and everything will work out just fine. You are so friendly you will have tons of friends in no time.

Well girls gotta get the payroll in 'cause Friday is payday!

Later

[Cafe976]

Kayla - so sorry to hear about all the stress you're going through! :goodvibes: I'm proud of you for doing as much as you can to help your family. Do remember that you need to take good care of you, too. Exercise, bubble baths, journaling and MAKING SURE YOU GET ENOUGH SLEEP are stress-busters. This isn't going away next week so you can't live for today only. And remember, you're young so make time to have some fun, too! ;) {{{hugs}}}

Hey, Bright! Hey, Tig!

SEMO- I'm so proud of you for keeping up with your new exercise program consistently! If you were me, this week you would be reaching what I call "critical mass." My DH always says I can do anything... for 3 weeks. Hang in there and don't let yourself start to fear success! This is the week to truly prove what you're made of! One day at a time... you're making a habit, now.

TOM came this weekend. Oof - always feels like someone socked me in the gut.

Interestingly, the unusual amount of attention I've been giving to my body lately just trying to get my dry, white winter skin ready to brave the light is changing my mindset a little. All this scrubbing and shaving and lotioning and dashing away for 9 reckless naked minutes under the bulbs is actually self-care and it's actually putting a little spring in my step and making me feel good.

Now, I wouldn't describe myself as someone with low self-worth because I pretty much know my worth. But body-image is another story. Feeling more comfortable in my skin is actually giving me a little inkling of a feeling like I want to do other good things for myself like exercise and drink my water and eat fruits & veggies - not because I've got to discipline myself to reach out toward a goal but because I like feeling good.

I think I'm seeing a glimpse of a perspective about dieting that's about FEELING GOOD instead of trying to BE BETTER. Not sure if that makes any sense. I'll let you know if the feeling grows. But interestingly, that feeling came from self-care not self-denial. Maybe that's a peice of the puzzle I've been missing?

[brighterdays]

Hey all,

It's cold...it's snowy...and it's supposed to get colder! Hurry spring! :cool:

Cafe: My sister keeps telling me to hit the tanning booths (I have never tried it). I know it would make me feel better but I'm kinda like you about the nakedness---it would be different if i couldn't find so many pooches, in the wrong places, these days. I'm thinking about it, though, and may try it this year, especially since it has been so good for you. I always feel better when the sun is out and, artificial or not, I'm sure my mood would be springy-er.:cb:

Huntress: Tried tanning booths or do you get enough of that Texas sun? :flow2:

Not much time to write...lots to do before tomorrow. Have to change weigh-in days this week---appt. tomorrow that can't be changed.

Ciao,

Bright

[huntress]

Good Morning!

Brighterdays - I did the tanning beds when I was younger, but there is plenty of hot sun here without it. I don't do any kind of tanning now because I'm extremely fair skinned and I just burn and end up with freckles, spots whatever you want to call it. I worry too much about skin cancer now that I'm older.

Hope you're all doing well. I'm still swamped under at work and can't see the light of day for at least another 3 weeks.

Have a good one all!

LJ

[Tigerlily]

Holy Slow Pokes! Hope everyone is ok. Can't believe how slow it is around here.
I must confess. I've been terrible the last couple of weeks. "Comfort Food" pretty much sums it up. But, I'm ready to get myself in gear. Still a lot to deal with, learning a lot about cancer.

Cafe, I like your insight....it is about feeling good, being good to yourself....and that doesn't include DING DONGS! :)

Lots to do today. House is a mess and not even sure where to begin.:^:

:grouphug:

[Jello]

Hi ho! Nothing like taking a day off to do whatever I want ... or not do whatever I don't want! ;) Did a little cleaning. Did a little shopping. Did a little sitting on my butt watching TV. Daytime TV ... yuck. :p Rented Sophie's Choice - always wanted to see it. It was ... OK. A little slow but pretty good.

Did a lot of thinking. (Hey, beats doing a lot of EATING, right? :rolleyes: ) I'm taking a break. I'm taking a break from the gym thing. I'm taking a break from Weight Watchers and weekly weigh-ins. I'm taking a break from adding stress to my life. I'm giving myself a month. Things are really up in the air at work with restructuring and reorganizing. Stress levels are high. Departments are changing and personnel are shifting. (Part of me is afraid I'll lose my job but part of me is afraid I'll KEEP it!) They keep saying things should settle by the end of the first quarter so that's what I'm giving myself. At the end of March, beginning of April, I'm going to regroup.

Coincidentally, that should come about the same time as Spring and warm weather and sunshine. I suffer every year from the winter blues and seasonal depression. :( This year, it's tougher than usual. Not sure why but I'll bet it's a combination of things. I need a chance to think things through.

Meanwhile, I DO NOT plan to "let myself go". I will NOT eat anything and everything. I will NOT let an inch or two of dust gather on my treadmill. But I'm going to take it a little easy ... on me. Cause I want it, I deserve it, I NEED it!!!!

At the end of March, I may be sending resumes and interviewing. (I may be unemployed!) I may be looking into new gyms or returning to WW or finding another plan. But at the end of March I WILL NOT be hugely fat, having gained 20 pounds or something like that.

Whew! I'm going now. Back to work 'cuz, well, I guess I gotta. For now.

Maybe "muddling through" ain't such a bad thing? :^:

[SEMO]

Good Morning Ladies. Day 22, YooWoo.... okay that hurt, I'm still sore in spots. :lol:

Jello, it's okay to take a break now 'n then. But wish you would reconsider on the exercise. Next to a nerve pill, exercise is the next best thing. You may not want to push yourself too hard but it's a great stress buster. Think about it.

I sent off a resume yesterday, probably won't hear anything back but I like to check around and see what's out there. Plus I get really bored fast with most jobs. Wouldn't take anything that wouldn't be an improvement in money and a challenge.

I've used tanning beds in the past, the thing is if you are fair, start very slowly. I start at about five minutes and work my way up to 30. Even at the end of a couple of sessions I'm not nearly as dark as my sister. She can get a tan in a couple of outtings and I look like a power puff. I think FAT looks better tanned! :D

Tig, been thinking about you. Praying for the best!

Bright, here we go again, this time last year we were almost through with the fertilizer part of our spring. It's going to be a hectic time around here when it clears up.

Quilter, DNW. Were are you guys, been too quite around here.

Well back to work.

[Cafe976]

Good morning, everyone! It is cold with a capital C in the northland this morning. But now that I'm in my comfy chair sipping my coffee I'm feeling able for the day. My crazy bosses are returning to town this morning, so I'm going to have to scoot around and be ready for the maelstrom. Yesterday was bliss. I caught up on several things, was not stressed at all.

Bright - I have never thought of myself as a S.A.D. case... Yet I have to admit that the light could be a factor. I was thinking I was so chipper because I'm going on vacation in a mere 4 days. I'm going to have to think about this more.

Tanning is something I don't usually do, because I'm very fair too. But if it really helps me keep "up" in the winter, I may just go for it! There are sunscreens that you can use in the booth, I think I would go that route if I was going to do it on a regular basis just for the LIGHT factor. For now I'm only protecting my face and neck.

Huntress - I hope you can get unburied soon! I've been through a very busy spell too - hey, at least the days go quick.

LOL @ Tiger's ding-dongs! How can something that's so synthetic taste so good? But no, sadly they do not add up to feeling good. Hang in there, sweetie!

Jello - Limiting stress factors during tough times is a good choice. You know we're all doing our own thing here - take your month off - just make it your best month off. Sometimes I find when I set the bar very low for myself with expectations, that's when I find inspiration to try.

off to scurry now...

[Cafe976]

:wave: Hi, SEMO! we posted at the same time. You make me want to go work out! Rock on, sister.

[SEMO]

Cafe, smooches to ya girlfriend. Now where is it that your going on vacation? DH and I are trying to decide what we are going to do this summer. I'ts been so long since we have had a vacation with just the two of us that we don't know what to do. I know what I don't want to do.......... no amusemnet parks, no place that I have to stand in line, or rush to meet deadlines. Just looking for something relaxing.........

[DNW]

Quick hello to everyone. Today is the "second round of interviews" for the contract analyst position I interviewed for last month. Jeez you would think they were going to hire a brain surgeon!! I will let you know how I make out. Rumor is I did very well the last time, but if they don't offer me a substantial increase with this very difficult position, I am staying where I am. Career-Caschmere, I only have 10 more years before I retire and I do not plan to be worked to death for peanuts.

You all sound like you are doing great and I am thinking hard about the tanning booths...this winter has been too much!

[QuilterInVA]

A quick hello - I'll be gone to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt and Fiber Arts Festival the rest of the week so I've been trying to cram a week's worth of work into 2 days. Yesterday one of our receptionists turned in a 2 week notice so I had to scramble to get the ads in the paper so I can interview and hire next week.

Then my dear boss came in this morning and gave me a huge project saying, "we need to get this out by Thursday" and I just looked at him and said it'll have to be done today because I'm on vacation the rest of the week. So he backed down and said Tuesday. So I'll really enjoy my vacation with this hanging over me. He's very good at these things, but he knows this is the one vacation he can't mess with or I'll quit.

I've been slumming ladies. I have to admit it. I think I need to take a month off as well. I've just lost it. I'm not eating junk, just too big of a portion. Can't seem to get a handle on it but I keep trying every day. So far I haven't gained just haven't lost either. I think winter is doing us in!

[DNW]

A month off Quilter?...a month off Jello?...that would be too scary for me right now...but you all might do just fine...just keep posting here..I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Smooches!

[Jello]

Actually, I'm hoping to do better than OK. Frankly, I just couldn't take the stress any more. For so long, weight loss and my efforts thereof have been front and center. As I said before, everything in my life revolved around food, what to eat, what not to eat, when to eat it, how to get by without eating it.... I mean AUGH!!! :yikes:

Story: My WW meetings used to be held at the VFW before the WW center opened up down the road. Recently I was in the V just sitting at the bar and a woman came in looking confused. I asked if I could help her and she said she was looking for the WW class. I explained to her that we had a new center now and gave her directions etc.

After she left, a guy at the bar started telling me how his ex-wife (note I said EX-wife :rolleyes: ) had wanted to join WW and how he had talked her out of "wasting her money" because if she wanted to lose weight, well, "all she had to do was eat less".

Well, I made quite a scene. "Of course!!! Just eat less!!! Now why didn't anyone ever think of that before!?!?! Geez, you're a :censored: genius, ain't cha!?!?!"

Ye gads.

Well, I'd love to be one of those people who can just do it without thinking about it. Just cut back a little on the portion size. Just stop in at the gym every other day and have a quick workout. Just say no already. (Dammit.) Maybe someday I will be that person. However, for me it's going to be a learning experience. I've faced the fact that I'm not going to just wake up one morning the all the answers and all the will-power. Unfortunately, at the moment, I have too much other ... ok I'll say it ... crap going on. No formal schooling for me right now.

As far as "taking a month off", maybe that's not really the way I should say it. I still plan to be careful with what I eat. I still plan to hop on (OK, step gently on :lol: ) the treadmill at least a couple times a week. Did my 10 minute waker-upper this morning. Got me another one of those beautiful fresh big ol' salads for lunch today. Water bottle is full and ....

Glug glug glug...

... water bottle is ALMOST full and it'll be emptied and refilled several times a day.

And MOST IMPORTANTLY :cp: I'll be coming in here to keep up with the most wonderful friends I've got.

Ooh, and I'll be a-plannin' and a-schemin'. I'm a planner and a list-maker. It's what I do to feel in control sometimes. By this time next month, I hope to have exercise schedules, menus, plans, charts, etc. But I'm also hoping to have all my hair. ;)

BTW, side note - I just realized that today's Feb. 26. I started at this company 13 years ago today. I remember walking in the front door for the first time like it was yesterday. :bb:

In many things in my life ... I've come a long way baby.

[SEMO]

Hey Girls!

Jello: It sounds good to me. That is why I've given up on weighing daily, weekly. It just consumes my life. If I just try and do well at each meal and forgive myself if I slip then I'm much happier. Even if I only lose one pound at the end of the month then it's still success for me. Heck no gain is good too!

DNW: Hear anything about the job yet?

Quilter: I wanna go too! :stress: Please, please. Hope you have a great time. Let us know how much fun you had when you get back. Know what you mean about having a job hanging over your head while your off. One of my co-workders will call me at home and ask about something and it makes me crazy. Then the rest of the day I'm wondering did I do it or didn't I.

Hi Cafe, figured that you would be posting right about now. What can I say, great minds work alike. :lol:

Tig, (((huz))) to ya! Let us know how things are going.

Huntress, Bright, you gals are being way too quite.

Dayn, Tiff, check in please, we miss you guys.

Well work calls. It's snowed a couple of inches since I've been at work so I'm thinking I'll leave early.

Oh, Kayla, sweetie almost forgot to say hey. How's it going for you, better I hope.

Bye for now.

[DNW]

Fast hello...

Jello I hope I didn't offend you...you have a right to do what you want and I am the last one who should be giving out advice...since I struggle daily with the food demons. Maybe the best thing is not to think about the food and we can just act like normal people who don't have to analyze every bite and every choice at every meal...it is very tiring...geez I spent all day yesterday saying I wasn't going to eat pasta last night when I got home and that's exactly what I ate because It was fast and easy...to thine own self be true...wish I could!!

Semo: We are getting snow again tomorrow but I now have my trusty electric Toro Snow Shovel...

gotta run all the "bosses" are hovering..

Also Dyan and Tiffany come on already and post please.................

[Cafe976]

Hi everyone! Looks like slim pickins on a Wednesday.

SEMO - My schedule must be off today! I missed my usual simultaneous burst of typing with you. I'm going to Cozumel - with my MOM! I'm excited about it. I've never done anything like this with her before so it will be fun. Being that I pretty much avoided her as much as possible until I was 23 or so (I'm ashamed to say!) I still feel like I'm making up for lost time. It's great to reach the age where you can be friends with your parents!

DNW - I hope your interview brings good news. :) Winter is definitely getting us down - but February is almost over and we're going to beat it back into submission in March.

Quilter - I have the same problem lately - not hitting McDonalds on the way home, just seems to be enough calories that I show no loss day after day. But there are other stress factors so I'm trying not to be too impatient with it. It's better than a gain. I'm coming up on the 1 year anniversary of when I first posted here (okay it's 2 or 3 months away) and between all the good times and bad times it's pretty much a wash! But overall I'm practising more healthy habits than I was before.

The big thing (SEMO, you're my hero) is exercise! If I could get that going on I'd be in a lot better shape. Uh, pun, sorry.

Jello - It's a mindset thing. If it turns a negative into a positive to NOT have the list and the plan and the expectation and the exact measured impossible standard of PERFECTIONISM... then it's a positive! Throw away the rule book and do it.

Okay, I'm falling behind again so I'm outie!

[Tigerlily]

Thursday! Has this been the longest week ever?!

Semo, was it you that tried Winsor Pilates? What didn't ya like about it? Boring? Hard? Just not your thang? I really need something different. I think I've mentioned...Leslie on my nerves.

Cafe, me too...I'm not making much progress in the weightloss, but I'm practicing more healthy habits and sneaking in healthier food choices. Even when I fall off the wagon, there are some changes that are here to stay! Holy Progress Batman!

Drywall for the downstairs arrived yesterday! DH and I carried some inside last night. From the detached garage, through the yard, down the hill, into the patio door. I think it qualified for cardio and weights! My arms are sore this morning...and longer!:p

Later my Friends! :wave:

[SEMO]

Good Morning to All. I'm fast approaching my day 30 on my exercise program (March 5th) then I will be one third done on my 90 day commitment. I feel so good, now if I could get my eating in check I would see some real results. I thought I was having a heart attack the other night... I kept having this pain in my left chest, in the middle of my breast. Want to know what it was........ well when I was doing all the weight lifting the underwire poked me making a very sore spot. WHAT A RELIEF!:lol:

Tig, It's been so long since I used those tapes that I don't really remember what I didn't like about them. Think it was a combo of all that you mentioned. My offer is still good if you want to try them.

Today is my friend's birthday (the one that had surgery) so I'm thinking that I may leave early and take her to lunch. This is birthday that we weren't sure that she was going to make.

Hi to the rest of the gang, really don't have anything interesting to post about so chow for now.

[Jello]

Tig, this week has been at least 27 days long! And I wasn't even at work on Monday. What's up with that!?!

Nurse, humph :snooty: I'm not speakin' to you....

:s: Of course I'm only kidding!!! You didn't offend me in any way, silly! Truth be known, I'm certainly not sure if "taking time off" is such a great idea for me. All I know is that I HAVE TO do it. I'm doing anything and everything to reduce any stress in my life before my head explodes. :bomb:

And tomorrow, more snow. Another half a foot at least. Well, doesn't that just stink a whole lot, eh? I'm so sick of winter!!!!!!

Cafe, Cozumel sounds wonderful! I'd love to take mom and be able to do that. The farthest we ever go is shopping and lunch. So do you think you and your mom have room for me and mine? :cool: Seriously, have a great time!

Semo, OK I confess that I haven't quite given up on the daily step on the scale. :sorry: But I have stopped the before the shower weighing, after the shower weighing, with the clothes weighing, without the clothes weighing, before work weighing, after work weighing, predinner weighing, postdinner weighing, middle of the night standing on my head weighing.....

:rolleyes:

Got up this morning and got on the treadmill. OK, I did it because I felt I should. But not because I felt I HAD TO. And I knew I'd feel better physically and mentally if I did ... and I did. And today at work, a guy offered me some M&M's. I ate ... a few. :m: I didn't take a huge handful but I also didn't sit and count out exactly X number of calories worth, gotta consult the chart, etc. It was 5 or 6 and they were quite tasty and I still have the chocolately flavor in my mouth and I don't feel guilty.

I'm feeling good. :D So far.... :shrug:

Yeah, yeah, always a catch.

[Tigerlily]

Jello, you forgot to list the "after the toilet" weigh in...

[brighterdays]

Hey all,

Sitting up here on this plateau...same weight for 2 weeks straight! If I were SEMO, I'd be down at least 4 more #s because I would be doing my wt. lifting/cardio more consistently.
If the sun would just shine a few more days/wk!

Cafe: How great to be able to vacation with your mother. Mine would love that kind of a trip, also, but I doubt my father would ever take her and I know I can't right now... I didn't realize your trip was so soon. OF COURSE your mood is related to your excitement! Have a great time!:cool:

Huntress: I figured you had alot of sun...how are things going? Going to LV anytime soon? The time changes back on April 3rd and I can't wait. I can walk outside on our sidewalks again with darkness or freezing temps! Are you getting alot of rain with these weather patterns coming from your area? Your job sounds really busy...

Jello: you are so darn funny! I didn't realize other people weighed at those times, also...:s: It's so darn tempting! It doesn't sound like you are taking time off....just trying to lessen some of the stress of these programs at this time of the year. WE are all there in one way or another....just not always admitting to it. :^: I need to climb on my treadmill this pm, also, and try to finish a few chapters in my book. That's my incentive....I save my book reading till then.

SEMO: Your friend is so fortunate to have you at this time in her life....alot of people tend to avoid friends that are/have been sick because they can't handle it emotionally. You seem to handle it beautifully....:queen:

Dyan: Just where are you? I miss you....

Tiger: Hang in there...I'm sure there will be good and bad days with your father's illness, but, one day at a time, you'll make it thru. :grouphug:

Hi to everyone else and hope you all stay warm and healthy.

"Bright"

[SEMO]

Good Morning and Happy Friday! :dance:

I did leave about 10:00 am yesterday and had a two hour lunch with my friend. It was great and really enjoyed it. Then got my hair cut, feels much better.

Gosh, I keep getting interupted, you would think that they would realize that I have to post here first thing in the mornings.

DNW, who would have thought that you could get excited about a snow blower! Don't show your excitement around DN or he will be buying you all sorts of power tools for gifts. :dizzy: Actually I love tools, not that I'm good at using them but I like to try. Should have been a carpenter, only one draw back, I'm scared of heights. :o

Weighed this morning and haven't shown a lost but my waist band is looser so I'm pleased that I am making progress in inches. I have to do a brag.. when I started this exercise program (25 days ago) I could only do 2 or three girl pushups and this morning I did five full bodied pushups. And I cand do twenty girl ones without stopping. WooHoo......... I am getting much needed upper body strength at last.

Well, guess I better get to work so I'll check back later.

[Jello]

Hi everyone and happy Friday!

Pausing to picture Semo doing all those push-ups... :strong: Woo Hoo! You go, girlie! :bravo:

Tig, actually, it's the before the toilet weigh-in and the after the toilet weigh-in and ooh, if I could only come up with a way to combine toilet and scale, I could....

:o Never mind. That's just too weird.

BTW, Semo, I'm getting my hair cut next Tuesday. I can't wait. It's amazing how much of a difference it can make in how you feel, isn't it?

Nurse, did you get to use the snow blower? The "big storm" was a bust out my way. (Not that I'm complaining!) Got a couple inches and drove to work in some slush this morning but the sun's out (finally!) now. Hope it melts more of this :censored: stuff. Just in time for the next snow coming Saturday night, right? :(

Well, it's Friday and we all know what that means for Jello. The challenge of eating right over the weekend. :stress: We've got plans of painting, pulling up carpeting and sanding and refinishing wood floors tonight and Saturday. Sunday is a big ol' fund-raiser for MS at the VFW. Should take most of the day but I'm hoping to keep busy and stay away from the "snackies".

It's end of month here so that means busy busy busy. Have to run. But not before I get to wish you all a Happy Weekend!!! :D

[Tigerlily]

After the Hair Cut Weigh-In! :lol:

[SEMO]

DNW: March 1st tomorrow, how about a new thread to start the month.

Tig, haircut didn't help, but then I ate Mexican for lunch yesterday too! How about one foot off, then change feet..... my scales weight different depending which way you lean.:lol: I usually take what ever number is 2 out of 3.

Jello, so what do you imagine that I look like? Well, I do sort of look like that little smiley.... very round! ;)

[Jello]

Tiger, :lol: :lol: :lol: Too funny!

[DNW]

Ok my girlies...please go to the new March Booty Camp Thread # 1

[QuilterInVA]

Hello, ladies! I am back - and my 30 days turned out to be 5 so I'm back on track. Ate what I wanted during the quilt show, climbed on the old scale this morning - and hadn't gained anything. Big sigh of relief and now down to the serious work of losing. The sun is shining, the temperature is rising, and I can go back to walking at lunch time.

The quilt show was wonderful. I enjoyed my class and had a great time white-gloving (showing the quilts). As always, I've come away with renewed resolve to have one of mine hanging there next year. There were around 300 spectacular quilts - mostly art quilts, not bed quilts. Don't see much traditional stuff in the shows anymore.

I have a stack an inch thick waiting for my attention this morning, it's the end of the month in addition to the weekly reports, that special project will have to be worked on, and I'm back in the groove.

[Tigerlily]

Hey Girlie! Come to the new thread. :p