40-Somethings - 40 somethings September Week 2 chat

Good morning chicks! My turn to start the new thread! Hope everyone had a great weekend! Fall sports started for us so DD had soccer and volleyball! Dinner out last night with some friends. Tutte Mare is not a good choice and I am feeling it this morning. I think it's what Newleaf called the food hangover! Did get up early and rode the bike, now I'm off to work. Happy Monday!

Carol - your determination to get up early and work out is amazing! Funny, I KNOW it works, and it sets such a positive tone for the whole day ... but it's probably my awfulest bugaboo. I did take one step toward it - I committed this week to only hitting the snooze once. And I did get the trash out last night instead of scrambling this morning. Now to get lunches made the night before, too ... and that will free up enough time to get in some exercise. I've been following your bathroom remodeling notes - pictures? :)

I still have to finish reading last week's thread, so I'll post more in a bit. :)

Well, I did have a slight weight hangover this morning; it was those damn nuts after the 35 min. on the treadmill. I intended to do an "easy stroll" but I set the machine on random and read my LARGE PRINT BOOK (still doing that!), and it turned out to be pretty vigorous. Afterwards, I decided that I hadn't had really any protein during the day other than 1 tsp. almond butter, so I opened a bag of nuts "to just have a handful". I need to master this nut demon, come up with a strategy to PUT THEM AWAY before I start with my first serving, and then distracting myself when I am done eating them so 1 serving doesn't turn into 4. Ack!! :o

But overall, the weekend didn't do too much damage; I weigh less than I did at the end of last weekend, and so that's really the downward trend I'm looking for.

Have a great week, everyone!

ICUWishing I really can't force myself to get up early to exercise, either... But I am trying to be really diligent about exercising once the boys go to school, BEFORE I start working (I work from home), doing errands, or really anything else. So with that, I need to finish my coffee, do a little "urgent" work, and then go hit the elliptical.

Marie: Yay! Love the scale photo. That is definitely a picture-worthy moment.

ICUwishing: good job on getting back on track!

newleaf123: yay for a downward trend week to week.

dmc2009: way to go with peppers for a late night snack!

Onmyway: sending good wishes for a speedy completion of your bathroom. Good for you for morning exercise -- probably the best cure for a food hangover!

I lost about half of yesterday's dramatic weight gain, so feeling a bit better about life! Today should be less challenging. Thanks, everyone, for your support and kind words!

Marie - congrats on the "4"s! You have worked long and hard for this. Enjoy!

gardenerjoy - fortunately, those fast weight gains are usually gone pretty fast with a few days of good eating.

newleaf - I had a bad "nut" day this weekend, too. I also only meant to have one serving, but it turned into 4 and gave me an "up" day instead of a "down" day on the scale.

ICU - one step at a time! I'm also trying to get more things done in the evening and to then have easier mornings. It's not so hard for me, but the ds's add a lot more complications. This morning they were wrestling on the couch and things got out of control. Sigh. Short of locking them in their rooms, it's hard to stop the constant competition.

dmc2009 - that's a good idea for zero calorie snacks after dinner. It sounds like an idea I should incorporate into my plan. Hmmm..

Yesterday, I was at two events that served cake and I didn't eat any. In the first one, I cut and served cake to 100 people and I didn't have even a nibble. Instead, I had a 1"x1" Rice Krispie square which would have very few calories in comparison to even a small slice of cake. I was rewarded by being down a half pound this morning. That felt good!!!!

newleaf - I'm still coming to grips with the idea that exercise has to be the same level of commitment as food. Sigh. :)

gardenerjoy - congrats on flushing out the sodium bloat! Water's wonderful!

Marie - when I can take the same picture, I am going to make a bunch of copies. One will be posted in the pantry, one on the fridge, one inside the chip drawer, and one on the bathroom mirror. Getting under "a buck fifty" is a huge accomplishment - on top of a spectacular weight loss already. You go, girl!

dmc - great choice on the snack - that is how thin people eat! Ditch the negativity - there's nothing impossible about a pound a week, especially with the hard work you're putting in. She's just envious of your commitment. :)

pres - Excellent! You are one strong woman! Apparently everything went very well with Mom! I'm so glad mine is also doing a weight loss project right now - it's cut way down on the temptations. She has ways of finding delightful little "treats".

OMW - I'll be in Bay City on Thanksgiving day, but my mom lives in Shelby Twp and I expect we'll be there on Friday. If you're going to be there more than one day, we might be able to work something out!

patch - that b'day dinner sounds YUMMO.

mystical - you don't need luck to work out! You can do this. Give it a couple weeks and you'll wonder why you were nervous about it. :)

wlw - Hang in there. It WILL move. You've made some significant changes to the way you eat, and sometimes it takes a while for the bod to realize it. Patience! All experiments seem to require at least 3 weeks of evaluation time.

hyrda - have fun with the babysitting!

newleaf - I'm still coming to grips with the idea that exercise has to be the same level of commitment as food. Sigh.

This is the hardest part about the whole journey though why did it take me all summer to figure this out?

So trying to up the exercise & get back into running 3x/week- but I'm having motivation issues :o

Marie- love the scale shot! Congrats!

Had a great workout day that involved 20 min of running & 70 min of walking- trying to keep the scale from going up as I wait from TOM to arrive

But it sounds like everyone's week is off to a great start! Way to go ladies!

The books I ordered for my 15 pound loss reward came today. One of them is on gluten free eating and looks like it has some good recipes in it, the other one is the exercise program called Callanetics and I remember having this book and doing the exercises almost 20 years ago!

ICU - yes, everything went pretty well with my parents. I even managed to lose 2 pounds while they were here. My mother has said some extremely hurtful things to me in the past, but it usually only happened when I was feeling vulnerable. Since I'm feeling pretty strong right now, I don't seem to attract the same kind of comments.

CanadaMel - good work with the exercise! I found that after a couple of months of regular exercise, I now crave it.

Hydra - would love to hear how the Callanetics work out. I remember them from the past, too.

I had my job interview yesterday. I think it went ok, but I don't know how I stack up against the others being interviewed in terms of experience.

One bad thing was that a woman who I had to terminate in my last job now works at this place where I had an interview. We saw each other as I was waiting to go into the interview room and it really shook me up. She's obviously got the same horrendous attitude that got her in trouble before (she's been "let go" from 4 jobs in a row). Shortly after she saw me, I saw her take one of the interviewers into a small room, no doubt to tell her how awful she thinks I am. I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I'm offered the job. The good thing is that they will decide by Friday, so I won't have to wait long.

PresMaggie, bummer about the woman you saw. But if I were the interviewer and someone took me aside to bad mouth someone I interviewed and liked, I would not think badly of the interviewee, but the person. Don't worry.

ICU, last night I made a bit of of a differnt choice, but it was still low calorie and not bad. I had a piece of low cal bread, a smidge of almond butter and just a dab of agave nector and half banana. It was just enough... but it scared me, it felt too decadent, but I know I didn't go over my calories.


Gardener, it's peppers tonight for sure!

OWY, hope all is going great with you!

I am hoping for another pound this week gone!!!!:carrot:

Pres - I wouldn't worry about that woman, I'm sure EVERYONE knows how she is.

Had another GREAT long weekend with Mack. He's back to work today and I'm headed to Vegas for the night. Meeting with a friend for a hike up Mary Jane Falls and will be back tomorrow evening.

The scales have been moving so slow but I am getting close to being a "normal" weight (140.8) and then the 130's are right after that. I have never really considered myself on a diet this time and looking back on the last 9 months I truly feel that I have made a life style change. I will never be one of those that works out everyday, I can't see myself ever giving up my poolside beer and Ben & Jerry's is still a favorite. What I have found is "balance" and it's a GREAT feeling.

Hope you all have a good week, I'll be back to posting on Thursday.

Easy come, easy go - back to 154.0, thank goodness, despite TOM. I ate 1300 carefully-chosen calories yesterday. Funny how as the setpoint moves, so does the "alarm threshold". Going back above 155 practically induced panic!

pres - I totally agree with DMC there - they are probably already highly aware of this person's limitations, and the fact that you've clashed with her may actually increase their estimation of you.

dmc - that DOES sound good! It would send me into an awful carb spiral, though. :) My idea of a snack is something like a piece of cheese or an avocado, or the dreaded nuts. I've discovered that 25 pistachios, counted out (and bag re-closed and tucked away) take a while to eat and have far fewer calories than one would think. My plan's kinda screwy, but hey, it works! Low-fatters run screaming in fear when they hear what I eat. :D

Hydra - I think the best rear view I EVER had was when I was in college and picked up my Callanetics book again. It works. Period!

Hey guys, nothing exciting to report over the weekend expect my cateract surgeon saw me again and says I'm healed so I don't have to see him again. He played around with some lens called prisms which tilt the angle of what I see in one eye to match the other but referred me to another dr who speciaizes in this which would help with the double vision.

Hubby is doing well. The swelling on the side of his head is almost gone.

Presmaggie, YEAH on the scale showing you reward for your excellent choices. Rice Krispie bars are really pretty low in cals so you did great. :carrot::carrot::carrot:YEAH on the 2 pound loss!!!!! I’m sorry that the attitude teminate-ee was employed at the interview workplace. Perhaps if they don’t see through her attitude and adore her, you wouldn’t want to work there. At least the timeline is short.

OMW, welcome to the morning exercisers. I don’t think I can handle a day without it anymore. This morning as the doggies and I did a 2 mile walk, I kept pointing my headlamp up to the dark sky. The stars were brilliant and the sliver of a moon was so beautiful. It was awesome. Even after the scale decided to give me the 150 this morning, the day can’t be ruined with the blood pumping on a beautiful starry morning. :dizzy:


Newleaf, I “know” nuts are healthy but they are so loaded with calories and tasty, they’re too easy to overeat so I tend to stay away from them. But give me some almonds or cashews, I don’t think I could stop either.

Joy, I’m glad the scale is being kinder. Keep at it and it will be kind more often than nasty. Mine is NEVER nice every day. Women's bodies fluctuate too much for being stable day to day.


ICU, have you experimented with exercise? Like really trying to find what you really like to do? Just putting on your fave music and dancing around the house as you do cleaning or whatever counts. Once you’re hooked on the feeling good high, it’s impossible to give up. I’d give up food way before I’d choose to give up exercising. :D

Canada, if you’re not motivated to run, why run? If I were told to run 3X/week, I’d seriously come down with a debilitating cold. :o Now tell me to elliptical 5X/week and walk 7X/week (my routine) I’m there and ready to play. :DExercise is like food – you’ve got to find out what you like. Of your great workout yesterday, I’d really like the 70 min of walking.;)

Hydra, enjoy your reward. The books sound interesting!

DMC, great choice on your snack. Isn’t it awesome when decadent is also low calorie???

Cruise, you hit it on the head – balance. Great word choice. I’m with you on the foods. I love my nightly ice cream cone. I’m obsessed with Breyers Cherry Choco Lover ice milk. I fell in love with it way before my weight loss. My cone size has gone down to the real serving size, but no one can get me to give it up. I pair it with Oreo cone and the 170 cone is my nightly treat. Eight every night. Of course, unless I ate too much during the rest of the day and the 170 is out of my budget. But as I LOVE my cone, I do anything to stay under the cals. That’s balance in my life. Choices.

So finding the before pics and a current one is harder than I thought. I will keep working on it.
Marie

pressmaggie - I hope your career plans work out for you. It is so hard to find a job, let alone a good job these days. Good luck to you.

dmc - good job of keeping those calories low, it is not easy some days.

cruiseCAT - I like your attitude. You are doing a really great job.

penguin - good to know that you and hubby are doing well.

I had a doctor visit this morning and he was thrilled to see I had lost 20 pounds since my last visit. He decided not to put me on meds for my high triglycerides and he did another blood test to check them.

marie - don't get me wrong - I LOVE to swim and I will keep swimming. The issue becomes the time involved, esp with getting back and forth to the pool. I'm pretty much at the point where I'm going to be forced to give up sleep, because there truly is no other room for anything to budge. Simple fact - when between work and the commute, you're out of the house for 11.5 hours a day, and you need to sleep 8 hours a night ... it becomes a real time management headache. I've told DH that what we need is another wife in the house. :D The heck with gay marriage - I want polygamy legalized.

hydra - congrats on the medical improvements! I have an appt w/my doc in mid October, and if I can walk in there under 150, my head will be high!

patch - woohoo! Peepers repaired! My spouse has a prism in his glasses - he says it made a huge amount of difference getting that fixed. I hope it works as well for you.

Cruise - yup. Balance. I can't say I've done anything since the first of the year but figure out how to find that balance. I could probably give up ice cream forever (if really forced), but when I want a beer, by gawd, it will be there! :) And none of that nasty lite stuff either - I'll save those calories for a Guinness, which ironically works out to about the same as the bowl of ice cream (premium stuff). "Normality" is indeed a wonderful threshold to pass over - so far it's been the most significant one on my list!

Once again it took me awhile to find the new thread...but here I am...

Hey everyone! Always glad to see this thread hopping. You all keep me motivated. Thanks!

Broke up with my bathroom guy today! Paid him his money and sent him on his way! It is finally done and it looks great. I'll post a pic or two soon.

Up early to ride again this AM and I'll be walking with my neighbor this evening. I was down a pound this AM but will wait a day or 2 to change my ticker to see if it sticks. I do not like getting up early but I am forcing myself because I know it is good for me.

Inspired by onmyway posting pics- I've posted some pics here to document my halfway point:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/mini-goal-photo-album/181805-halfway-there-40lb-down.html

Canada you are doing great!!!! Glad to see the pics!
OMW, good job on the loss!!!

Mel, You look great! Thanks for posting your pics, It's very motivating to see how well others are doing. Makes us all believe that we can too! Hope everyone has a great day! Picture day at school today, off to find something cute to wear!

OMW - congrats on the bathroom! Check that one off the list! We have school pics next week - DS10 oughta take a good one - he's lost 3 teeth in one week. :D
Mel - WOW. Just ... WOW!

Back to ticker, finally - now I can get back to business. I've managed to get out of bed by 5:40 for 3 days in a row now. I joined a pledge on the Maintainer's Forum for a candy-free Halloween. I figure if I can "own" Halloween, it will be a great step toward the holiday season. Most of us are, however, distinguishing between the junk candy and our beloved premium dark chocolates ... :lol: ... and a few are only swearing to go off-plan for just Halloween night only.

CruiseCAT - so close to the 130's! Congratulations!! That must feel great.

ICUwishing - I like your snack plan. Pistachios are so good and it sounds like a plan to count some out and put them away. I often have trouble with keeping my portions reasonable.

patchwork - glad you're both on the mend. How bad is the double vision?

Marie - your morning walks sound divine. I miss mine, but I don't like to walk in the dark.

Hydra - did your doctor expect your triglycerides to be lower due to the weight loss? Just curious since I have issues with some of my blood levels and I've lost 20 pounds, too.

Onmyway - would love to see pics of your new bathroom. I'm planning to do that in the next 5 years.

CanadaMel - you look great in your pictures! It must feel good to see such a change.

Jacque - glad you found us.;)

dmc2009 - good luck on the pound!

Thanks for the kind words about the job interview and a certain person. My stomach has been in a knot since I saw the woman, so I'm not sure it would be good for my health to work there, even if I was offered the job. It was a really, really bad situation at the previous job and she's a big time bully. I feel sick just thinking about it.

onmyway - good job on the weight loss, congrats.

presmaggie - yes my doctor expects to see a lowering of my cholesterol and triglycerides. I will let you know about the results. He is testing me again in about six weeks as well.

I have been up since 5am with ibs issues. I think it was the regular crackers I ate yesterday, seems like this gluten allergy is stronger than I thought. I will be more careful today and the rest of the week.

I am just going to eat fresh fruits and veggies during the day as my bf has warned me that he is cooking dinner tonight. He plans to grill out steak and have mashed potatoes, corn and garlic bread. I am glad he gave me a heads up so I can plan ahead of time for this heavy of a meal. Pete has been very supportive of my weight loss and he is encouraging me to stay on track. He has a fondness for chocolate shakes and he has cut back recently on his consumption of them and has lost about ten pounds! He is of average weight for his height and generally has good eating habits.

presmaggie: good for you on dealing with the cake and your mother! I once lost weight on a Disney World trip by making Mickey Mouse rice crispy treats my only sweet choice. And yay for the good interview. I'm with dmc2009 and others, the woman with the horrendous attitude is more likely to have helped your cause than hurt it. Of course, I guess her presence makes it tricky to know if you even want the job. Or to work in the kind of place that would have her around.

ICUwishing: thanks for this rule of thumb you gave to wlw: allowing 3-weeks of evaluation for experiments. That's very helpful.

Hydra: I also remember Callanetics. Let us know how you like it! Yay for the doctor's visit. Impressing my doctor is one of my motivators. He's so good about getting excited about it! Hope your tummy feels better.

CruiseCAT: I love that you're going to Vegas to hike! I'll bet there are gorgeous hikes there that most tourists never see.

Onmyway: congrats on the completed bathroom! Looking forward to pix.

CanadaMel: thanks for the progression pix -- those are always so inspiring. You look great!

I didn't post yesterday because I was the designated driver for my brother's endoscopy and we had to be at the hospital before I would normally be out of bed! I didn't log on to the internet at all until last night.

My 5 lb weight gain from Saturday to Sunday is all gone and I hit a new low today! I suspect that's almost as artificial as the high number was and it will be awhile before I see another new low, so I'm going to enjoy it today!

Everyone seems to be doing awesome! Sorry I've fallen behind on the personals but I had 3 nights of sleep issues that totally messed me up. I walked 4 miles total yesterday, including a full mile on the treadmill during my lunch break. Yes, I also ate lunch : ) It has been two full weeks with no take out or retaurant food...still no movement on the scale. I'm really discouraged, I started this whole weight loss thing in earnest last October. My goal was to lose 40 lbs before my 45th birthday this October so I can finish my reconstructive surgery. Total lost in 12 months = 8lbs! I spent 6months working out in the gym religiously 3 days a week and walking 5 days a week before my back problem kicked in. I did lose 2lbs during the 4 months I couldn't workout...but here I am, nowhere near my goal after a full year. I'm going to order a home scale so I can weigh myself daily on the same scale, at the same time everyday, as well as a food scale, both as early birthday presents. But I'm just feeling really bummed out about the whole thing...and the hip/leg pain has returned a bit but I don't want to give up my walking! I'm not giving up, but am feeling kind of defeated today : (

Hydra, now there is a big victory. The dr’s big pat on the back. Congrats and avoiding a prescription drug is awesome!!!!:carrot::carrot::carrot:

ICU, LOL!!!! :D:D I get the time issue. I got up at 4:30 today to do the elliptical in the morning so I could make my appointment this afternoon and not miss exercising. Sleep did go out the window. I’m lucky I have my exercise in my house. If I had to add travel, I couldn’t do it. So I do understand.

OMW – yeah – completed bathroom!!! Good job on getting up early.

Mel, great progress pics and I am so impressed you did your current in a swimsuit. How awesome is that???:dizzy:

Presmaggie, I can understand not wanting to walk in the dark by yourself. I have 3 huskies to protect me. We came across a cougar last spring that made me breath quickly and shallow but we moved along (BTW, I will never get the image of his eyes in my headlamp out of my mind – it was coolest green). Yesterday all three dogs lunged at a SNUNK :o, and dragged me a foot closer before I yanked back and directed them elsewhere. Why we weren’t sprayed I’m not sure. And working with bullies – if you want the job – just know it is illegal for her to make a hostile work environment. Don’t back away from a potential wonderful job because of the playground bully.

WLW, :hug:I can't set number goals because I can be the most perfect angel and never screw up calories and exercise like a banshee and my weight will come off at its own speed. I've been on my journey since April 25, 2006 so my weight loss has not been speedy. I just know it's going the right direction - just like yours is. The food scale is the most important kitchen appliance I own. I'd had a chinzy one until Hungry Girl had a link for the one they use in their kitchens. Amazon had it for $25 and it's awesome. It's accurate to a a gram. Also you can turn it on, when it reads 0, then you put your plate on it, then TARE to 0 again so that you don't have to do math. It's awesome. I can send you the link if you want.
Joy, yeah on the new low!!! :carrot: Isn’t it wonderful how persnickety the scale is?

Marie

Thanks Marie, the link would be appreciated. Also any feedback on affordable digital bathroom scales. Just looking at all the options is overwhelming!

Well, yesterday was hard. I had planned to have a salad when I got home but was in a rush, so I just had a small piece of fish. When I got back from a meeting at 9:00 I was starving so I made a very low cal sand. Then I got insomnia and ate a couple of sugar free popcycles. I hope that I am not going to see that late night on the scale on saturday.

Today, back to really good eating all food from home and for dinner a burger without the bun and some greens/tomatoes. Maybe a protien type burger, I can do that. I will use the lettuce as the bun! Wow, why didn''t I think of that before? lol

Just got back from morning break, I walk and now walking again at noon. No gym tonight, but hopefully, tomorrow night if all works out well.

It has been so hectic.

Good luck to all!

Hello all!

This has been a crazy busy summer. We had almost every single one of our out of town friends come through - waaaay too much socializing! ;) I also painted my whole apartment, redid the finish on the wood floors and spent tons of time out in the garden. I feel like I just stepped off a merry-go-round! I have not had time to sit and catch up in quite some time. :o

I managed to prove to myself that I really *have* turned a corner with my attitude toward eating. With all this socializing and eating out, I thought I was just asking for some of my lost pounds to come back. I was so happy to be proven wrong. I honestly did not want to overeat, and I kept my portions reasonable, not through some huge effort of willpower, but because eating reasonably is how I wanted to eat! Wow!

I have come to the dreaded closet clear-out phase though. I've now lost over 50 pounds, and I have nothing that fits. Zilch. Zip. Nada. Fortunately, I have found a fantastic second hand clothing store nearby, so I am able to get some nice things without breaking the bank, but I still need new undies and bras. Somehow I can't bring myself to buy a used bra... :p

My dance classes have started back up after a six week break. I'm so happy to be back at it, but ouch my legs! I was using my elliptical during the break, but it doesn't use all the muscles that I use while dancing. So - ow!:D

WLW - I have to second what Marie said about the weight loss happening in its own good time. I have been fat for over 15 years, and in that time I tried and tried and tried again to lose a certain number of pounds by "some specific date". It never worked and all it did was convince me I was a failure and doomed to be heavy for the rest of my life. Some people are lucky and can lose weight quickly and easily and keep it off. The rest of us have to settle for the slow and steady way. I have been working towards my goal for over two years now, and while I wish I could do it faster, that isn't what works for me. I set realistic goals now, without a date attached, and it is so much better for my morale. You have managed to lose 8 pounds, and while that isn't what you wanted to lose, it's still great! You have proven to yourself that you CAN do it!

It's good to see everyone had a great summer!

BP

bopeep - WELCOME BACK!!!!! Congrats on living the thin-person lifestyle all summer in spite of, well, summer ... :D

I managed to make myself workout this afternoon 30min of easy cardio, this is what I get for slacking off this summer, I'm not motivated to workout and when I do it wears me out. But at least I finally did something.

OMW, Glad to hear your bath is finished. Looking forward to those photos.

ICU, Judging from the width of the piece of glass he had me try the prism may not be very comfortable to wear after all. I was thinking a light pair of glasses...

Maggie, I can see fairly well until I try and concentrate on something such as reading then one line superimposes on the other and I get confused; I can read with one eye closed but not for long. I've 'picked up' crochet again. I had to quit a few years ago because I just couldn't see the stitches. I enjoy crochet more than knitting and was sorry to give it up. I enjoy making baby things, probably because they go so fast and are adorable! I found several hospitals across the state than I can donate the preemie and baby things to. I've done that before and its always fun.

So I went to the doctor today and in addition to being weighed, they measured my height. It turns out I am not 5'7" but only 5'6 1/4"... I always thought I was 5'6 until a life insurance physical insisted I was 5'7". Oh, well...

The doctor is concerned by my low iron. It's been low since I was in high school so it's not something I've ever worried about, but he sees that it has dropped to even lower since the last time I had a blood test 2 years ago, and is sending me back for more tests.

The other thing he is concerned by is my low heart rate. It's another thing that I always knew was low, but I thought in a good way. I remember it being in the low 60s. Well, it turns out that anything below 60 is not normal and 2 years ago I was 57, now I am 52. It wouldn't be cause for concern for an elite athlete (which I'm not!) so he's concerned about that, too.

Sheesh! The only reason I wanted a physical was to make sure my cholesterol levels are okay, which they are -- great, even.

Thanks ICU! I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised that my weight loss continued in the right direction with all the summer fun. :D

Newleaf - Yikes! It's always good for a bit of anxiety when your doc finds something new to add to the 'things to watch' list!

penguin - great for doing the cardio! :woops: Getting that habit established is soooooo hard!!

BP

Here's the before... Grandma - Eeks. Grandson - adorable!
http://www.mariesdogs.com/images/marieethan5wks.jpg

Now today's shot...
http://www.mariesdogs.com/images/marieandhuskies.jpg

OK, so, yes I'm wearing my too big clothes today but alas, I don't have much that is my new size. But you get the idea. Also, the current is my natural hair color. I used to dye my hair in years past but don't anymore. I did the dying stuff I think to try to look "pretty" but the weight wasn't going to allow that.

And my favorite shot DH took this afternoon...
http://www.mariesdogs.com/images/frame.jpg

Marie - Wow!! What an incredible change you have made; you look like a completely different person! And your dogs, they suit you -- you're all beautiful!

Marie - you look fabulous & so happy with your pups. I would have never guessed that was you in the first photo. Looks nothing like you!

Had a busy day getting indoor soccer shoes for 2 kids & getting the 3rd signed up for dance lessons. She's bouncing off the wall she's so excited!

Thanks everyone for the kind compliments! Pictures don't lie (unless they're photoshopped!-LOL)

You look awesome. That pic of you and your babies is so pretty, you should frame it.

I love the pic of you and the baby, even though you are a little heavier, you still have so much love in your eyes for that baby too!

You inspire me.

Marie - I have to agree with Mel.... I NEVER would have believed that those two pictures were of the same person. You look AWESOME.

I have not read what I missed the last couple days, I'm sure I'll get a chance to do that tomorrow while taking it easy in bed. I had a great time in Vegas and our hike was AWESOME (pictures will be posted tomorrow); however, coming down I took a nasty spill and if the pain, swelling, trail rash, and bruising is any indication of how I'm going to feel tomorrow I don't think I'll be doing much of anything.

Looking forward to catching up with everyone tomorrow. Have a good night everyone.

CruiseCAT I hope you woke up feeling better than expected -- OUCH! I'm glad you had a fabulous hike, though!

gardenerjoy - congrats on your weight loss, enjoy! :carrot:

wlw - food scales come in handy and I too purchased a home scale, both of them help to keep me on track with my weight loss. :goodscale

bopeep - hi and nice to meet you. I am new as of this summer. Great work on losing 50 lbs. I have a nice Goodwill near me that has half off sales on the weekends! And I don't think I could buy used bra or undies either. :)

penguin - good job on the exercise. It is hard to get motivated most days for me too. I am trying to make it part of my daily routine, good luck to you! :exercise:

marie - You really look great! I adore the pic of you and your dogs! You look so different from the pic with your grandbaby, who by the way is totally and completely precious! :sunny:

Morning ladies, today is my busy day.

Bopeep,Welcome back!

Marie, speaking of adorable grandbaby, how old is he now? Great photos thanks for posting them!

Hydra, The added frustration to the exercise habit is I used to be very consistant with my exericse, but then summer hit and it all went downhill from there. But thanks for your encouragement! its great to know that I'm not the only one struggling.

On the topic of bras underwear, as I tell my boys, *everyone* deserves fresh underwear. I don't hand-me-down them from one son to the other, even though there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with them.

weightlosswanted: so sorry you're struggling and not seeing results. Hope things turn around for you soon.

dmc2009: sounds like you're staying on top of things, mostly, during a hectic time. Good for you!

patchworkpenguin: yay for getting back to the exercise!

newleaf123: being taller means your healthy weight range is higher! Hope things are okay with the iron and heart rate. It doesn't seem too surprising that both would go lower with the effort to lose weight, but too low isn't good.

Marie: thanks for the inspiring pix -- you look great! The last photo doesn't display your weight loss very well, but it sure is a lovely picture of woman with her dogs. Thanks for sharing it!

CruiseCAT: hope you're healing quickly!

bopeep: nice to meet you!

Hydra: good for you for working on getting exercise into your daily routine!

I get to do my favorite "workout" today -- walking and taking photographs at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

patch - just speaking from the incredible relief my spouse got from the prism, it might be worth a try. He had the same problem with reading that you do, with the lines overlapping. His glasses aren't anything ridiculous given the prism - and he's 20/400 plus astigmatism AND the prism! And great job DOING the exercise. It always sucks getting back, but if you can tough out a couple weeks, it always gets better!

newleaf - cool about the cholesterol! Iron's fixable, and a little more testing will just show that you're in great shape. Try not to freak! :hug:

Marie - I agree with everyone - what a difference! Besides being smaller, MUCH smaller! you just look so serene and content! Your puppies are almost as gorgeous as you!

Mel - sounds like you're going to be doing the chauffeur fun too - DS10 is busy w/swimming, choir, and piano. Piano's the killer for us - it's a 100mile round trip every Saturday!

Cruise - so sorry about your tumble!! Have Mack run out to a GNC or a health food store and get you some arnica gel - I swear by that stuff for faster healing, and the sooner you get it on the bumped bits the better! Owie.

joy - that does sound like an ideal workout! Be ready to share pictures, ok? Between Cruise's hike, and your garden, we'll have some great visuals!

I'm still on plan, and it's still working. I really do have to get moving on the exercise, though. My scale has a body fat calculator. I don't trust it for anything but relative measurements, but that figure has not moved in at least 10 pounds, which would seem to mean I'm losing just as much muscle as fat. I find that kinda grim!

Patch – Glad you are healed from the surgery and that there is hope for dealing with the double vision.

Heidi – One of the things I do with yummy stuff like nuts and my dark chocolate is to put servings in snack size bags and only eat them when I am out and about.

Hydra – That is EXCELLENT that the doc has decided no meds for your cholesterol.

ICU – Good deal on getting that appointment with the doc scheduled.

OMW – Woo Hoo on your break up, can’t wait to see pics. I will be making my calls today to schedule estimates. My sister suggested getting FIVE, how many did you get?

Mel – Love the progress pics, they are such a motivator. I stopped taking my weekly pics but have decided to start taking them monthly along with measurements.

ICU – LOL on DS. One of my favorite pics of DS was taken in 1st grade, he was missing his two front teeth. Halloween in the past was the start of packing on the winter pounds. Between all the holidays, parties, and travel I would usually gain about 10-15 lbs.

Joy – Vegas is such a cool place; besides the great food, shows, gambling, and people watching that Vegas is known for Clark County has an excellent Parks & Rec. department (that is VERY dog friendly) and the nearby mountains are beautiful. The scales can be funny; I have tried to only do my weigh-in on Monday but just can’t seem to stay off the scales. I have gotten better about the mood swings I would experience with a gain but it would be nice to lose the obsession

WLW – Having a food scale was a must for me. I never realized how far off I really was until I got one. Hang in there, I know you are not where you had hoped but you are making life changes and for some it just takes longer.

BoPeep – Good to see you again. Isn’t it great to get out there and enjoy life again? I love summer and being outside and the fact that I live in southern California I can enjoy outdoor activities year-round.

Well no surprise I am incredibly sore this morning. My fall was one of those that had the potential for serious injury and the fact that I’m just bruised and swollen with a few cuts/scrapes is a miracle. I fell/tripped over a tree root that pretty much ended up in a full body slam on the rocks. I hit my chin and how I didn’t break my jaw is beyond me, my sun glasses saved my right eye; I am sporting a bit of a black eye and my chin could have used a stitch or two but the butterfly bandages did a great job on closing my deepest cut. Both of my elbows have trail rash and little cuts as does my right knee and shin. The palms of my hands have little gashes and although my left knee has no scraps or cuts it is swollen and very uncomfortable. Like I said it could have been REALY bad.

The one thing I have to say is that getting out there and living life accidents are going to happen. I won’t be doing my planned hike this weekend but I will be back out there soon enough; I’m already planning my next trip to the same area to enjoy the fall colors and then again for some sledding this winter. Here is a link to my “hiking” album:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/574263020gZWXGI

The Mary Jane Falls are the first 22 pictures. FYI – the chocolate lab is Hogan’s brother, one of the "orphaned eight" I fostered last year. The three yellow labs belong to another friend who was out of town and it was our job to wear them out. I will be post more pictures of them in my “playdate” album.

ICU – Thanks for the Arnica suggestion I have never heard of it, sounds like some good stuff. Mack is now in Vegas so I will have to continue with the ice & heat.

As for the BF calculator I don't trust those either. I definately wouldn't let it bum you out.

Marie - WOW!!! What a difference. I agree, you look completely different from the old you - not just your hair and weight. You look years younger, and the shape of your face has changed a lot! And your dogs... I'm sure they're very dignified and all (when they want to be), but when I look at them, they look like such big fuzzy wuzzy puppies, all I want to do is go all mushy on them. They're soooooo cute!!!

Gardener - Hi! Yay - another obsessed gardener! DH and I love to spend the day wandering around our local Montreal Botanical Gardens. I've been busy outside finishing up with the last minute dividing and all. Today I have to cut back all the extra growth on the tomatoes (and then I get to make 'mater soup... YUM!) and start bringing all the tropicals closer to the door.

CruiseCat - Ouch! I hope you don't have any lingering 'leftovers' from your tumble. Generally I am not minding getting older, but the one thing that I really have noticed is that I don't 'bounce back' as quickly as I used to.

Hydra - Hi! It's great that you have a nice Goodwill near you! It really helps take the financial bite out of replacing your wardrobe.

It's funny about the used undies thing. In theory, after washing, they should be fine to wear, but I just can't bring myself to do that. There's this mental block with the idea of someone else's undies. Not going to do it! :D Fresh undies all the way! I'll just have to suck up the price and deal with it.

On the topic of undies... How do you chicks figure out your new size when it comes to panties? Do you just buy one pair of a couple of different sizes and go from there? Is there anyone else here that's roughly my height and weight (5'8" and 157 pounds) - if so, what size do you wear? I'm thinking maybe a 6??? :?:

BP

Hey, bopeep!

I'm pretty close to your height and weight, but my butt is a fluffy 41 " and my waist is 31 1/2". I'm very, very comfortable in my 7's right now. I tried on some brand new 6's that I bought by accident a few years ago, and I find them unacceptably snug. I need about another inch of loss in both spots yet. Hope that helps!

Cruise - I forgot one. If you have any ginger in the house, or you can get somebody to hit the store for you for ginger tea ... ginger is one of the most powerful natural anti-inflammatories in all of history. I steep shaved ginger root in simmering water for about 7 minutes and strain it before drinking. Natural remedies are one of my passions, and this one I can swear by. It works really well for sinus misery caused by allergies, and also for the chills. :)

WLW, here’s the link for the scale. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CM6TVI/ref=ox_ya_oh_product At first I didn’t think it worked right because when I was chatting with my DH on the cell, numbers would blip all over the place. I’d contacted the company and was going to return it. Then I realized it was only when I was on the phone, and only when I was using my Bluetooth headset. Don’t do that and it was awesome.

DMC, your late night snacking sounds healthy so I doubt you’ll have nasty scale results.

Penguin, I’m glad your dr. is trying to tweak your vision so reading would be easier. Double vision would be annoying and I’d think cause headaches. BTW, DGS is 3.5 years old. Great job on getting back into exercising. I wouldn’t be hard on yourself for the summer – you had TWO eye surgeries silly! :o


BP, YEAH!!! On a summer of maintenance. You give us hope that lots of socializing won’t screw us up. I feel your closet quandary. I look in mine and think I need to shop. But I have 15 pounds to go and I don’t want to buy anything. And used bras. Eeeeekkkkksssss!!! My doggies get me to get mushy on them all the time. The baby (smallest) is a big snuggler. I will tell them tonight that they’re fuzzy wuzzy puppies. Kai and Blizzard will like that but Kodiak will be indignant. ;)


Newleaf, I’m glad the cholesterol level goal was met. That’s excellent. It’s a good thing your dr. is checking the heart rate and iron. It’s better to be careful.

Everyone, Thanks for the compliments. What I saw in the standing picture is that I still need to lose weight. I believe my exact words to DH was “I’m still fat” so I think 15 more pounds is more than reasonable.

Canada, too funny on the photoshop comment. When I was cropping the standing pic, I thought about a Photoshop trick a pro taught me a couple years back – to stretch the photo very slightly (in my case vertically) to lose 10 pounds. :D It sounds like you are going to be mighty busy with your kids.

DMC, I adore my DGS. I thought having my kids was great but DGS sort of blows me away with how much I love him. Right now it’s very difficult as DD’s partner took him out of state and file for full custody. DH and I are now financing a custody battle. :( Funny thing is DD doesn’t want to fight; she wants joint custody in an amicable atmosphere. I’m guessing that’s the case for many in her situation.

Cruise, I’m glad you had fun in Vegas. But I’m truly sorry you got hurt. I think all of use in our 40s can understand. I remember years I could fall (rollerblades, bike, skis) and get up and go on my happy way. Not anymore. I hope you feel better quickly!!! :hug: But from the sounds of your post, that fall could have been a lot worse. And the pictures are great. I love the doggies drinking from the water bottle. My girls can do it but Kodiak chokes as he tries.

Hydra, I bet the Goodwill will come in handy quickly as you’re losing, especially on weekends.. I donate all my clothes to them as I lose, even bras – the ones with the sales tags still attached because I tend to buy and not wear. But I totally agree on the used ones.Used swimsuits as well.


Joy, I’m green with envy of your day’s plans.:p I love doing both walking and photography. I had the best time shooting photos at the Minnesota Gardens a couple years ago. Even inspired me to plant more flowers. Bambi loved them. :dizzy: Have a GREAT time today.

ICU, I think I’d use the pounds number and your tape measure. Body Mass Index is really only measured by that water weight measuring. There is no correct formula for body mass index except the dunking in the water tank. There are too many variables. See I did listen in college. :D Even the caliper method isn’t accurate. You are doing great and I bet 99.999% of your loss was fat.

So there was so much activity on the thread I’ve used up all my break time plus maybe a couple extra minutes. I will get back to work and stop pretending the work is an interruption to my typing.
Marie

ICU - I just measured myself and I'm pretty close to you (30 1/2" waist and 41" hips). I have mostly size 8 undies and they're so saggy that even DH laughs at them. Seriously droopy drawers!! :lol: I have a couple of size 7s and they feel kind of saggy too, but they're on the old side. I'll try some new 7s and see how they fit - with the elastic still strong they'll probably hold me until I'm firmly in 6 territory.

Marie - it is really hard to justify spending much money on new clothes when one is nearing goal! I don't have much choice though! I put it off for too long and I don't have any intermediate weight clothes (I think I was afraid to jinx myself by buying anything that wasn't my old size!).

I had a great day shopping for "new" clothes today. I am a size 10?!?!?!?! Ho-ley cow! :faint: I bought two pairs of pants, two skirts, three tops, a dress and a light fall jacket for only $50! :carrot: Then I went back this afternoon because they were getting the winter coats ready to go out when I was there earlier, but they weren't quite done. And I got *three* (!!!) coats! $40 for all three, and they're wool and stylish, and one of them is fitted! I have NEVER worn a fitted coat before, but I love the way they look on people with a waist.

BP

BP - GREAT DEALS!!!!

Where did you go?

I went shopping yesterday, too, and bought a bunch of tops to wear this fall. I figure if they fit now, they'll just be slightly too large by the end of the season. I also bought a pair of pants that *almost* fit, as a motivation, and a pair of shorts for next summer that don't fit at all. The two "motivators" cost $15 altogether, so I figured it was a reasonable price to pay for motivation.

Hey, bopeep!

I'm pretty close to your height and weight, but my butt is a fluffy 41 " and my waist is 31 1/2". I'm very, very comfortable in my 7's right now. I tried on some brand new 6's that I bought by accident a few years ago, and I find them unacceptably snug. I need about another inch of loss in both spots yet. Hope that helps!

So *this* is why I look so hippy -- I'm hippy! Ugh, I had a real hippy moment in the dressing room yesterday... My hips (ie, butt) are 42 1/2" and my waist is 30 1/2" -- ack!! As for the underwear discussion, I'm wearing size 8s. They are comfortable in all the openings, but they are kind of baggy across the front.

Embarrassing confession - one of the things that really motivated me to start losing weight was that my underwear were all too tight in the leg openings. I had actually taken scissors to them and cut the elastic to give me some breathing room. Definitely a sign that something needed to change! And also why my reward for losing 10 pounds was new underwear, which was super motivating!

NewLeaf, LOL... great confession, every deserves new undies.

Marie, thanks for the vote of confidence.

Just a drive by post tonight, I am exhausted. No gym today, but really being run ragged at night with homework, house work and dinner as well as lunches and all that. Gahhhhhh!

Good luck all!:hug:

Another drive by as well...it's payday and I've already ordered the food scale and a regular scale. Yesterday was a horrificly long day, most of it spent hopping buses to get to physical therapy, but it was worth it - I can get back on the elliptical machine! If y'all heard a thump it was me falling off the wagon, ended up at wendy's for lunch because it was the only place in walking distance where I could eat for under $3. However I got a kid's meal so it wasn't horrendous calorie-wise. Will try to get caught up on personals after work. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Half day of vacation planned today. My GF is here from WashDC and we're going to spend the afternoon doing lunch and catching up. The restaurant we're going to is called Mind Body Spirit, in Rochester. Google it if you want - it is incredibly cool (take note, OMW!!!) with organic foods and the "locavore" mentality. Then I'm going to spend the evening at a wine tasting at Whole Foods with other girlfriends. I expect that this will be a real challenge to track, but I'm going to do it.

WLW - the cash limitation was a ringer. I love the Mandarin Chicken salad. And the Chicken Grill sandwich doesn't fit too badly. The wagon will wait for you to get back on. It always will. :)

dmc - rest up!

newleaf - ahem ... you're not alone in having "modified" clothing at the fat phase. I repositioned a number of top buttons on my pants along with what you did! And yes, getting rid of those particular items of clothing was very sweet indeed. ;)

Cruise - how ya feeling today? Any better?

Enjoying the shopping tales! I'm going to have to do the same. While I'm rediscovering a lot of wearable slacks in the closet, the tops are ... in deep trouble. I'm good on sweaters ... but I'm going to have to cave in and do some shopping. I have $150 in gift cards to Macy's that I can burn - now that I'm firmly back into a Medium and probably will never be Small, I might as well get to it. NOT my favorite activity!

BP, it sounds like you had a great shopping expedition. WTG on the size 10. Your trip must have been really motivating. A fitted coat sounds fun.

Newleaf, I loved your underwear story. Mine was close in that I bought an extender for my bras.It was so uncomfortable I had no choice but to start to lose weight.


WLW, Wendy’s is the best for dieters. Their small chili is cheap both $$$ and calories. I did like the thump idea though. I didn’t hear it out in Oregon so the kids meal must have been not so bad. :o


ICU, never say never. I bought new M&M PJs from Avon (I’m M&M obsessed) and I looked at their measurements and knew mine fit in their small. I couldn’t bring myself to order small. So I ordered medium. Yes, they’re too big. Oh well floppy clothes is all of our specialty these days. Nothing to complain about.

I surprised my DH this morning. It was funny, at least me and my co-worker thought so… I get up about 25 minutes before him to walk the doggies. So when my alarm went off, he got up to use the bathroom. I jumped out of bed, made the bed and he comes out of the bathroom and just stares at the bed. :o I smile and say “Now you can join me on the walk”. :D He did and kept staring at the gorgeous stars. I think I was forgiven. Anyway it was nice to spend time with DH and the doggies.

My monthly zit has appeared on my face so TOM must be creeping nearby. :( At what age can these darn "teenage" problem go away for good????

Marie

CruiseCat - I went shopping at a second hand clothing store. We don't have "Goodwill" brand stores here in Canada (or at least here in Quebec), but we have similar stores. This store supports a charity that helps women in difficult situations (like recovering addicts, domestic abuse victims, etc..) get back on their feet. They have a lot of really nice stuff and it's super cheap!

Newleaf - :rofl: I did the same thing with a pair of undies at my heaviest! I bought a new skirt a few weeks ago that is a motivation item for me. It was on a clearance rack for some obscene amount off, and it had another take half off lowest price sign on it, so for $10 I got a beautiful $150 skirt. It's a size 8 and just a bit too small.

wlw - Don't worry about falling off the wagon! Every time I fall off, I use it as a reminder of why I want to stay on that darned wagon in the first place! :lol: Each time I fall off, I focus on how bad the 'fall' made me feel, and getting back on gets easier and easier.

ICU - That sounds like a great day! Enjoy the occasional food mini-splurge without feeling guilty - you are on track, you know how to adjust your meals to accomodate the extra calories, and relearning how to enjoy food as it should be enjoyed (quality not quantity) is such a good feeling! I love this new locavore trend! I've always tried to eat that way and have made a big effort to grow a lot of my own veggies. I'm so glad that it's catching on and becoming easier :D

I'm off to go grocery shopping at the big market here. Fresh produce season! Yum!!

I also plan on stopping by that used clothing store again. I'm heading out on a trip next week to help my brother with his gardening and I need some mucking around in the dirt clothes (and shoes). I miiiiiiight just check out the rest of their stuff again... ;)

BP

Marie - :lol: at your DH! I think mine would have strangled me and left the body for dealing with *after* he got up. My DH is NOT a morning person! He is soooo hard to get out of bed. :snail:

And pimples... Yeah, what's up with that? Do we have to wait until the 'factory' shuts down for good for them to stop? :?:

BP

ICU - Thanks for asking. I am feeling better today, even did a couple loads of wash. It's kinda funny, I keep finding additional bruises. I thought I had done a good scan in the shower last night but this morning I found that the inside of my right knee is bruised.

BP - I had a favorite store back in Virginia that had great stuff but haven't found anything decent here. When I was working being able to shop at a decent secondhand store really saved my budget.

Heidi - Time for my confession, my undies got so tight I stopped wearing them. I am currently in a size 7 that are so baggy and really need to be replaced but I don't want to buy any until I can surprise Mack with something other than "granny" panties. I'm thinking I'll go shopping when he is down in Mexico next month.

Marie - Good job getting DH out there with you. Mack is a runner so it's usually only on the weekends that I can talk him in to an extra walk.

We had planned to hike this weekend but being that I'm so sore that's not going to happen. The weather is suppose to be in the triple digits again so I'm sure we will be hanging by the pool.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

CruiseCAT: gorgeous pictures -- thanks for sharing your link! Hope you heal quickly!

bopeep: the tomato soup sounds yummy! We've got a little more time than you to get the tropicals indoors, but we're definitely working on a plan.

Marie: thanks for using your break to chat with us!

bopeep: congrats on the new clothes -- especially the fitted winter coat! I'm sure it looks great on you.

newleaf: love the underwear story!

dmc2009: hope you're finding a little time to breathe today!

weightlosswanted: glad the PT session was helpful and hopeful. And, yay, on the child's meal at Wendy's. I'm amazed how often the child's meal is plenty of food for me. Meaning, of course, that it's probably too much for a child!

ICUwishing: Enjoy your half-day vacation! Your plans sound lovely!

Marie: Your DH sounds like a good sport! Glad for you both that you had such a lovely walk this morning.

I haven't got the photos from my Garden walk out of my camera yet -- I'll post something later!

Cruise, you took a good tumble!
Garden, my life is so hectic. No time to rest and that is when I make bad choices is when I am so tired. ;-(

I have to share: Today I noticed a girl at work losing lots of weight. I asked her what she is doing and here is what she told me... * GASP *
She eats a Sweet and Salty granola bar for lunch and breakfast and then has a salad for dinner. No more than 1200 calories. She is losing weight, but can she sustain it? Is it healthy?

I am sitting here eating my eggwhites and my veggies with tomato and feeling pretty good about my choices.

But she is def. losing more than I am! ;-)
Wow

Thank you, everyone for sharing your underwear confessions. Who knew I wasn't all alone on that one!

Marie, very devious to get your DH out on a walk with you. I'm glad he was a good sport!

CruiseCat kick back and relax this weekend; you've definitely earned it!

DMC2009 wow, that doesn't sound like very much to eat, and she sure has got discipline! I hope she is able to keep the weight off...

I am afraid to have wine or saki tonight. I want some!!!

Last night I had a few chips so I feel like I was too bad for the wine, but its friday!!!

gahhhhhhhh

I survived my first mammogram! Since this is my baseline, I'll have to go back when they get the results?? But I did get to see my breast on the digital screen so that was pretty interesting {I guess?}

Afterwards I came home and cleaned house, then crocheted a NICU baby outfit. Its adorable; I'll have to get Hubby to post pics.

BoPeep. That sounds like a great place to go shopping. We have a few consignment stores {one even a plus size} but I prefer places like Ross and Marshalls.

Marie, I had to buy new larger size underwear this summer, and although I bought the same kind and went up a size, they seem smaller on me now than when I bought them, even though I weigh the same?? They are cotton so its possible they shrank. Or maybe I'm just nuts.

Despite all my whining, and the wendy's yesterday (better for lunch then dinner so I adjusted my food for the rest of the day) I actually, really and truly lost 2lbs between tuesday and today! Talk about doing my happy dance : ) And I got on both the elliptical and recumbent bike on my lunch break today! Killed me to have to start over from scratch on the fitness end, used to be able to rock out 3-4 miles at a good pace and resistance level on the elliptical, now I'm at 0 and half a mile in 6 minutes wiped out my legs. But I know I can build it back up.

On the shopping topic, I love goodwill and the consignment shops when I'm losing weight. I don't feel so bad donating the clothes back when I spent so little to start with. As for the zits, sorry ladies but my "factory" shut down 10 years ago and I still get them on a regular basis - even after taking accutane.
Cruise: so sorry to hear about your spill, glad you're feeling better. Like I told my kids years ago about roller skating - I don't go as fast as I used to because I know how much easier I'm going to break!

Everyone has been doing so well, I find it awfully encouraging to read all of your posts and stories. Thanks for the motivation and input!

PatchworkPenguin, I've never heard of going back to get the results of a mammogram. I have always gotten the results over the phone or through the mail...

I'm unplugging from the internet for a few days as part of a Fall Equinox retreat. Hope you all have a great weekend! Here's the first touch of fall color in St. Louis, taken yesterday at the Japanese Garden in the Missouri Botanical Garden.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3933286616_b5c7c8889b_o.jpg

Gardenerjoy, I love that picture, so comforting and relaxing.
Hat, I love goodwill and consignment too! Just better for the planet.

I have a feeling I am going to be able to do a 1 pound a week if I am lucky. It is so hard to lose weight, but I feel if I do it slowly maybe it will stick.

I did have sushi and saki last night, but stuck most to sashimi, no rice. Was pretty good!

Today, going walking and tomorrow doing the gym thing.

Staying on plan!:hug:

DMC2009 Oh, I envy you the sashimi... my favorite! Def. a better way to go from a calorie perspective, over sushi. But both are luscious. Especially in So. Cal. Not so much here in Pittsburgh, but we do our best.

GardenerJoy Beautiful picture, wonderfully framed. Definitely evoked thoughts of Japan for me.

CruiseCAT I hope your healing is going well, and new bruises aren't continuing to appear...

WeightlossWanted you've been working so hard, I'm glad the scale has finally vindicated your efforts!

BP, wow you got a great deal on that skirt. A wonderful motivator to get to the size 8. You are so close. BTW, I’d checked back here last night and told DH about your response about dealing with the body after he got up. ;) He and I found that too funny!

Cruise, ok you win!!! Your undie story was the funniest. :dizzy: Have fun shopping for non-granny panties next month. Cool reward. BTW, DH and I did your hike this morning for you with the doggies. I knew you were to sore so I thought I should be a temp replacement.

WLW, you’re quite right about the children and adult portion sizes in restaurants – both fast and slow food places. It’s little wonder America is fat. Great job on the 2# loss. :carrot::carrot: You’ll get your exercise groove back. Just keep at it and don’t push too hard.

DMC, she might not be going over 1200 calories but I’m guessing she isn’t even remotely close to 1200/day with a salad and 2 granola bars. I’m sure she’d dropping pounds now but she’s killing her metabolism :?: for the long run. Definitely feel great about your choices. You’re doing it the healthy way.

Newleaf, I’m betting none of is alone on our methods of coping with weight gain. I think we could write a novella of the “40’s Chickies and Their Hidden Undie Secrets”. :dizzy:

Penguin, my mom knits for her local hospital’s baby ward as well. The stuff is so tiny and adorable. Please post pics.

Joy, thanks for sharing you photo. It’s gorgeous. You have a very nice eye for framing your shots.

DH and I took the doggies out for a 2 hour hike. Blizzard is passed out on the couch but I don't think she overdid it (the bad, awful hips). We leashed her at the beginning so she wouldn't go nuts with the other dogs. The morning was gorgeous and the mountains pristine. Except since there's been no rain for quite a while, the trails were really dusty. I vacuumed my jeans after I got home before throwing them in the laundry. They were gross.

I've decided not to weigh for about 3 - 3.5 weeks. I'm at that border weight 149.5-150.5 and the daily fluctuations over that second number are irritating, even if it's only briefly. I lose the 3rd week of my cycle so I'm going to weigh again after that week. I should be away from the border and that would make me happy. I became a daily weigher because I'd play mind games on weigh in days and that was unhealthy. So I did it daily - no games to be had. This will be new after 1.5 years of weighing daily except on vacation. It was really weird this morning. I told DH if I start eating the fridge, he can make me weigh the next morning. :D I don't think that will happen as I lost weight when I was in Thailand for 3 weeks. But still, it's a new adventure. I HATE the border weight. Good thing my goal weight is 135, not 130 or 140. I'd go batty over the second digit fluctuating constantly.

Marie

Stopping by to say hi to my fellow Fabulously 40+ year olds. I know I'm a recent recruit to this age bracket but I am loving the ride thus far. Losing weight, getting in shape and enjoying life to the fullest is amazing!

Wishing all of you continued success and a wonderful and safe weekend. ;)

joy: love the picture! I miss the botanical gardens I used to visit in texas. I haven't figured out yet how to post a pic to the forum. Enjoy the retreat!
marie: sounds like a good plan...once I start weighing daily I find it hard to stop : )
cruise: I hope you're feeling better! I know I was still finding more bruises a week after my car accident, but was feeling much better at that point. I envy you being able to hike so many beautiful places : )
sunshine: good to see you!
penguin: good for you getting your 1st mammogram! everyone seems to have a different policy so I wouldn't worry about the followup on the results.

October is around the corner and is breast cancer awareness month. As a survivor I can't stress enough the importance of regular mammograms and monthly self-exams!

I went to the wendy's website and wasn't quite so impressed with my choice of a kid's meal, until I compared it to what I used to order at least 1x a week (though I haven't been to wendy's in over a year)

kids hamburger Meal: 520 cal, 18g fat, 78 carbs, 15g protein, 700 mg sodium

homestyle chicken sandwich combo w/ small chocolate frosty: 1440 calories, 50 fat, 209 carbs, 43g protein, 1910 sodium.

No wonder I gained back all 40lbs and couldn't lose it!!!

Marie, I like that idea of weighing on a weekly or bimonthy (maybe) schedule.
Maybe I will try that..

today not a bad today, but tonight I had some leftover mac and cheese. a cup!!! and some Wine!!! Ugh.

Tomorrow morning, hike!!

all in all, not a bad day because I was so good early on, just got so hungry that I did not want to cook when we got home! Leftovers beckoned!

Morning all. Its raining cats and dogs outside today, and supposed to keep raining until Tues. Sigh.

I've been doing better with my eating if not my exericse, I've been at the exact same weight for the past three days. I'm thinking of following Marie's example but I'm afraid curiostity gets the better of me in the mornings.

Newleaf, I think I have to go back just because this if my first one. Hopefully this won't be a regular thing each year.

Marie, LOL on Hiden Undies Secrets. I've found a lot of patterns online by doing a 'free baby chairty pattern' search. I tried to do this several years ago but didn't find anywhere in the area that was interested, or has someone who was 'in charge' at the hospitals that I could talk to, I guess its more popular now.

sunshine: good to see you!

Thanks. ;)