40-Somethings - 40 Something - November - Week Three Chat

I think you guys normally start your new thread on Sunday and since this is going to be kind of long, I figured I'd start the new one. I went to my yoga workshop this afternoon and I told you I wasn't sure what this was going to be all about-well it was intense. It was an introduction to the Yoga Sutras and then she integrated some of the themes from this ancient Hindu religious text into some of the physical aspects of yoga. All I can say is Wow! The Yoga Sutras are apparently written in the form of poetic verses which have been interpreted in various ways. It is a short book. Apparently has 4 chapters. She summarized it sort of like this: The first one is about acknowledging the darkness we all have within ourselves, the second chapter is about confronting the darkness and fixing it using various tools we have at our disposal.

One of those tools is finding balance in our lives. She used this as in intro into the physical part. We did a whole bunch of sun salutations to warm up and then she got us to try a whole bunch of wild balancing poses. See pictures, I hope. She then talked about the second two chapters which are she summarized as being about becoming grounded in your new life, shedding your old bad habits and sowing new seeds (like farmers), and lastly, becoming transformed individuals. She used these themes to get us to do some intense hip opening exercises. I'm not very strong, but I am flexible so I didn't do well with the balancing exercises, much better with the hip openers. She has inspired me to read the Yoga Sutras. Great way to spend my Sunday afternoon.

Great job at the meet ICU.

That sounds wonderful! I love yoga. It's the most peaceful feeling in the world to me.

Well, I got off my unmotivated butt and did a WATP video. Go me!

way to go petra and cassie! I hope I can start doing yoga again soon.

icu: good job on the swim meet, I'm so impressed!

Hi all, I've missed so much over the last 5 days that I can't even begin to catch up even though 3FC was down for part of it.

ICU, way to go on the meet. You did it and give yourself a great pat on the back - look how far you've come on this journey. When is the next meet?

OMW, :carrot::carrot::carrot: on the 2 pounds. You are rockin'!

Petra, it sounds like your yoga workshop was inspiring. What a great thing. I'm lousy at balance, great at endurance.

WLW, :hug: about your family situation. I hope your son begins to listen.

Giv, I hope you are doing ok and know that we're here to listen if you need to vent.

Cruise, I hope you're having fun on your trip.

Cassie, good job on WATP. Those are nice workout videos.

OK, my little brain has stopped remembering the comments I planned to make while reading all the posts.

Update on my life - the dermatologist went great. All skin concerns are nothing and I'm on the schedule for a recheck next year. Friday was the chiropractor and the facet joint/rib/spine is definitely out of whack. It was my first chiro appt as I'm used to a PT for dealing with this ongoing problem, but I didn't want to do the referral. Anyway, it felt pretty decent on Friday through most of today.

DH and I went to Crater Lake National Park snowshoeing yesterday. We went about 3 miles and there was 16" of fresh powder. Poor DH had to blaze the trail as my asthma couldn't take the elevation, cold and exercise. A triple whammy. Anyway, I trotted along without hardly raising the heartrate. Two years ago I could barely puff my way for 1.5 miles. Man, it was fun.

Today we used the tripod, self-timer and a lot of patience to try to get a Christmas picture of the pack and us. Now that was exhausting.

I posted pictures of both adventures on my website's photo gallery (yes, I just created that this evening). Here's the link... http://apps.mariesdogs.com/Gallery/

TOM has called upon me again and I keep wishing for menopause. Every month, the same old disappointment. :D So my weight has stayed the same. :( I have so many hopes of seeing the 13x range soon. 140.8 is the lowest I've been so far. Maybe in a few days.
Marie

Petra - glad you enjoyed the workshop - sounds like it was an interesting experience

Cassie - did yuo do your WATP video yesterday?

Marie - glad the dermatologist gave you an all clear and the chiro appt went well - amazing how far you have come, when you look back at where you were - and snowshoeing...wow!

LOVE the pictures!!!

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Woke up to another pound gone..18 pounds. I know Marie is pushing to get to the 130's, I'm laughing...i'm excited because I just pushed into the 230's! LOL - and it felt good. Goodbye 40's....

Today I start Week 5 of the C25K...another day, another workout. :)

Great pictures Marie. The site seems to be acting up again so don't know if we will be able to get on later.

Good morning and Happy Monday! DD woke up with a stomach ache so I was easily swayed to stay home with her from school. Sometimes you just need to spend the day in your PJ's!

Marie, I enjoyed your pics! The snow is beautiful. My favorite family pic is the one where the dogs are misbehaving and your DH is laying on the ground! I think it would make a great card! Glad your visit to the dermatologist went well. Now to just get that spine stuff taken care of!

Lambchop, Congrats on another pound! You should be celebrating, each pound puts you one step closer to your goal!

Petra, The yoga workshop sounds interesting! I have never done yoga but hear it is great for flexibility.

Cassie, welcome to our group! Way to make yourself get moving with the walking video.

ICU, great job on your swim meet! You should be very proud of yourself. Hope DS wasn't too miserable waiting for you!

Hope everyone has a great Monday! Hopefully the site will be working better soon. This has been a little frustrating!

omw - you go, girl! Good day for some peppermint tea and PJs. Best wishes to DD for it just being one of those temporary kid things. DS10 now fully understands why I choose to time at his meets :lol: !

marie - Thanks for the pics! Your family is delightful and I second OMW's suggestion about having a card made up with that pic. :) Great job on taking care of business with the dermatologist, and may you see rapid results from the chiro! Snowshoeing is on my list of things to try this winter, along with x-cntry skiing.

lambchop - yay! EVERY pound lost is a celebration, no matter where you are. It didn't fall off by itself - you worked for it!

Petra - you're making me want to take up yoga again. Sounds like you've got a great instructor who can put the exercise into context. What I remember most about yoga was the way it cleared my head for hours (which sometimes made the drive home a little interesting!)

Cassie - welcome aboard, and on getting off the couch!

Thanks to all for the support on the swimming! I'm glad to have this option back in my life, and to not be cringing at the thought of being in a swimsuit! Next meet won't be until January, when the season really gets going, so I have plenty of time to get stronger.

I've been less than rigorous about logging food this month, so my current focus is to get everything written down. Ticker is starting to creep in the wrong direction and I can't say with 100% confidence it's because I'm building muscle. With only 10 days to Tgiving, I need my good habits back!

ICU and OMW, I love the pic when the dogs knocked DH over. I put it on my work laptop desktop so I could enjoy it for a long time. DH wasn’t thrilled with that one for Christmas cards so we chose a different one, but I also had a 5x7 of it printed so I could frame it. :D


ICU, so you're getting started for your January meet? I think it’s so awesome you raced this past weekend. It’s like taking a piece of your life back, isn’t it. That’s the way I felt about downhill skiing – I’d stopped for about 5 years – too fat – and when I started back up I swore it was for good. I love it too much so I get your wanting/needing to swim competitively. And I bet you’re looking great in your swimsuit!

OMW, ooohhh a day in PJs. :carrot: I’d love that. Enjoy the time home. I agree the site has been a bit frustrating. But since it’s free, there’s no room for complaint. Besides we all should have a few other things to do instead of surfing. Alas, I kept hitting 3FC this morning until it let me in. :o


Petra, the site does seem like a minute to minute adventure. The joys of technology.

Lamb, YEAH!!!! On the pound gone. :carrot: ICU is so right – you worked for it! Every new decade of pounds is like a celebration so enjoy it!

I suppose back to work and hopefully post this before the site vanishes again. :o:dizzy:

Marie

Lamb-congrats on the lb!

ICU-the clearning my mind thing is probably the most appealing part of yoga to me. You can imagine all the garbage I have to carry around in my head-not just my own but a bunch of other's people's too. It's very therapeutic for me. I'm impressed with your ability to swim competitively again. Can't imagine having that kind of discipline at this point.

OMW-a day in PJs is always nice.

I had my first pictures taken today. I am having a lady at work take a picture of me every month so I can document my weight loss this time. I'm going to put them on my blog when she sends them to me. I didn't take a deliberate "before" picture so I'll have to look through what I have and see what works. That should be interesting.

Marie: thanks for sharing your pics, I'd forgotten how beautiful the snow can be!

LC: you're doing great!

Cassie: welcome!

ICU: I've never been good at planning and working towards a goal, I'm quite impressed!

Thanks for the welcomes, ladies!

I did it again tonight! Woohoo! I just love those watp videos!

Marie: Those pictures are beautiful! I'm sorry your asthma was bothering you.

Evening ladies!

Wow, I've missed a lot in the past week. I see I'm not the only one that had difficulty logging on.


ICU~ Great job on the swim meet! You should be proud :carrot:

Cassie~ welcome to the group :) Wtg on your workout! I love love love Leslie and have recently bought one of her videos...the 5 mile Fat Burning Walk...although I'm not up to 5 miles yet lol I'm gonna be asking for more of her videos for Christmas :)

petra~ wow, that sounds cool...I am neither strong nor flexible...but I'd like to start some yoga or pilates to help with the stretches for better flexibilty.

Omw~ A day in pj's is a wonderful day! Hope DD is feeling better.

lambchop~ Grats on another loss and kudos on sticking with your C25K...your well on your way to a healthier life :) Keep it up!

Marie~ I loved your pictures...Your a very pretty woman and you look totally at home with your pack :) So glad the dermatologist visit went well. I really need to get in to see a chiropractor...I have lots of back pain, glad you got some relief :) Your so fortunate that you have all these wonderful outdoor places near you...snowshoeing...very cool! I'd much rather sit by the fire inside some nice cozy lounge...I'm totally a summer gal here ;)

I had my WW weigh in on Saturday and lost another 2.2 lbs...I am now in the "overweight" BMI so I was happy about that :) The weather here was really nice yesterday and today and I got in a nice brisk 3 mile walk. My sister is giving me her barely used treadmill and hopefully I'll be picking that up this coming weekend...I was more then thrilled when she offered. I had a really crappy week last week...I was in a major funk and I'll post about that some tomorrow, but it's after 11 here now and I have to get my butt into bed!

Huggies,
Giv

Hey everybody! I have not been around because my bf has been having health problems. He is in the hospital and should be coming home tomorrow. I will keep you updated as to how he is doing.

I have been grabbing pretty healthy food on the run and I will weigh in on Wednesday. I hope you all are well. I missed you guys.

Morning Ladies!

~Warning~ Long post ahead!

Last year my dad needed shoulder surgery and they found a tumor...turned out that he had bone cancer. After an extended stay in rehab. we decided that my mother would no longer be able to care for my dad in the house they were living in, so we moved them both to an assisted living home. His dementia was also increasing. Eventhough it was hard for my mom to leave her big beautiful home, she didn't complain and adjusted to their new living arrangements as best she could. She began to help care for other residents as well as my dad, she really didn't belong there but it was nice to know that they were both being looked after. Well in March she started having some stomach problems and was admitted to the hospital...she ended up getting a staff infection while there and then again while in rehab. She never got to see my dad again. She passed away on April 10, Good Friday. I was alone with her in her hosptial room and it was the worst day of my life :( Fast forward to present day. My dad has now developed osteonecrosis of the jaw as a result of the cancer medication he was on. It's rare and there is no cure. He's since been put on morphine and now that it's become hard for him to swallow, they have him on a morphine patch as well as liquid morphine every 2 hours. My heart breaks for him being there all alone and so confused and in pain. My siblings and I get down to see him as often as we can...we usually try and spread it out so that he has a vistor every day. So last week, I was really down...I just don't know if I have the strength to lose another parent. I miss my Mamma every day and still have her phone number programmed into my cell and there are times I call, but she doesn't answer :(

When I'm in a funk I tend to isolate myself and not leave the house...the end of last week I forced myself to get out and it did help. I also lost my brother to suicide about 6 years ago (a private viewing was held for the the family on Christmas day) I don't like Christmas and I hate winter even more. I think I was a bear in another life, because each winter I hibernate =op I am working on changing all that and I have not as I have in the past turned to food for comfort. I am staying OP and I am moving my body through exercise. This I must do!! My boys ages 15 and 10 need me and they need me healthy.

Sorry this post was so lengthy and all over the place but so is my mind. Today I am making a choice to have a good day and focus on my blessings. Thank you all for being here and keeping me motivated as I venture into this wonderful but sometimes scary new lifestyle. Have a wonderful day!

Huggies,
Giv

P.S. It actually felt good to write about some of my feelings :)

Giv, Just read your post but time does not allow me to respond as I should. I promise that I will after work, but know that my heart goes out to you.

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Giv- i'm sorry you've gone through struggles and painful situations, and have more to face...but we must go on. (hugs) I understand hibernating and isolating, but it doesn't help anyone - even you. Get out for just a tiny bit, do things with your boys - make yourself move - it will help you stay in a better place. Find things to celebrate, and try not to look at only the difficult times- because sometimes those tiny victories and thigns we're thankful for can offer us so much strength in teh moments we need them most.

Ran last night - weight steady - otherwise not much going no. I have work to do, since i get to play next week in Florida...will check back later to catch up with everyone

hydra: sorry to hear about your bf, hope he gets to come home soon! good job eating healthy while you deal with that : )

giv: wow, so sorry you've had all that to deal with : ( will keep you and your family in my prayers!

missed my bus so I'm back home briefly. appointment with my endocrinologis tomorrow, see what she says about how I'm managing my prediabetes.

Giv - Wow, that's a plateful. Thanks for letting us help share a tiny bit of the burden, and if it feels better to write it, you know we are here. It is incredibly difficult to focus on yourself during times like these, and it even may seem wrong or selfish. However, it's imperative to treat your body as well as you possibly can, because it will help nourish your spirit. And as you said, your boys need you. You are their role model and they will see your strength as you navigate these choppy waters. Don't give in to the desire to retreat - get as much bright sunlight as you can, feed yourself with the foods you were designed to eat, and acknowledge the moods. Write about them, cry, and FEEL. Get some 3rd party support if it seems right. YOU WILL BE OK!!! :hug:

Hydra - Glad to hear your bf is coming home soon, and that you were able to make the good choices. Missed you!

wlw - good luck with the endo tomorrow!

Back to my eating plan, and did the planned swim last night. Pleasantly surprised not to be dogged by "food hangover" from the less-than-stellar choices made recently. Instead, I just feel good and in the groove again.

Hi, everyone. Checking in... I've been busy, just hamster-wheel stuff.

Giv so sorry to read about all of the hardships you have faced with your family... :hug:

Marie the thing that is so great about that final pic where the dogs go crazy is that you can sort of feel the stress building to it in all the previous pictures. I loved it! And I can't believe the snowshoeing... I am so not ready to be thinking about winter...

Here, I just finished working and paying bills, so I'm on my way down to the basement and the elliptical. The weather has been great here lately, and we went on a nice 6-mile family bike ride on Sunday. Nothing too strenuous, but DH and I are just so glad to be able to get the whole family out doing something that we all enjoy... We've even gotten my MIL to join in!

Giv, :hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:many hugs to you. I am so sorry about the loss of your mother. I can only imagine how much you miss her. And your father, a double whammy. You are doing so excellent in spite of the stress and pain in your life. I love that you're looking to the future for you children and that you need to be healthy. You are a strong, loving person. :hug::hug::hug:
Marie

Petra, that’s a great idea to have a friend take your monthly pictures. I don’t have hardly any pics of before since I was quite sure the camera lens would shatter.

WLW, snow is pretty – just not when driving on a pile of it that’s built up on glare ice.

Cassie, actually my asthma wasn’t bothering me – DH was worried that it would since the snow as 16” deep. I have exercise, illness, allergy, cold air and elevation induced asthma. With the cold, exercise and elevation, DH wouldn’t take a chance so he led all but maybe ¼ mile.

Giv, my favorite (by far) WATP video is the 1 mile jog. When I first got it I didn’t think I could do it but I tried and it quickly became my top favorite. I bring it on vacations so I have something that elevates my heartrate a little. You should give it a try. BTW, I love, adore, worship summer. To live through winters without depression taking over my life (I’m bipolar) I had to adjust my thinking. I love downhill skiing and so I put it back into my life. And snowshoeing is like a summer hike in the snow. Adding the outdoor activities makes winter actually fun. I cannot believe I actually wrote winter and fun in the same sentence. AND Way to go on the 2.2 pounds and moving into the healthier BMI!!!!!!

Hydra, congrats on picking healthy foods during a stressful time. I hope BF recovers quickly.

Lamb, great job on the run. You are doing awesome.

ICU, I really like food hangover. I’m with you on the not so stellar choices. I’m staying in my calorie range but the dark chocolate monster has inhabited my body for nearly a month. Yesterday I chose my 100 cal portion of M&Ms instead of a 100 calorie apple. Bad me. Today I’m trying to make better choices. Since the choco monster is lurking loudly in my ear, I need to be strong.

Newleaf, enjoy those excellent times with your family. Your bike ride sounds so inviting and fun.

Like Newleaf, nothing new here – just the rat race of the work week. I so need to find a way to become independently wealthy so I can play all day. Work, how I hate it, I’d much rather play (I believe my favorite saying is Horton Hatches the Egg from Dr. Seuss, my favorite author).
Marie

Wow. A lot going on here today. I had a very stressful day and I'm glad its over.

Giv-congrats on the 2.2 lbs. Sorry to hear about all the difficulties you've had in the past year or so. I don't know what your situation is but there may be some grief support groups in your area or it might be helpful for you to see someone individually for some counselling if you have insurance for that.

Cassie-welcome and good for you for getting your mojo back.

Good evening friends! Another rainy wet day here in the midwest. Keep trying to remind myself that last week we had beautiful fall weather, but it's not easy!
I'm in a good mindset and routine and have done well following my plan since the beginning of the month. DH had a meeting tonight, DD had swim practice so DS20 and went out to dinner. It was nice to spend time with just him, we don't get to do that often. I am very blessed to have a great relationship with him and we had a good evening together.

Giv, Your post really touched me this am. I lost both of my parents very close together. It is never easy to say goodbye to someone you love but you will find it in yourself to get through it. Taking care of yourself, eating right and exercising is the best thing you can do for yourself. I am also not a winter person, I don't like the cold or the dark that comes with winter but exercising regularly can sure help beat the winter blahs.

lambchop, I'm a bit jealous of your trip to FL. Hope you have fun!

WLW, hope your DR. appt goes well tomorrow!

ICU, glad to hear you've found your groove. It's a great feeling isn't it?

Newleaf, you bike ride sounded like fun. Great that MIL could join you!

Marie, when you figure out how to be independently wealthy, please share it with all of us! I'm also not a big fan of work, but I realize I need some of the structure that it provides.

Petra, Hope tomorrow is a better, less stressful day for you!

Hydra, Hope BF is feeling better.

Hi to anyone I may have missed!

I got in a good workout at the gym last night after work. Tonight, I went FOOD SHOPPING! Finally got my pantry stocked with lots of healthy goodies so I can prepare my own meals and snacks instead of going to the cafeteria and being seduced by unhealthy stuff :-) Great way to start off my weekend! Anybody who suffers from the winter blahs is welcome to come down to Charleston for a visit, I'd be happy to have company.

Good Morning Ladies!

First let me start off by thanking all of you for your kind words and encouragement...it means more to me then you know :) You guys are the best!

Hydra~ Hope everything is okay with your bf and that having him home, he can be more comfortable. Remember to take care of yourself too!

lambchop~ I bet your getting excited for your trip...I'm jealous! After eating better and working out I'm sure you'll have more stamina for all that walking you'll be doing :)

ICU~ Glad you got your groove back...it's always nice to have something to work towards and your Jan meet will be here before you know it!

newleaf~ Awesome that you got the whole family involved...what a nice way to spend the afternoon :) I am loving the weather here lately!

Marie~ Thanks for the tip on the video...I'll have to check it out. I'll give it some thought on venturing outside a bit this winter, even if it's just to throw some snowballs LoL Maybe I could send you some money off the money tree that apparently (my boys think) is growing on some tree out front =op

Omw~ Happy to hear that you got to spend some one on one time with your son...I try and do that once a month with each of my boys (helps us reconnect)

wlw~ Hope everything goes well with your doctor appt today! Yay that you made it to the grocery store! OoOo how I'd love to come visit SC *packs bags* lol If I came down though...you may not be able to get me to leave ;)

petra~ Sorry to hear that you had a stressful day...may your today be much better :)

Yesterday was a good day for me...the weather here has been sunny and I opened up some windows and did some major cleaning! Since I've been doing my walk video so much...I decided to change it up and I put on some hip hop music and do all the moves to the music. It was awesome! I had the music blaring and I worked up a nice sweat :p Today I'll be running errands and taking my 15 yr. old to the doctors for his wrestling physical.

Have a wonderful day ladies!!!

Huggies,
Giv

ICU- glad you got your swimming in and the "food hangovers" are gone

NL - that's great about the family biking together - what a great way to spend an afternoon

Marie - hope the work week is going by quickly for you, and you'll soon be playing over the weekend

OnMyWay- glad your plan is working for you - and glad you had a nice evening with your DH

WLW- good job on healthy food shopping and stocking the pantry

-------

Went to the DR yesterday, and this week burned muscle not fat. BOOOooo...so we're changing things up, and switching one of my shakes to cottage cheese and a piece of multigrain bread - since the endurance of my running is increasing, we want to feed the muscle, and not let the muscle fibers burn up

Other than that -- everything is the same. We'll only make one change at a time so we can closely watch changes - what works for me, what doesn't

Getting antsy - I leave for vacation next Tuesday -- oooh, I'm ready now!

Giv, we must have posted at the same time - glad you enjoyed adding music, and so happy you had a better day

newleaf - sounds like you're sticking with it and keeping active! Me too, with the busy ... I spent most of last night picking up a bunch of clutter, and began to think about how much time I have to devote to "stuff" that doesn't advance my goals. (More cave-thinking) I've been piling a lot of it in a future garage-sale area, but now I'm just thinking I'm going to rev up my posting on Freecycle and let it go. It's sunk costs anyway, and then I won't have to spend hours on a garage sale next summer. :D

Marie - I'm with you on the "befores". I can't believe how few pictures I have, and of those, how good I got at hiding behind things and people! My technique with the chocolate demon is to stick to 85% cocoa or higher. It's almost as if I have some sort of a threshold of cocoa that I "need" to be satisfied irrespective of all the fillers around it. Going as pure as possible seems to satisfy me quickly and then the demon goes away. Yeah on the independent wealth! My biggest gripe seems to be the commute time - I am wasting at least 7.5 hours a week getting back and forth to work. Sure, I can fill that time with other stuff like audio books or learning a language ... but nothing that's a priority to me. Ugh! :)

petra - hope today goes better for you!

OMW - yup, there's serenity in the groove! Almost like autopilot - no thinking, just doing. And I've lost the 3lbs of bad-food puff in 2 days. The plan works - work the plan!

wlw - it really does help to have good stuff readily available at home. I've heard nothing but great things about Charleston, so be careful what you wish for! :)

Giv - keep up the good days! Cleaning and fresh air ... and yes, tunes! Music is the great mood-changer of all time. :)

lambchop - doing great!

Nothing much to report. Spouse returns from hunting tonight, DS has choir and swimming, and I will be back in the pool myself. Just groovin'!

ICU I'm a huge fan of freecycle, too. Garage sales just aren't worth it to me, and this way I can get rid of things 1 item at a time as I come across it. Easier to stay on top of the unwanted junk going out the door that way...

LambChop sounds like you are in a good groove; sorry to hear about the muscle loss. Sounds like a good diet change. WTG on paying attention to all these factors!

TLC I'm glad to read you had a good day yesterday... :hug:

WLW Glad to read that you are making the switch to doing more cooking yourself. It really makes a huge difference in the diet... Funny you should mention a getaway to Charleston; I just suggested going there to my DH a couple of days ago! (You may recall from when you first joined -- my nephew goes to CoC).

OnMYWay glad to read things are going well for you. And so nice that you and your DS20 are close. I hope things turn out that way for me, too! Hard to picture have DS in their 20s, when they are only 8 and 10, but I know how fast the years flip by...

Petra I hope you have a better day today... stress-free.

Marie Do share your wealth tips when you find them!! It sounds like a lot of us agree, work as a means to an end. It didn't use to be that way for me; I was very career driven. But having kids and changing my lifestyle has changed that.

Here, spin another cycle on the hamster wheel. I'm on my way to the basement and the elliptical, having finished up work for the morning. Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart for grocery shopping and I've become really disappointed that they seem to have gotten rid of a lot of grocery choice by clearing out a huge amount of shelf space for their own products. And, their fruits & veggies all looked terrible. I was pretty disgusted with it all yesterday, so I think this afternoon I'll have to go to the grocery store...

Petra, I hope today goes much smoother for you than yesterday. You’re in a stressful specialty and I would think there would be some unbearable days.

OMW, Isn’t it cool when our children get to their 20’s. I really love the time spent with them as adults. I agree work gives structure but I’m thinking I’d rather volunteer work to do that. :D Today I absolutely am mad at my boss. Enough to not care about money and walk out the door. But then the mortgage would come due and I’d be in biggie trouble. :(


WLW, ditto on being careful what you wish for. I just love the Carolinas!

Giv, my kids also think we’re made of money and there are many times I’m sure they have more accessible cash than I have. I’m glad you had a good day yesterday. Music is fabulous!

Lamb, to combat muscle fatigue when I really upped my aerobics, I added whey isolate protein powder form GNC to my mochas and fruit smoothies. I can send you the specific name as it adds a creamy taste to both and has few calories. It was a quad saver.

ICU, I gave up on garage sales after my first one. Now Goodwill gets all and I take a tax deduction. I hated the time involved in setting it all up. I also go for the really dark chocolate. Usually the little taste is enough but I think it’s SADD that’s causing the reaching for chocolate. The dark and dreary has gotten to me. :( Ever since the time change. I hate that it’s dark after work. I’d much rather dark in the morning. Enjoy your swim tonight. It’ll be fun.

Newleaf, enjoy your 8 and 10 yo. The time truly does just fly by. I clearly remember like it was yesterday when my kids were my grandson’s age.:o I love my 40’s, wouldn’t want to go back to my 30’s or 20’s, but I would like to have more time with my kids at every stage.

I suppose I should work no matter how irritated I am. Bummer I’d rather chat with you all. But writing here definitely took the edge off my irritation. There are days I think that perhaps working for a school district isn’t worth the hassle and low pay. Maybe it’s time to start perusing the wantads… :dizzy:

Marie

Nuts ... lost a whole rambling post while the site loaded again. I'm getting very, very tired of these performance issues.

OK, here's the truncated version. I hit goal 10/14 and apparently couldn't handle it, began to get sloppy with logging and letting misbehaviors with things like chips and candy sneak back in. Been doing a LOT of thinking lately, what with relationship issues, general need to find fulfilling work, and getting back to the pool. Sunday, a month and a day after goal, I was 5 pounds up. I got pissed off. Since Monday morning, not a bite has not been logged, and the processed crap food is gone. Much water and green tea has been consumed. And today, 3 days later, 4.5 lbs are back off. This tells me that I didn't overconsume on the calories - what I did was eat things that cause inflammation. Low level chronic inflammation is now being correlated with nearly every degenerative disease out there ... and if the newest studies are right, could even be the cause of aging itself. For candy and chips, I very well might have risked shortening my life. Stunning. I have too much left to learn and too many things to do, to voluntarily give up one more single minute. It's all about choices, and this week so far, I am happy with the ones I'm making. :) It's a better kind of happy than was in the potato chip bag.

ICU-what an inspiring post. I have never reached goal but I have a fear that maintenance will actually be harder than losing weight for a whole lot of reasons. More than I want to go into right now. I'll start worrying about that when I get a whole lot closer again. Do you post on the maintainter's board? I bet they would be able to help you with some of those issues.

I wrote a short post yesterday that I also lost. I have been arguing with my ex-boyfriend off and on actually for months. We broke up almost 6 months ago and I honestly don't know why we still talk to each other. I have to say I think it is more him than me. He owes me money-and we're not talking $20 here. I may decide that I would rather forget the money just to get him out of my life. He is coming over today to do some work around my house for.......money! I am going to tell him that I don't want to hear another word from him until after Christmas. I think we really need a break from each other.

NL- that sucks about all the grocery changes - hopefully at the regular store you have better luck

Marie- thanks for the info...i have a big tub of whey protein...2 of them! I used to use it all the time for smoothies - think it's designer(brand name?) whey i have - if adding the cottage cheese and bread don't help, i'll look into adding that

ICU - i hear ya, taking forever for the board to load for me the last few days...

I like your thought process, and am glad you're finding your zone again...and taking control of your choices...way to go

Petra- I hope the break from each other helps you sort things out

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Well...yeah.

Ummm, I'm signing up for another 1/2 marathon for the fall. Decided that i don't want to "just stop" and not have a reason to keep working after I get through this first 1/2 in March...

so, I decided to have a goal behind it, so it will keep me moving, and will give me a point to work with. I'll look at what I do in March, and just work to improve it for October...i'd like to know i have something to keep working towards, instead of just "being done" in march...

happy with my decision, and i'm sure in March as i'm going through the 13 miles i'll be like, WHAT WAS I THINKING? but ya know what? if you don't reach for big goals, you won't achieve them

icu: way to go getting back on track!

lc: wpw, not just one, but two half-marathons?! you know you have your own personal cheering squad right here : )

petra: when I moved back to charleston I kind of fell back into an on-again, off-again relationship with an ex, mostly due to loneliness. one day I realized I hadn't heard from him in over a month, now it's been about 18. occasionally I'll get a case of the lonelies and start to reach for the phone....but it was a relationship that isn't going to go anywhere so I don't want to waste time and energy maintaining it. hope the break helps you make a decision!

my doctor's appointment was a bust, they moved the office and apparently it didn't register when I got a letter about them merging with another practice months ago. you would think they would have included the move in their appointment reminder since I haven't been there in four months! I got lots of walking in as planned, wandering around downtown charleston to take pics. even walked up the ramps for 2 levels at a parking garage (someday I'll be able to do all 5!) normally I would have done the stairs but I was pulling my rolling bookbag and dragging up stairs is counterproductive when I use it to avoid carrying weight that will strain my back. I did fall prey to temptation when I stumbled across the Sugar bakeshop and bought myself 2 heavenly cookies...but I also skipped lunch because of it. Not the best choices but hopefully all the walking helped cancel it out!

It sounds like everyone is doing so well, even when you fall off the wagon you've been dusting yourselves off and jumping right back on! Reading y'alls posts is so motivating, especially since I'm not normally a goal oriented person. Today's going to be a house cleaning, laundry washing, cooking day. I'm thinking I should do my big batches of spaghetti etc and just freezing 1 meal portions so I have no excuse about not having time to put meals together before I leave for work...because I can always go to the cafe or deli. For some reason getting my stuff together the night before just doesn't happen. I'm not good at being organized...was thrilled when I learned that a lack of organizational skills and motivation is due to my learning disability and not a personality flaw. I've adapted well in lots of areas but some things just seem to be more of a mental block.

Ok, so I need to eat breakfast before my blood sugar drops out...10 hours of sleep last night but I'm still moving slow : ) I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Not sure if any of you are familiar with "Simple Truths"? I got this in my email today and thought I would pass it on, it has to do with developing a winning mentality. I think it applies to our weight loss journey as well as athletic performance! http://blog.simpletruths.com/recovering-a-winning-mentality

ICU, great job on the logging. I wish I had your full post. Try typing your responses in Word and copy/paste them in 3FC. I’d lost so many posts that now it’s habit to open Word at the same time I log into 3FC. Anyway, very interesting on the inflammation. I know junk food causes me weight gain but I didn’t know about the research.

Petra, good for you on the decision to stay away from BF. Just from the little you wrote, it sounds like he’s using you. You are worth a real relationship and never forget that. As I keep telling my kids a relationship is 50-50. They had both been in an 85-15 and swallowing their pride. One worked it out with their GF and now they’re getting married (and now I’m comfy with that –before, no way). The other has split and the custody battle has begun (first hearing yesterday). Never give up who you are to have a person in your life. Everyone deserves to have self esteem.

Lamb, YEAH on adding the continuing goal. I think that is like maintenance. Once there it’s easy to slip from good habits. Having goals beyond it like ICU does with the swimming is a key. Enjoy your half marathons. Better you than me as I HATE running.

WLW, making and packaging your own spaghetti is a great idea. Then you have control over you intake. Plus it tastes better.
Marie

petra - I started lurking over with the Maintainers a few months ago, and am starting to post. Near as I can tell, maintenance is just like weight loss, only you generally get to eat a slightly higher level of calories. For what it's worth, you might as well get used to the idea that some quantity of your attention is ALWAYS going to be devoted to your food and your exercise forever more - that you will have to give up the past carefree lifestyle around food in order to continue having the benefits of slimness. But the pros ... wow ... so very, very, very worth it! I think everybody would benefit from reading Maintainers, because you're going to spend a much bigger percentage of your life maintaining than you will losing. :)

lambchop - you rock! 1/2 marathons ... incredible! Looking forward to hearing about your training this winter!

Marie - I lovelovelovelove keeping up with the latest studies. Many of them are small but well-designed, because they're being done by independents and nonprofits. I get my best info from Life Extension Foundation, a nonprofit. It's the best $75 I spend each year, and I read their magazine cover to cover. On another forum, I heard somebody express it this way - we're being "farmed" by the food industry, the insurance industry, the FDA, and Big Pharm to have lifestyle illnesses ongoing so that profit can be made - they don't want you dead, but just to not feel well enough to go without treatment and pills. That kept me awake a few nights. Until I figured out that again, there are choices and I can choose to opt out of that whole system. Hm. :)

wlw - it's always an adventure to recognize the limitations we believe to be true about ourselves, and to see what happens when we lift those blinders. That's part of this whole weight-loss thing, I think. For many of us, tackling the pounds represents the first major task (and victory) in our lives!

Sorry to me MIA. My computer has gone crazy and won't let me log in at Chicks. I'm at a friend's . Hope to get the prolbem fixed and back soon!

Penguin, it may not be your computer-there has been a problem with this site. Unless you are having that problem elsewhere.

ICU-my fear about maintainance is that I have gotten such a reward from seeing my scale go down for so long I don't know what it will be like when that reward goes away. Suddenly the reward will be to have the scale stay the same. I don't know if I will be able to deal with that. Like I said, I have a lot more time to enjoy my scale going dow before I have to start thinking about that. I've already accepted the "I will have to eat this way forever" thing. In fact, I think I will have to obsessively plan my meals, keep a food journal, the whole nine yards, forever because my past experience has been that if I don't do it all, it slowly comes apart.

I also have to tell you I don't think there is a big conspiracy out there trying to keep people sick. It's just that people have simply given into their lazy nature. I don't know if you read M. Scott Peck but he suggests that the original sin is laziness. I do think a lot of the junk in processed food does lead to imflammation and most people are too lazy to make good food for themselves. Processed food is easy.

Lamb-good for you on the half marathon training. That's impressive! I don't think I could commit to something that big.

As for the BF. He had to work OT at his real job today so he didn't come over. He plans to come over next week to do that work. I appreciate the help and it is one way I make sure I get some of my money back but I do need to get him out of my life. Unfortunately, this drags this out a few more days.

Good Evening Ladies!

newleaf~ I agree with you on Wal-mart going down hill on their food selections. I don't even bother with them anymore. They opened up a few new grocery stores around here and I am loving their produce sections (they have an old world market feel to them)

ICU~ Your post was very interesting to me...I even went and looked up some more info on it all. Your sounding really focused on what you want and need to do :)

petra~ Sorry your having to deal with your ex but sounds as if now your head is in the right place and you know you have to break all ties...at least for the time being. Sometimes a break is all we need, allowing us to step back and evaluate the situation more clearly.

Marie~ I work in the school district as well (just as a sub secretary) The pay is not all that great...but up until last year I was a stay at home mamma. I really do like working at all the different schools in the district and my boys get a kick out it, when I work at their school.

lambchop~ Wow girlie...that's awesome that your signing up for yet another marathon! What a wonderful goal to work towards :)

wlw~ grrrr @ your doctor's office, hopefully they'll get you in soon. Sounds like a great plan on making some meals ahead of time! I bookmarked the site in your link, and I'll have a look at it later ;)

penguin~ I was wondering where you ran off too! Hope you get the computer issues straightened out soon!


Woke up this morning with a migraine headache...so I was out of commission most of the day. I only managed to do about half of my normal exercise, but I was fine with that. Tomorrow I am going down to my sisters to pick up a treadmill she no longer uses. I can't wait!!!! I think I'm gonna make a lil gym area down in the rec. room. I just need to buy a new dvd player for the tv down there, so I can use my exercise dvds.

Have a great night and a wonderful tomorrow!

Huggies,
Giv

Good evening chicks! I tried posting before work this morning but lost my post twice before giving up in frustration! Hope everyone had a great day!

We had a Thanksgiving feast at school today. Nothing like cooking with a bunch of preschoolers to make you not want to eat anything!

I have managed to lose another pound which brings me to a loss of 4 since the beginning of the month. I'll be changing my ticker as soon as I'm done with this post!

Giv, sorry about the migraine. Enjoy the treadmill. A friend gave me one last winter and I put it to good use even though I find it extremely boring!

Petra, No settling for a relationship that is going nowhere. You deserve better than that!

Patch, good to hear from you, I was wondering about you!

WLW, sorry about your Dr. appt. but great job on all the walking!

lambchop, Another marathon! You go girl!

Marie, I'm with you, wouldn't want to go back to my 20's but maybe my late 30's and only if I could know then what I know now!

Newleaf, Kids do grow up so quick! I am fortunate to be living in 2 worlds since DS is 20 and DD is 11. When DS graduated HS I made a slide show of photos. It was amazing to see the transformation of a baby to a boy to a man. Hard to believe they grow up right before our eyes and we don't really see it.

Haven't heard from DMC, presmaggie or Gardenerjoy in a while. Hope they are doing well!

patch - wondered what happened! We miss you!

petra - that's exactly what I ran into - a major letdown with not having that target in the distance. Was kind of a "now what?" thing. So with the holidays coming up, and last year's holidays having helped me get to my highest weight, I thought I'd be a lot better off moving my goal down just a bit more to help me keep my eye on the ball through the end of the year.
I agree, I think a "conspiracy" is too strong a word, but I am convinced that the greed mentality in this country's big-business and financial sectors has produced a culture that's incapable of thinking ahead to long-term consequences. Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" was a pivotal read for me - one of those paradigm-shifting "OMGs!" that continues to shape my choices. I cannot recommend that book enough - it would make an incredible video documentary if someone were willing to go back through everything he researched. And I also agree with you about laziness - I am chronically guilty of it myself. Best wishes with the BF situation. :)

giv - very cool on the free treadmill! With winter coming on, you're all set for bad weather!

OMW - I laughed about the preschooler food! Not to mention that they probably didn't make a whole lot of stuff that was healthy, did they? Congrats on the pound - you're truly "on your way"!

wlw - what a mess with the dr! You made a positive day out of anyway - awesome!

Back up a half - it was a great whoosh- now the work has to continue. Pouting a little because my thighs are getting BIGGER (I knew they would - I build muscle incredibly fast), but they're really rock hard and I can almost see some outlines. It's a bright spot, since I don't remember having those since COLLEGE ... 20+ years ago!

Wow, everyone. So much going on. I'm glad I didn't try to check in yesterday -- sounds like the site was on the fritz again!

ICUWishing very motivating, your post. You are doing so well.

Petra sorry about the situation with your old boyfriend. It sounds annoying, at best...

Here, life is just chugging along. I'm not gaining, but I'm not losing. I'm a good maintainer right now, but this isn't where I want to maintain! I need to get it in gear to lose 20 lbs... ugh. But I will; I know I will...

WOW WLW, that's crazy they didn't notify everyone that they MOVED!

Penguin - nice to see you, hopefully you'll be back soon, 3fc was up and down for afew days for me too

Petra, can you start to chart different kinds of goals, rather than scale goals? Processed foods, yeah, i feel so much better when i eat clean - or make clean choices...just a hard habit to start for so many...i like easy, and have to train my brain to say, this is just as easy

Giv - yeah on the treadmill. I love mine because i love climate control....hahaha, hope the headache is all better

OnMyWay - hahah, what a visual...all those preschoolers cooking, cute

ICU- i'm the same way with muscle, thighs, etc...think i was built for endurance...happened when i ran in the past, bigger thighs - but nicer shape

NewLeaf - I know maintaining isn't as rewarding as losing right now, but you aren't going back up, and that's awesome

Marie - how are the dogs doing on their walks with their harnesses?

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I do a workout later today (not a morning person) and my weight is staying steady. I'd love it to drop, but as long as it doesn't go up, we're all good.

I hope Cat is having fun on her trip. I'm getting antsy and ready to travel - I have to wait until Tuesday, but it will get here quickly. My challenge will be making healthy choices for a week in Disney - and at least walking will keep me burning up some calories too!

ICU, I think the reason I don’t really look at maintaining as something different is that I figure I’m on my “diet” the rest of my life. The comment of slightly more calories is correct. I really don’t think my cal limit will raise by much more than maybe 150 cals/day. That will be the first trick to discover after the next 6 pounds. And ooo-la-la – thigh muscle definition in the 40’s – that is awesome. :carrot:


Petra, we’re in the same boat for logging food forever. DH has been told to ask to see it the rest of our lives.

Giv, enjoy the new treadmill and I hope you feel better soon. :hug:


OMW, LOL about cooking with preschoolers. :p Great job on losing 4 pounds so far this month. You are in the groove again!

Newleaf, you will lose the 20 pounds you want gone. Maintenance practice is good in the long run.

We’re in for a big snowstorm and the winds are gusting like crazy (20-30mph) and about 7” of snow. Ever since I moved here I am amazed how ugly November is. At least the ski resorts will get more of a base and I can start playing there next. I didn’t get to ski last year because of my knee and PT all winter. I’m so ready to play on the mountain. Anyway between the wind and snow, there talking treacherous commute home. I do love my Jeep and 4WD.

I have brought my munchies monster in control. This is day 3 of not snacking on dark choc and starbursts. Because I’m dedicated to my cal limit, those snacks meant good for me food was left out of the diet. So good food is back and I don’t feel guilty for eating crap. The scale isn’t budging but it never does during these 2 weeks of my cycle. My clothes get looser during this time. The two are never at the same time.
Marie

It is a beautiful day here. We have had so much rain and cold, it is so nice to see the sun shining! I love Fridays, since work is so relaxed. I'm home for a quick lunch to meet a flooring contractor about replacing our kitchen and DR floors. Our insurance will cover it since it was water damage from our freezer but I am not looking forward to another home improvement project, but it must be done.

Marie, I would be crying if we were getting 7 inches of snow. Be careful driving!

lambchop, You will do fine on your trip. Be sure to pack some easy snacks. You will be doing lots of walking so that's good. The more you can plan ahead the better.

Newleaf, maintaining is good, but I understand when that's not your goal. You'll find a way to get back in the groove.

ICU, Don't be upset, firm thighs are better than jiggly thighs no matter what the size!

Lunch is over, gotta get back to work! Have a great rest of the day!

Looks like I'm getting back on the roller coaster, my prodigal son is moving back home tomorrow. Already told him he'll be cooking for himself since he won't be happy with what I eat. Should be interesting after 18 mos of living by myself! Hopefully this time I can do something to get him straightened out. Wishing everyone an awesome weekend!

Marie - Big snowstorms and winds...ew - We have a jeep too, and they are rugged! Glad you have safe travel options...hopefully you can mostly stay in- toasty and warm -- and my scale is staying steady too...boooo! here's to both of our scales moving down again!

OnMyWay- glad you finally got your sunshine, and hopefully the floors will be done quickly!

WLW - that was fast! Here's to staying on plan

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I did my Week 5/Day 3 workout last night (c25k). I was so excited when I finished it, because that's the first long run without any walk breaks in teh middle...it's not a huge leap - but mentally, it's a game. I was pleased to get it going, and realized - hey...I did it! I'm progressing, and becoming a runner - I can do this!

It was really rewarding to feel good after that workout.

Scale is staying steady - but i'm staying steady, so i'm okay...just moving forward one step at a time.

Lambchop - Way to go! I admire anyone who can run and like it! This whole process is truly a mind game! Keep up the great work!

WLW, Hope things work out for you and DS. Glad he is willing to come to you for help. I'm sure this will be a big adjustment for both of you.

Here's to a happy saturday! Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week?

Hi guys,
Not weighing in these days, think I might be back up a pound or two. Today is going to be the day I just get serious again! Xmas is getting really close and I have had weeks where I am so good and then a couple where I just blow it.

So... today back on track. It has something to do with stress for sure. I just haven't found a distraction that works for me other than a bite or two.

Heavy sigh. Nice to see you all here and I will be back next saturday after a positive week. I don't want to wiegh today! ;-)

Have a wonderful week!

I have been in a total funk ever since that argument the other day. I have got to get this over with. Just not worth it! I didn't even enjoy my yoga class last night and that doesn't happen often. Guess I just couldn't be completely in the moment.

Lamb-making non scale goals is a great idea! I will need to give that some thought. I see what you are doing with the 1/2 marathon thing. I'm not a runner-my knees could never take it. I'm sure if I think about it for awhile I can come with it. Good job on the discipline with the running, though. I don't know exactly how this happened to me but I used to dread having to come home and cook but somewhere in the past 2 months, I started to love cooking. I actually get excited about what I'm going to "get to cook" this week for myself. I can't tell you exactly how that mental shift occured but it did.

ICU-I haven't read that book although I suspect I might enjoy it. This may be a bit of a rant. Big business in general does not exist for altruistic purposes-it exists for profit. And they will exploit the worst aspects of our human nature for the sake of profit-including our laziness. I get particularly irritated with this when it comes to the health care industry because presumably we ARE all in this for altruistic reasons. Big pharma comes out with new drugs for schizophrenia that cost $400/mo. How many schizophrenics do you know who can afford that? I don't care how well it works or how good the side effect profile is, if they can't afford it, what's the point? And health insurance companies who make decisions clearly based on profit motives and not on what is in the best interest of the patient. I could go on but I'll shut up.

Newleaf-weight loss definately slows as you get closer to goal. I'm sure all the people here who are close can tell you about that. You will need some patience and persistence but it will come. If you don't keep a food journal, it might help you break your plateau.

OMW-I know what you mean about the home improvement projects. I had hardwood floors put in my living room and dining room a couple years ago. Took about a month longer than expected and cost about $1000 more than estimated. Not looking forward to any more of those although I have several I would like done. I wish I was handy but I'm not. I'd probably cut my own hand off with a saw.

I'm another Jeep owner. I got mine when I lived in PA and it was great for the snow. Here it is a big gas guzzler but it is great for carting the dogs around and I love it. I also have an ATV and a trailer-I know, something you probably would have never expected, and I can hook my trailer up to it.

I'm going to a baby shower this afternoon for one of my co-workers. It's her first baby. She's about 10 years younger than me. We are actually pretty close. She's one of those people I just instantly clicked with. This is actually the private family baby shower today. We are having the work baby shower in a couple weeks. I'm looking forward to seeing how they decorated the nursery and all that. I think I'll be fine with the food. I had a good lunch. I'm not hungry and surprisingly I have not really even been tempted by sweets since I have been back on track this time. Hope that continues for a long time to come.

Petra, I hope you even out after the argument that upset you. Enjoy the baby shower.

OMW. at my elevation we didn't get the full snow accumulation. In town just a dusting. Climbing to my house about 1" and this morning when we walked the dogs, we went up about 100 more feet and there was about 5". I'm thinking the mountain passes are a mess. Oregon Dept of Transportation don't believe in cleaning snow off the roads. But my trusty 4 door Jeep Wrangler (I have two Jeeps - the summer one is parked and has snow on it) got me home without concern.

WLW, :hug: to you. Aren't children and their heartache/joy a fun time. You're so right it is a rollercoaster. Currently my kids and I are having a great relationship but I've been burned/hurt enough to know that there will be more valleys. I hope your soon is respectful to you as you deserve that.

Lamb, :carrot::carrot::carrot: on no walk breaks. You are making such headway in that goal. Way to GO!!!!

I'm enjoying a lazy weekend. No snowshoeing adventures or trips over the mountain pass. I am with OMW on how hard it is to believe Thanksgiving is in 5 days. I now have 2 turkeys in my freezer and I'll buy another for Thursday. I LOVE turkey. Mostly I'm not a meat eater, I can take it or leave it. But turkey, I think I could eat all the white meat from my monster birds (I always get them 21+ pounds). I'd skip making any of the trimmings and just roast the turkey, but my family has other ideas. ;)

Marie

petra - I can listen to those sort of rants all day. Everybody else might not, however! ;) There's a thread over on Maintainer's about having to throw yourself off the culture bus ... it's quite entertaining and to see it from the perspective of our maintainers and what they go through ... wow.

As a former Chrysler employee, it's heartening to hear how many of you are loving your Jeeps. May they continue to serve you faithfully!

I'm just doing a quick check-in to say hi - I'll be facing pizza and beer tonight, so I thought I'd bolster my resolve. Yours truly is bringing the big, green and colorful salad!

wlw - Glad to hear the son is recovering his senses - and I hope it's a new start for the two of you. :)

That's the way to do it-take the food you know you can eat. I did fine at the baby shower. There was a fruit salad and some plain roasted pork loin. I think they intended for people to make sandwiches out of it but I just ate a couple slices plain. That worked fine. I have to say the cake looked good. It was beautiful, of course, but I really didn't have the longing for it that I have had in the past. Not sure why at this point. I think partly I've just come to accept that I'm addicted to sugar and there is no such thing as "a little piece" for me and partly it's not worth undoing my hard work over the past 2 months.

Hope everyone has a good rest of the weekend.

I've been thinking about the nonscale goal thing. I do have one which I've had all along-to get off my high blood pressure medication. I figure I'll try for that when I hit 10% of my body weight. Haven't come up with any others yet but I'll think about it.

I'm another Jeep owner. I got mine when I lived in PA and it was great for the snow. Here it is a big gas guzzler but it is great for carting the dogs around and I love it.

hahahah...ours is the dog car too!

I'll be back tomorrow morning to check in...was just reading a bit before going to bed

Hey Ladies!

Hope your all enjoying your weekend :) Weekends are crazy busy for me...trying to cram all kinds of family time activities into 2 days =op I had my WW meeting this morning, and for some reason I thought I'd be staying the same on the scale...but I'm down another 3 lbs :D

I picked up the treadmill yesterday and got it all set up today and did 3 miles...I'm so happy to have yet another alternative to exercise!

I am working all next week at the Education Center and I'm dreading it...time passes very slow there and it's soooo quiet. I'd much rather be working in one of the schools with lots of activity. I think I'll bring a book to read lol

Well I really need to get my butt into bed, it's after 12:30 here :dizzy:

May you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Huggies,
Giv

Morning ladies!

I am back in FL till Saturday (with the family) and then will return to California.

The cruise was excellent and although I worked out all but two days I am sure I have gained at least 7-10 lbs. I'm sure it's not real weight and will come off shortly after I return home but it does make my pants a little uncomfortable. I'm going to look for a doctors office or clinic tomorrow and weigh.

I haven't had time to catch up yet but will try to do so tonight. I've missed you all, hope everyone is doing OK.

CAT!!! So glad you enjoyed your cruise. I head to Florida on Tuesday and am SO excited! So glad you are able to check in and let us know you're doing well.

I agree, most of that weight will drop off..you'll be back on a regular schedule again, and you'll be walking all over the parks, which will help keep you moving.

DMC - I hope you find a distraction sooner than later. Yesterday i went flying out of the house - when my husband made french toast..the aroma about killed me! I tried my usual distraction, but ugh! I was like, i'm out of here - and when I came home sprayed the house top to bottom in air freshener so the aroma wouldn't get to me!!! LOL

Petra - i'm sorry you're having a time recovering from the argument. Let's think about what can help you let it go...did you stand up for yourself? Did you lay ground rules? Did you say what was inside of you? These are all positive things...regardless, listen - some people sap our energy or our time or our well-being, and just aren't offering us positive things in return...it can be hard to let go, but eventually, you're going to realize it's healthy to let go of those people. ((hugs))

Just saw about your BP meds goal...good one...here's another thought - Can you set cooking goals for yourself - since you're enjoying it? Maybe you'll make at least ONE NEW recipe you haven't yet, or try a new food you haven't? Or take a great cooking class you've thought would be fun after you have maintained for x amount of months?

Marie - I'm glad you're enjoying your weekend. I love turkey too...it's a great way to make "clean, healthy" lunch meat too

ICU - how did you do with the pizza and beer? I've owned a lot of Dodge's over the years too! (neon, shadow, dakota, spirit, etc) - I drive a Pontiac right now - my hubby has the Jeep and an Olds.

GIV- down 3 pounds!!!! THAT'S AWESOME...congratulations!!!

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I woke up to another pound gone! Woohoo..19 total now. I'm also getting really excited since i leave on vacation on Tuesday..my brain is scattered, because i'm thinking of all different things right now!

I've been having trouble with the site for a few days. I hope this posts!

CruiseCAT: dh and I cruise a lot too. LOVE it. We are addicted!

(((Petra)))

Weather: OMG! The wind blows continuously here. We joke that they evacuate entire counties in Florida for winds like this but it's true. ALL.THE.TIME! It's been blowing for 10 days. I live along the Rocky Mountain Front and the wind just whips down off the mountains and onto the plains. WHOOSH!

I woke up this morning and the scale says I gained 5 pounds. GAH! I've been faithfully tracking my calories and exercising. So frustrating.

My son is 23 today and wants death by chocolate and potato chowder soup. Oy! I hope it's not another 5 pound gain tomorrow. LOL

Ok I just did the 3 mile super fat burner watp video in preparation of potato soup which we lovingly refer to as heart attack in a bowl!

I also decided I will make a HUGE salad tonight too and eat that first. I hate feeling full so that will help me when it comes to potato soup and death by chocolate time!

lambchop - it ended up being pulled pork instead of pizza, but I thought I did a pretty good job of sticking to what I wanted to do. My calories may have gone over a bit because of guacamole (of all things I can't resist, anything involving an avocado is right up there!), and one extra beer. I give it a B+. :)

cassie - best of luck with that birthday dinner! Be strong!

B+ isn't shabby...nice job! I'm hoping I can give my week in Disney with eating a B+ when I get home...hahahaha

Cat-nice to have you back with us. We missed you. Hope you had a great time. Looking forward to hearing about it.

Lamb-thanks for your supportive words. I do believe he is one of those persons who is sapping me of everything and giving me almost nothing positive in return. He needs to go. And congrats on your lb. Nice to see that scale moving, isn't it ;)

As for the cooking thing, I actually have to restrict the number of new recipes I put in my meal plans so I don't burn myself out. I allow myself 1 or 2 a week. I do think those goals need to be health or fitness related or at least self-care related. The yoga studio runs a teacher training program......they just started a new class this weekend. That thought crossed my mind but I don't know if I really want to do that. I might enjoy the training but I don't know if I would actually want to teach and that would be the point. I like the cooking idea though-will think about that more. I have at least a year to think about it, LOL

I brought an empty box in from the garage today and started putting in some clothes that have gotten too big.

ICU-good job on the eating out. You could do worse than avacados-they are a great source of healthy fat. I don't like them-wish I did.

Giv-you are definately on a roll with the weight loss. Good job.

Cassie-good luck with the birthday dinner. Sometimes I'm grateful my life is less complicated.

After thinking about it more, I realized I do have cooking/food related goals. I'm trying to include more vegetarian and fish dishes in my menu so I have already made a goal of 2 vegetarian and 2 fish dishes for Jan. I also want to try to go organic with my meat choices once I use up what I already have in the freezer-which will take a while since I'm trying to eat more vegetarian and fish, LOL. So I do have a cooking goal of trying to cook more authentic mediterranean dishes. I have several authentic mediterranean cookbooks. Not sure how to turn that into something that will help me when I get to maintenance.

Oh boy -- avocado. :drool: We had a tree at home and oh man.. love avocado!

Why do I hate Monday?!!

Another weekend flies by! Back to school. UGH! But only 2 days this week so that's a good thing. I was not as good over the weekend but I'm committed to be back on track today. If I can have these last 3 days under control, I'm planning to enjoy Thanksgiving and exercise portion control.

Hope everyone has a great week! This board is something I am definietely thankkful for!