hi all! so far 33 miles for february. but gals i need help. i think ive become a slave to the scale. i check .my weight 3 times a day. i hate when it fluctuates. it drives me crazy. im tempted to just throw the damn thing in the trash.

congrats to everyone for such hard work this month.


nikki

Awwww, sorry I missed your birthday Sunny. Sounds like it was a great day for you. Let me know how your sugar fast goes. I'm trying to get back to that myself. I feel so horrible when I eat too much sugar, just wish I could remember that yucky feeling as I'm stuffing it in my mouth! hahaha

I forgot to check in this week. I managed to do 1-1/2 miles on Tuesday at the indoor track. Really enjoyed it. My ankle was a little sore though after so I took yesterday off. Supposed to do aerobics tonight. We'll see. I have my first UTI and I really don't feel too pleasant. I hope I feel better by the weekend because I have BIG plans with my sweetie for V-day Haha I think I made the plans as much for me as I did for him. We're going to the restaurant at the reunion tower (If you've seen photos of the Dallas skyline its the big lighted ball) and we're staying at the hotel right nearby. I can't wait! Hopefully I'll have a photo or two to share Monday. Later all - Amy

Good mornin' all! I hope you're all off to a great start this a.m.!

Sorry I didn't get a chance to get back on yesterday to post to each of you individually, I had a job interview and spent the majority of the day prepping for that. I should find out either way tomorrow... so I'll let you all know how it goes.

Sunny, glad to hear you had such a wonderful birthday! And yes, that's a lovely cake that your Joe picked up for you! Lucky gal! Good on you for going on a sugar-fast for Lent! Do let us know how it goes.

Amy, yes UTI's certainly aren't a walk-in-the-park! I do hope you're right as rain for your weekend plans with your Valentine! Good job getting those couple miles in on Tuesday... keep up the fantastic work!

Nikki, I agree with Sunny, weighing yourself 2-3 times a day will drive you bonkers. Especially when the recommended daily intake of water can weigh up to 4lbs. I know you're wanting to keep an eye on gain/loss, but it would definitely be more accurate if you only hopped on the scale once a week. Now that being said, I have to WI three times a week (as per my program) and quite honestly, even that drives me crazy. Even when I'm up as little as 0.4, I find I get stressed out, whereas if I was allowed to only WI once a week, I could focus more on the loss than any little gain. Good luck with it girl, and let us know how it goes. In the meantime, congrats on your fabulous effort... 33mi is crazy-awesome! Bravo!

Lottie, you're kickin' some tail as well... nearly 35mi is KILLLER! You'll be at goal in no time!

Cathy, as always, you're doing fabulously! I really applaud your consistency... just awesome, girly! Keep it up!

As for me, it's day two of Take-Off and I'm hoping to see some decent results at WI tonight. I would LOVE to get out of the 140's, I feel like I've been stuck here forever even though it's only been since the beginning of January. *Sigh* I know it's a process and it will take some time and GOAL isn't too far out of reach, I guess I just get frustrated sometimes.

Anyways gals, I best be off. So much to get done today... meh. Take care of yourselves and have a happy and healthy day! Best wishes.

~mel

Hi all,
I'm up to 315 minutes this month, so that's good. I may or may not walk to the train this afternoon after work depending on when I get done, which would get me up to 345 ish.

Just wanted to pop my head in and say, for those of you who remember me, that I'm not lost and I haven't forgotten how to walk!

I'm a month and a half into 6 months of high-dose chemo for Hodgkins Disease -- a form of Lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes. It's pretty rare -- like 7,600 new diagnoses in the US annually -- but apparently I'm a special girl, so it picked me! Well it picked the wrong girl....I'm on a mission from gahhhd, as Dan Ackroyd says! I'm approaching it the same way I did losing weight: methodically, with a positive mindset, and hope in my heart.

I've finally gotten back to walking. The biggest thing with the chemo is the fatigue -- the meds control most of nausea so far, thank heaven -- so it's been tough getting myself going. But here's my exercise for this week, since starting back on Tuesday:

Tuesday 2/8: 2 mile WATP
Wednesday 2/9: 2 mile WATP

Today's Thursday, and I had my chemo treatment today, which takes a lot out of me. They seem to be getting harder. So no exercise for me today, and I'm playing tomorrow and the next couple of days by ear, but then I'll be back on my feet again, getting some miles in. I'm thinking that even if I'm feeling just too knackered or light-headed, I'll try to bike instead. I don't want to overdo it, but I do want to keep up the regular exercise, as it will help with increasing my energy levels and also help me to avoid further weight gain from the steroid I'm on to ward off the nausea.

It's weird celebrating completing the 2-mile walk -- I couldn't even use the 6 lb. weights I used to. The 4-mile Challenge was my favorite, and I was doing stepping and weight training (lifting as heavy as I could) and also biking with high intensity intervals, going 8 miles in 20 minutes and also doing steady rate for an hour and a half sometimes. But you've got to crawl before you can run, right? I did it before, and I'll do it again. I know now that I can do anything to which I set my mind, and while I've got a lot on my plate right now, I am loved and supported by the best partner in the world, I have a great doc, nice nurses and wonderful friends (online and off,) great insurance, and loving pets to hold and love. I'm set up for success. That said, I'm thinking a few prayer from you guys wouldn't hurt! I'm Stage IIIB, and if you know anything about cancer, that's not the best.....but my prognosis is good, and most people who go through my regimen do well. 66% of them live more than 15 years, so I'm trying to find that encouraging.

Sounds like you're all doing really, really well -- go, Go, GO!!!

Special hug for Sunny, who came and found me over at the 100 lb. forum, where I posted some pics and they have a an absolutely amazing ongoing support thread for me.

Take care everyone! I'm not a real Arnold fan, so try not to think of him when I say, "I'll be back."

today, 5 ; 39.20 total

OH MY GOSH! ITS SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU SARAH!!!!! I have thought of you often and wondered how you were doing. You sound good lady! So glad your partner is taking good care of you and you have a lot of family, friends and fuzzies supporting you. My thoughts and prayers are with you also. Hugs and good vibes headed your way.

hey sarah! I've wondered so many times in the past month how you are and how you are doing! thanks for posting! I am glad that you are doing well - all things considered! hugs!

I got up early and did a 30 minute 2 mile WATP w/2lb hand weights. then situps and double leg lifts.

Feb Miles = 16.5

hope everyone has a blessed day!

hugs,
cathy

Sarah - what a persistent lady you are! I hope your chemo continues to go well and you are able to get back to your old self.

As of today I'm up to 360 minutes which sounds very impressive. Let's just hope my WI on Sunday is good as well!

First and foremost, thank you Sarah for letting us all know how you're keeping. We've been thinking about you and wishing you all the VERY best! I'm so happy to hear that you have such a positive outlook on things, that you're taking things day-by-day and not pushing yourself too hard. Please check in whenever you can, let us know how things are going, and remember we're all praying for you!

---

As for me, the scale didn't budge lastnight. Blargh. I'm going to stick to eating OP the next five to seven days to maximize Take Off and see what results that brings.

I'm hideously exhausted today, DD decided it was time to get up at 1:30am (not even an hour after I actually fell asleep)... with more energy than I've seen in a long time. What the.....? I dunno. I'm just tuckered right out. Hopefully she'll go down for a nap at some point today so I can too. We'll see.

Anyway, I best be off. I hope you all have a happy and healthy day! Take care of yourselves!

~mel

today I'm cleaning house - it usually takes 4 to 6 hours
so that is my exercise for today *sigh*
hugs,
cathy

I had a friend come in to visit this week and I took him out sightseeing and I took the pedometer. within' 2 days I walked 16 miles...so my total is now 55.20, almost at goal!

Hi ya'll! You are all doing so well! I've been so busy this week, sorry I haven't written! But I'm still here, rooting for all of us!

Destined, do yourself a favor and throw that scale in the trash! I'm serious.. I don't own one. I know some of you have plans that require it, but I haven't weighed since the 3rd week of Jan. I will probably weigh in March sometime. I know I've lost though. I just bought a new top and new jeans in size 18. Yay! But I won't buy many things til I'm at goal, maybe one outfit per size. If you can't throw it away, hide it and be committed to once a week (or like me once a month or less).

Amy, have fun and post pics!

Mel, I'd hate myself if I weighed once a week, much less 3 times! Wow.. I'd be crazy-psycho. I can't stand walking/jogging 45 mins most days a week, and eating very low fat and then seeing the scale go up! LOL. It did when I had the TOM, 4 lbs up! But then back down. Too much disappointment. You are stronger than me. I want to only see it when it has gone dowwwwwwn.

LK, You are doing greeeeat!!

Sarah, I'm praying for you. Nice to meet you! Hang in there!

Cathyyyyy, you get up early too? I do sometimes, but I did it before more. I should do it again. I do exercise in the morning but I don't get up extra early. I should tho.

Sunny! Hugs! Glad u had a nice Bday!

Miles so far.... 68. I haven't been under 10,000 steps a day at all this month!! That's about 5 miles for me. Today I did 16007 steps, about 8 miles. Had lots to do!

Take care y'all!! Have a great week!!

Omg! Lottie, you are doing terrific with your miles! Good determination you have there! :-)