Hi gals--hope you don't mind me starting the new month's thread! Seems like I'm always the first one here in the AM--not because I'm a morning person, I can tell you that! If it weren't for work, I would definitely be a night owl like Kimberley! Now, if I stay up for the news, it is a late night!

Well, according to my scales, I've dropped 8 lbs since Monday's weigh in. I know it's mostly water, but I feel much better seeing the numbers go down. My pants are loosening again too--what a relief!

Kimberley: I have always loved scrapping, but haven't done it since I moved over a year ago. My apartment is just too small to set up a table just for that, and I hate having to put my projects away all the time. If we get a bigger place soon, I'll start back.

Better get to work--will check back in later!

Jilly--congrats on your loss! I've been considering finding a TOPS group for some "in the flesh" accountability. I saw there are lots of local groups around.

I'm wrestling with the possibility of joining a gym. My dilemma is--do I find a ladies only gym, or do I find one that both Alan and I can go to? He could really use the exercise as well. He has said in the past that he would go if we found a place to go together.

If I went the ladies only route, there are two Curves that are fairly close, and a Lady of America gym. I was a Curves member when I lived in Indiana and really liked it, but I was hoping for a place where I could do different classes and such, like Lady of America.

Any opinions/advice?

Whoops, forgot about the new thread for the new month--good call, Jen! Here's my post that I inadvertently posted in the old thread:

Posted a 1.5-pound loss at TOPS last night (for 2 weeks since we didn't meet last week)--woohoo for losing over the holiday! Per the TOPS scale, I'm now at 268.75, so hopefully those 270s are gone forever. I just realized that I'm only 19 pounds away from the 250 mark--I can't even remember the last time I weighed under 250. I think it was early college sometime. I'm also only 8.75 pounds away from a total of 50 pounds lost. Realizing these things has really inspired me to keep going! I've got 10 more pounds to lose by Christmas for our challenge, but I only have 2 more TOPS weigh-ins before then, so I'll have to go by my home scale that last week to see if I make it. Before I left for TOPS, my home scale said 273.5 (it only weighs to the half pound, not the quarter), so it's been pretty consistently 4 pounds higher than the TOPS scale, so it should still give me a pretty good idea of my progress.

Speaking of ghosts and natural electro-magnetic currents...when I was in college in PA, there was a place nearby that was supposedly haunted. The story goes that a bus was driving a high school football team home after a game one night, and their bus rolled down a hill and went over a cliff, killing the whole team. Now, if you go to that hill and put your car in neutral, your car will actually roll UP the hill instead of down! This is supposed to be the spirits of the football players pushing your car back up the hill so you don't meet the same fate as them. This location was actually covered on a tv special once, and it was determined that it was a very high area of electro-magnetic activity or something, and that was te real reason the cars rolled up the hill. No matter what the reason, I think a car rolling up a hill would be creepy! I had friends who actually went to this place and said it worked. We tried to find it one night and got lost

I have to eat lightly during the day today because tonight, we are going to a place called Mike's American for dinner--supposed to be REALLY good! And I'm doing an evaluation for my secret shopping company, so I will get fully reimbursed for our $70-meal (we are required to share an appetizer, order 2 different entrees and drinks, and share a dessert, plus order a drink at the bar). Gotta love free food!

Jill: What is Mike's American all about? Sounds like it would serve lots of "American" style food, like burgers and such. Yummm....burgers!

I know if Alan commits to going with me, a mixed gym won't bother me. We are planning to build a house in a few years, and a home gym is definitely in the plans!

Okay gals--headed out for the weekend. Have a great one, and see you on Monday!!

This location was actually covered on a tv special once, and it was determined that it was a very high area of electro-magnetic activity or something, and that was te real reason the cars rolled up the hill. No matter what the reason, I think a car rolling up a hill would be creepy! I had friends who actually went to this place and said it worked. We tried to find it one night and got lost

This is so funny!! Jill, Rob and I went to PA and did this two falls ago. Gravity Hill, in the middle of the country. It really works. Rob says it's in a valley so it gives you the illusion of going uphill, when in reality by the contour of the earth you're going downhill.

Jen 8 lbs, woohoo! congrats. That's amazing over the holiday weekend. Congrats to you too, Jill. You've come a long way Kimberley, I'd love to hear a speech, you've really done an amazing job. Lots of things in your life must have changed.

I lost 2.4 lbs this week, which knocks my socks off. I ate so many goodies. Sticking to the exercise made a big difference for me.

My gym is mixed. There's a free weights room downstairs, and that's where the buff weight lifter guys go, and then a resistance machine room, which has slightly more men than women, but still lots of women. I do free weights at home, then the resistance at the gym. I like there being a mix of men and women (as long as it's not a meat market type atmosphere), but then I never went to a women only gym.

So I guess I'm no help at all with that decision!

Aimee, I think once you have your program going full steam, and have been doing it a few weeks your going to see more consistant losses. I have to tell you, if you looked at my journal, it's up and down all the time, lose lose, gain, lose, lose, gain. Sometimes you can be so close to finding that balance of exercise and eating to start losing weight, that can be when people are in the most danger of getting discouraged and quitting. Let us know what we can do to help you!

I went Xmas shopping today and my feet are killing me. Think I'll finally go and watch my taped Big Fat Loser finale!

I had a whole post completed then *POOF*. This is the second or third time this month I've done that at 3FC!

You guys did great losing even after holiday goodies! I either maintained or gained 1 pound; the scale teetered between 201-202. I'd had a big glass of water late the night before weighing, plus eaten, so I took it as a maintain.

I'd never heard of the hill phenomenon. Thanks to Marge's post, I did some sleuthing and found out more about it. Here's an explanation and here's more. Gosh, I love the Internet!

Saturday was a full day, but fun. I was at my HS buddy's home from 1-8pm, just visiting and talking (and talking, and talking). Then I went met Howie and his mom at the coffee shop for our usual Saturday night outing and my scrapbooking friend and her husband came to meet us. We're going out for coffee at 10:00am today (yie, and I can't sleep) and then over to their house to visit and work on some pages. Howie and I are so thankful to have another couple to hang out with.

As the time of his surgery draws closer, we're more thankful than ever for the friends we've made online and how the Internet allows us to keep in touch with friends near and far. We're going to be uprooted for a time, in a strange place, and having the continuity of communities like 3FC, davesgarden.com and bloggers is such a blessing to us!

Oh, before I forget - Marge, here is my new coat! Howie took the photo for me last night. I tell ya, that baby is warm. I just love it...I have not been cold once since wearing it, and that's really saying something. My fingers get cold because I have cruddy Isotoner driving gloves, but that's just a given. The coat's a deep berry color which looks red in some light and deep pinky-berry in other. It's nice, whatever the shade.

Ok, Kimberley, you look so terrific. You're pictures inspire me -- and it's not just the coat, lady! I plod along, and it's slow. It always feels like "some day". Then I see you and Jennifer (teapotdynamo) and it starts to make me say, Ok, this is real, they are kicking butt and looking fierce. Just stay with the program, Marge.

So when is Howie's surgery? That guy is getting skinny. Being so healthy now must make a big difference. That's a gift he not only gave himself, but all the people who love him.

This is where we were: Gravity Hill, off of State Route 96 just south of New Paris, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, USA. Bedford has a fall fair that we went to. We ate literally the best homemade ice cream I have ever tasted there.

I sludged through the snow today to go to the gym, smugly thinking I'd be the only one there -- on a snowy Sunday. Not so, the place was pretty full.
My leg is just about back to normal, knock on wood. So my exercise is in a good place. I need to bake my boss something today, and we rented March of the Penguins. Have a great day, everyone.

Gravity Hill, yes, that is what it's called! I couldn't remember the name. Not that it matters, I guess, since we couldn't find it anyway

Well, had a pretty good weekend. Ate out for dinner on Friday night at a great restaurant and had too much food, then ate out for lunch on Saturday and had too much food, both of which were for evaluations, so I get fully reimbursed. Thank goodness I am able to be so strict and good during the week to average my calories all out okay Seems to be working since I'm still losing pretty consistently!

Sunday was a lazy day. For some reason, Jeff couldn't sleep on Saturday night. I woke up at about 1:20am (we had gone to bed just after midnight), and he wasn't in bed. I found him playing his game online, and he said he just couldn't sleep. Well, then I was awake, so we laid on the couch and watched Delores Claiborne that we had recorded on the DVR. The movie is pretty long, and we both stayed awake for the whole thing (although I missed about the second half because my head hurt, so I had turned and faced him and closed my eyes, but I never fell completely asleep)! So, around 4:30am, we went back to bed. We slept till about 11 Sunday morning, got up and showered and dressed and discovered we had NO food for breakfast. I knew we had to go grocery shopping, but we didn't even have milk for cereal, no eggs, couldn't make pancakes without milk, and we didn't even have bread for sandwiches or anything! So we hit Subway for breakfast/lunch, then did some major grocery shopping.

Oh, I did try a new recipe his cousin gave me, though it's not very healthy, so I won't post it on the recipes thread It's just 1.5 cups of self-rising flour and 2 cups of ice cream. That's it! Mix the softened ice cream with the flour until all the flour is moistened, then put in a small greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. We used chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in the hopes that it would almost make little cookies throughout the bread, but the cookie dough parts just kinda melted, but it's still REALLY good! Basically vanilla bread with little chocolate pieces and spots of sweetness from the dough chunks. We're also going to try strawberry ice cream. His cousin made it with peaches and cream. It makes a very moist and dense bread, really more like a cake. It's so easy even I didn't mess it up

Rob does most of the grocery shopping here, so we always seem to be overloaded, heh heh. Mostly good stuff. You'd think he lived through the Depression the way he overstocks, we have about 10 boxes of cereal.

We went to a local Mexican restaurant for lunch on Saturday, very hole in the wall type place. I had a spicy pork taco with rice and beans, and I tried horchata (a rice drink). I love that place. They have all their Christmas decorations up. So does the gym, they put real pine garlands all over the outside, and on the inside up the stairs to the front desk. We watched the Polar Express last night. Such a cute movie, got me in the holiday spirit. I have a couple of friends I have to mail presents to, so I'd better get moving on that!

Better get moving on my Monday to do list. Have a good one!

Hi gals: you know those 8 lbs I lost in a few days last week? They're BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!! It's my own doing--we had a traditional English Sunday dinner with our English friends. The dinner was fairly healthy, with the exception of the Yorkshire pudding, gravy and pie! So, Im back to 320.

I bought The Biggest Loser book this weekend and read it cover to cover. It was a GREAT book! The circuit training outlined in it looks MUCH simpler than in Jillian's book. I think I will start with it, and as I get stronger, add in Jillian's workouts.

Alan's mum has an exercise bike that is in great condition that she wants to give to me. I'll gladly take it! It will give me something to do while watching TV other than eat!

Kimberley, love the coat girl!!

Jill: Interesting recipe--anything with Ice Cream piques my interest!!

Marge: glad to hear your leg is healing, and that you were brave enough to go through the snow to the gym! Being the lazy sot I am, the snow would have been a great excuse to stay home under the covers!

Okay, out to walk, then eat lunch! I'm determined to keep my exercise goal this month!! See you in a bit!

THAT sounds wonderful. And now you can tell Jeff you've made him an ice cream cake. Well, you have!

I've been a slug today, just wiped out after running all weekend. My hips have been getting better, but now I've had a lot of pain in my right shoulder, moving down my arm. My left shoulder's hurting, too, but not as badly. I wonder if it's bursitis, too, since it hurts to push on the joints like it did my hip joints. At any rate, it's been kinda discouraging having the unrelenting physical problems lately. I don't know Howie stays so positive and keeps on chugging with all HE has going on. That keeps me going.

I was over calorie both days this weekend, so this week I'm cutting back to compensate. I plan on a lot of veggies in those calories!

Morning ladies! It looks like rain here today....We'll see whether or not it is raining when I want to take my walk.

Alan is headed to an interview today. It is with a job making considerably less money than he is used to. But any amount of money is better than nothing I guess. I'm not used to having a spouse/partner/significant other out of work.

Don't worry, you'll lose those 8 lbs again, Jen. I remember when I started this program, I lost 3 lbs in the first week and was so psyched. The next week I gained back the 3 lbs! I'm glad I managed to keep it together and keep going.

You know, I had the Biggest Loser 2 hour finale on tape and finally watched it last night, heh heh. What transformations those people made. The guys looked so skinny. Cool you get a free bike. It's nice to have a piece of equipment you cn use indoors in the wintertime, when it's too slushy and cold outside to walk. Wait a minute, what am I talking about, you're in Florida! All you have to worry about is dodging falling coconuts!

It's stressful to have a sig other out of work. Been there. For most guys their whole identity is tied up in their jobs. Hang in there, Jen.

Kimberley, I wonder if your doctor or hospital wouldn't have some type of pain management program to help you out. I've seen articles about how it's a growing field. Maybe even something like a physical therapist might help. Doesn't seem right that you should be in pain so much of the time.

The big snow storm we thought we'd get didn't materialize, all we had was a little snow fall early this morning. I have to admit I've been gnoshing on the goodies a little too much these past few days. Hope all the exercise makes up for it.

My aunt wants me to go to PA while she's there this month (visiting her sister and niece). I just don't think I'll be able to get away, plus right now isn't the best time to spend the extra money. I feel guilty because I'd love to see her, she's getting older now, in her 80s, I'd like to see her niece (we were close when we were teenagers). I'd have to rent a car or fly, or bus or train, any mode would add up fast.

Plus Rob can't get away and I don't especially like the idea of going away for a few days without him during the holidays. Have to ponder this one.