Good Morning All:)
 

I survived the weekend:) Dave (dh) had a pretty tiring weekend at Fort McCoy for guards, and I had a pretty tiring weekend doing all of the running with the kiddos. I managed to be on time for everything! WOOHOO!! <GRIN> Tori's dance recital yesterday was incredible!!! She did so amazingly well:) I was such a proud mommy. Ü I took Logan & Tori out for supper on Friday night, and I actually did pretty good!

Are any of you Survivor addicts? I am, so I've been watching all of the coverage on the finale. Tori is at school already, and Logan is still sleeping. Though I'm totally *NOT* a morning person, I try to take advantage of the the time between Tori leaving for school, and Logan getting up. I should be putting that time to work and getting some activity in. But this is my hardest time of the day for that! I have no energy first thing in the morning.... Suggestions??

Well, the weekend is over thank goodness... This weekend was crazier than the week usually is!! I am totally wiped out. BUT I did get up this morning and go to the gym.. and although right now I still feel just plain exhausted I know that once I get my butt back into the schedule, I will start to feel a heck of a lot better. And I must say that after 2 weeks of not going to the gym, managing to get up after a LONG weekend and going on a monday morning is one heck of an accomplishment, so I am proud of myself.

sakk- if you had told me 3 months ago that I would be getting up at 5:30 am to go to the gym most mornings I would have laughed at you!!! I rarely have energy in the morning, but I find if I "force" myself to get up and do something (walk the treadmill, go to an aerobics class) I usually end up having more energy than I thought I did. AND I am a HUGE survivor addict :)

Jen- I have no idea on the bacon fat... but good job using lower fat bacon!!

Gayle - YAY FOR YOU!!! It is so hard to avoid the fast food places, I am so proud!!!

Zap- have fun on the bike!! I love mine!!

Sandi - we are all setting "new" records in weight loss.. This is the first time I've managed to lose more than 5 lbs!!! I know we can do it!!!

Everyone else - have a great day!

5:30 .... Hmmm....
 

I know that it would do wonders for my body to get in to the habit of getting to bed earlier, and getting myself going earlier. Right now, I go to bed around 11:30... get up at about 6:15. I don't LIKE to get up that early, but my daughter gets up around 6:30 to start getting ready for school. She's out the door at 7:20. My DH wakes up around 4:45-5:00, and is out the door no later than 6:30. I have *NO* clue what takes him so long to get ready! LOL!!!

I have two dogs... Amber (1-year old Golden Retriever), and Wednesday (3-year old Alaskan Husky). They're big dogs.... I think what would do us ALL good would be for me to get in the habit of waking early and taking them for a walk while Dave is getting ready for work. They aren't that easy to walk together (just me going....), but they'd probably do much better if they got in to the habit of being out with just me... I'd hate to take one and not the other.

I'll have to add these thoughts to my journaling for the week ahead, and see what I can do! Thanks for the suggestion:)

Hi Ya!
 

I was off today, spent the whole day with mom consumed way to many calories eating fast food, poor choice in the hospital cafeteria. Mom should be released by Friday. Then my life can return to normal. She really is doing well, she had 7 therapy sessions today. Sorry I didn't respond to individual posts but bushed going to bed early. Hope all is well have a great day!

Well I'm back now. I had a GREAT trip. I got Wife of the Year for the US Army Reserves of TX. I won a whole bunch of stuff and had a blast. I will be getting pictures soon so I'll post one when I get it.

We did lots of things over the weekend. We went to a shooting range and shot my dh new guns (i love doing that, lol). We went toobing down the river, ridding go carts, shopping, got a tatoo, and went dancing. It was great!!! I didn't stay OP at all. O'well. We ate great food and I drank a little (lol) to much. But yesterday I weighed in a pound lighter then last week. So I guess it's not to bad.

I have been trying to keep up with what I missed so forgive me for not addressing you all. I'm still getting through both pages.

I'll talk to all of you later.
Bella23

280/276/150

Goodmorning everyone. Seems like the boards are alive and well again.

I am doing pretty good, starting to look for an apartment again. I can't wait to be out on my own again. The little things we take for granted. Planning a weekend camping trip, I am hoping the weather warms up a bit and stays dry. Anyone going away for the holiday weekend?

Zap..Welcome to our lil home. How are you doing?

Velvet..We will not let you turn around and give up now. I will flood your e-mail box. You've come too far to give up now. Woohoo for you resisting the temptations and staying strong. We all know how tough it is. And I agree with Sandi, YOU are an inspiration to everyone here.

Jiffy..I saw your post about the Protien Shakes on the low carb boards. I don't know why I have never given thought to them. As someone just starting out with the shakes, what would be your reccomendation? Something easy and quick and that tastes good. LOL How are you feeling?

doitforme..Still chugging along..good for you.

Jenelle..Believe me, we all set "plans" (will lose X by this date"..and we don't meet it. BUT it keeps us focused and determined. Your doing wonderful!

bella..I am so glad you had such a good time with you're hubby. You deserved it! A tattoo??? What did you get?

JacobsMommy..Hi there chickie!

Hi all!! Happy Tuesday!! :) Well, I had a loss yesterday, which is good. But I know I can do better. We don't weigh in next Monday because of the holiday, so I am hoping that by June 3, I can have a nice sizeable loss.

Things here are going pretty well. Very uneventful. Just busy.

Jennifer - Good luck on the apartment!! What ever happened to your cats?

Bella - I am so glad that you had such a great time!! All the things that you did!!! Where did you get that tatoo??? :D

Doitforme - Soooo glad to hear that your mom is doing well.

Sakk - I think Exercise in the morning would be awesome!! And once you get them in the habit, their cute little faces begging will be your motivation!! I used to walk in the morning and I loved it. These days I get up at 5:00, just to get Jacob and I out of the house at 6:35. Can't see getting up muchj earlier than that!

BA - Back to the gym - Good for you!!

Gayle - Yahhhh!!! You did so awesome!! I am so proud of you for being strong. WAY TO GO!!!

Jiffy - A hoosier!! now that's the kind of mom to have!!

Hi to Jen, Zap, Sue and Jennelle!! :D

Ok, my tatoo is between my shoulder blades. If you can't read it, it says "Wild at heart" It is my second tatoo. I have a tiger cub on my ancle.

This is the best picture I could take.

Hope you all like it, and I hope it doesn't offend anyone!

Bella23
280/276/150

Soooo very cool!! Thanks for sharing!

Holy cow!!!
 

Bella - holy cow!! a tattoo - that is wild! Did it hurt? Were you drunk? hehe

What is your other tattoo? Congrats on your reward, that's wonderful!


Dana
235/224/212 10% mini goal 5 foot nothing!

Hello Everyone,
Well, I love my new bike, it was great to get out with the girls and go for a spin. We didn't keep track of miles but we were gone for 2 1/2 hours. We rode everywhere, stopping for water breaks every now and then and walking up the really big hills. (we live in the country) I think I have a permenant indentation in my rear of where the bike seat was though :eek: lol

Bella your tattoo is so cool, I've always wanted to get a little one on my ankle ...I can give birth to 3 children but I'm to chicken to have someone stick a little needle in me.

Jenniffer good luck on the apartment, I know how fun it can be to look for a new one.

Gayle Congrats! I wish I would have had your strength to keep driving by last night! Oh well, perhaps I'll have better luck next time.

Doitforme I was really happy to hear your mom is doing better.

Well time to run, it's laundry day *em yippie*.. one of the many joys of life eh?

Take Care All
Traci

so much activity!! so little time!!!
 

first off... bella, i'm so very proud of you for going to get your well-deserved award. i remember you were nervous about going, but it sounds as if the whole weekend went smoothly.. congratulations!!! and the tattoo. a very bold move. and thanks for sharing, i was very very curious, and more than a little jealous!!!!

and everyone seems to be back on track, more or less. it's not an easy path.

jennifer.. the protein shakes. a lot depends on how much protein you're actually eating. the surgeons recommended 60-80 grams for most folks because they have about 100 pounds [more or less] to lose. because i had soooo much to lose, they want me to have 80-100 grams. unfortunately, because of the stomach revisions, we can only absorb about 20-30 grams at a time. so no protein loading for us!!!!

and then, when do you want to have it? most of us start off the day with a shake, followed a couple of hours later by breakfast.

i have another one around 6, and don't always eat dinner.

i guess what i'm saying is that it's next to impossible to eat shortly after a protein shake, so you have to plan your meals accordingly.

the morning shake for me is about 30 grams of protein from the 55 gram chocolate protein drink from gnc. 1 scoop mixed with about 1/2 c skim milk, 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa, a little fake sugar, and sometimes some instant espresso powder. oh. and 3 ice cubes.

my favorite evening shake one is one of those fudgy myoplex thick things made with about 6 oz skim milkso that it's a thick pudding. it takes a while to eat. the packet has about 25 grams of protein, adn the skim milk brings it up to about 30 grams.

so, i'm getting about 60 grams of protein in a shake. food is extra.. the hard boiled egg is 12 grams, and if i eat a total of about 3 oz of meat or fish, or 2 oz of meat or fish and about an oz of cheese, that's another 20 grams or so, bringing my usual total to about 90 grams. on a good day.

notice the chocolate fixation!!!! really, there are other flavors, but why go without chocolate??????

the isopure mixed drink was quite good, and 40 grams of protein, which i divided. the powder is supposed to be good as well, and apparently people sprinkle it on other foods, like oatmeal. they say it's tasteless. this might be my next experiment...

this stuff doesn't really take the place of food. you still need fruit and vegs, and meat, because there are lots of vitamins in meat, like b12.

probably the most important thing: make sure you can return any protein supplement if you don't like it. everything tastes different, and you have to go by your own taste.

hope this gives you a start.... let me know how it goes.

To answer your questions about my tatoo:

Yes it does hurt, and pretty bad. But it's one of those things that once they start you don't really have a choice but to continue. (unless you want a few black lines, lol) Once they get going it kinda gets better. And it doesn't hurt that bad after it's done. The one on my back is in the healing process and thank god I don't have to shave like my ancle, lol.

No I wasn't drunk, your actually not allowed to get a tatoo if drunk or under any other substance. The tatoo studio can get shut down. The place I went to was a very upscale tatoo studio.

If anyone else has any questions about it feel free. I am also showing you the tiger cub on my ancle. That is my fav. The tiger took 2 hours to do and the one on my back took about an hour.

Bella23

Hi ya!
 

Sorry this going to be quick, I gotta run but just had to read to see how everyone was doing. Neat tattoos, bella, the tiger cub is cute. I always thought about getting one on my ankle, but never have. Hi to everyone else, thanks with the support with mom. Sorry I don't have time to do individual. But mom is released friday and I am suppose to go camping this weekend I have a winnebago. We are camping just a couple miles from my mom and dad, so hope everyone else has a great memorial day, if I don't a chance to get back. After the weekend my life should return to somewhere near normal. Take care, and have a great day! P.S. Jennifer happy apt. hunting!

Goodmorning everyone...beautiful Wednesday here in NY. I am having a really good OP week so far and I am determined to keep it going. I am already feeling alot better just from 2 straight strict OP days.
My camping plans for this weekend were cancelled because everyone thought everyone else was making the reservations. Well, I was tld 8 times yesterday that every campsite was booked with waiting lists. So, now, the weekend is up in the air. It's Fleet Week here in NY, so I may go down into the city. But I know that will be an adventure since everyone else will be too. So, we'll see.

JacobsMommy..A loss, A loss...WOOHOOO! You go girlie! My cats are still with John and will most likely remain with him. I am doing the unselfish thing I think. He has a 3 bedroom house, and I would hate to see all 3 cats crammed into a tiny apartment. And it's been a year since I've been with them, and am sure it would be alot for them to adjust to again. So, in a way, I said goodbye to them already. I miss them..it's been so long though.

Bella..Wow! That is really cool! I am envious too! I love both of them. I am getting a cat on my ankle with little paw prints around it..and maybe a butterfly on my back and maybe one on my....heehee I have none but I plan on one being my reward.

Zap..You're really workin that bike, aren't ya? It works every muscle you have, so that's a good thing.

Jiffy..I knew I could count on you. Well, I was thinking of having a protien shake in place of a meal, such as lunch. Lunch is my toughest since I am at work, so I was going to try them out. I don't really know how many grams I have a day of protien or how many I should have. I am insulin resistant and I have PCOS, my doctor ordered a diet restricting carbs and increasing my protein by 100% since my diet used to be ALL carbs. And I wondered why I kept gaining. lol I am going to the store tonight to see what I can find. Thank you and I will let you know what happens.

doitforme..Enjoy your camping weekend, and try to relax. I am sure you need it.