Oh! My! God! You are NOT going to believe this! We finally got the truck back Friday from the shop after two weeks+ waiting for the damages from the deer collision to be repaired. We still need to take it back to have the fog light covered put on. Sunday afternoon hubby runs to the store to pick up needed supplies for the candy he's making for our son and his girlfriend. The store is less then two miles from the house. After about 1/2 hour he calls and I say, "Wow! It takes a long time for you to buy peanut butter."

He replies, "No. It takes a long time to file a police report when someone rear-ends you at a stoplight!"

Honestly! When does it end? We hadn't had the truck back 48 hours yet! Samuel L. Jackson - Where are you?

At least this time it goes on someone else's insurance. I'd love to be there when he talks to our insurance agent this afternoon though. I'm sure the man's jaw will hit the floor.

So, yeah. There's that. I did eat 4 of my husband's homemade peanut butter balls. There are three more (for each of us) at the house. I WILL eat them. But I will account for the calories and TRY very hard to stay out of the Halloween Candy. I plan to push the chocolate on the kiddo's that come by, as I can have a house full of fruity candy and never touch it. If candy isn't chocolate - it's not worth eating in my opinion.

Truthfully, I'd rather have liquor right now. I'm rather proud of the fact that I haven't bought or bummed cigarettes. We quit a year ago the week before Thanksgiving. But that does not mean I don't' want any when I get stressed out. It's knowing that they'll make me nauseated is all that stops me.

Also...I'm hosting a church fellowship hour on the 12th. Then I have family Thanksgiving. Lots and lots to do with food. I love hosting fellowship, but I go overboard. People take turns and sometimes I go a little crazy. The first time I ever hosted, my in-laws were in town and I had never cooked for them. I ended up with twice the food I needed; lots of homemade cookies and breads and little mini quiche from scratch...you get the picture....it was like a buffet! The church people laughed at me and said I'd set the bar. I have learned to scale back but I do love cooking for people. Some people just bring donuts and punch. Some make some hot munchies and cookies and fruit. Me? I generally make sure I have three types of savory and three sweet; usually something hot if I can manage it. This time I'm thinking of some kind of fancy spinach/artichoke/chicken filling in a wreath shape pie and three types of homemade breads; pumpkin, banana and lemon-mulberry. Probably some veggies and cookies as well...or fruit, and hot mulled apple cider.

Yeah, I'm a bit of an over-achiever at feeding people.

Now - If I can not eat it.

Slashnl - I'm sorry you are ill. Feel better soon!

lemonthyme - Happy belated birthday! Hope you had fun making cookies. You are absolutely right...memories of these little things are the BEST part of kids.

Toasted - Thank's for the hugs! I needed that. Keep plugging along - you are doing well!

LaurieDawn - Whenever I read your posts they tire me out! You do SO much! 20,000 steps "at least" - I'm lucky most days to get 5,000. You are a winner lady! No doubt about that! Take care and stay strong! I'm glad you are feeling better.

Until next time ladies!

Lil: oh cripes! At our house bad news is always in 3s and it sounds like you have hit your quota. 😬 I do hope the rear ender had decent insurance. Does this mean the vehicle is now totaled or fixable? That happened to us a few years back w/multiple claims in a few year period. It is what it is but it does more to drive you batty then them I’m sure. Hang in there.

You sound like me entertaining - prep food to make something for everyone. I can say I did pretty well w the cookie baking and frosting so that was a help. We are in that season of food - I hope I can do well and continue to loose. This is the time I flipped out and stopped last year.

Diane: colds - who needs them?! Do they really offer any benefit other than your body doing it’s job and making you miserable? Hopefully it runs it course quickly! You’ll get back to the gym soon enough. I’d stay away because if your sick I’m sure there are others sharing their germs too especially knowing how the ones at my gym never wipe things down. Ick.

Toasted: cake - that’s too funny. I’m more a cookie gal but cakes good on occasion. I also like pumpkin pie but I haven’t made any of late and the one I had recently was not how I make it - I tend to season mine w/the spices of the season so it has a bit more kick to it. Nothing beats a good pumpkin pie. Ok - enough on sweets. I’m getting ready for bed and need to not dream of food. Did you get your exercise in?

Laurie: have you figured how to cut back on work craziness? Is it heavier this time of year or just normal workload? How’s all at home? Hopefully everything is going well for you.

Hello anyone I missed!

AM: cookies baked and drying (royal icing). However that darn icing recipe never turns out the same twice when I make it. Today it’s sticky and puffy. Ugh. Maybe I should find a different recipe but others have sworn by this one. I think it’s me!

Tomorrow I’ll get up early and pack the treat bags and get my tray packed for the school run. Costumes are packed so things are moving ahead here.

Weight - ate my chicken and salad tonight and popped in a squash - always a nice fall treat and my ILS grow quite a few so I picked up about 5 of them last weekend. I confess - I’m a pat of butter and a tsp of brown sugar when I bake a half. But it’s a good treat, however this particular squash was of a drier inside which was weird for a squash but still good.

I did get my shorter walk in this am. Crossed paths w a gal who I didn’t want to see - but she was in a car and I was on foot - I didn’t want to be in conversation on a topic I’m waiting for her to ask. Ugh. She’s a busy body and I don’t need others into my business. Good thing I waved and kept my head down and moved forward.

Ok so tomorrow I hope the scale looks better but as is my saga, I slide back and forth - slide rule - abacus one of those things is me and my diet. I can hope I’m back to 230 however I’m well prepared for it to have not moved one iota.

Wishing you all a splendid evening.

Ugh the 230s are very much like an octopus and I think I’m on my way out of them and one tentacle reaches up and wraps around me and pulls me down. I’ll try not to pout today and get on with it. It’s just frustrating for me. I know, I know the weight didn’t go on in a day but of late it seems it does. Or because I weigh daily I see such.

I’ve got the cookies wrapped and ready for today. I have to clean the house and hang some things outside so my halloween is packed in the sense of getting it done and looking better than it does. Pumpkins are carved, so little things have gotten done on my list but not all of it. Heck I even got all the winter accessories washed and put away yesterday - mittens hats, gloves and scarves - Lordy I’ve got a lot, but it makes sense to have multiples, especially of the mitts, as we go through them often with lots of snow play.

I am also on the search for a speaker cord as we like to pipe halloween scary music ala 70s ktel - yes - they have it on iTunes and yes I’ve had kids who won’t come up on my porch because of it. Hehehehe. I don’t want to disappoint.

So I will try, try again to get out of this da*n decade and on with it. I feel a bit like a repeat failure but I’m still less then I’ve been in a year, but I’m still heavy. I was in a family photo the other day and yep - still sporting the heavy look. I get we are our own worst critic. But darn it I just wish I could shed the fat shell.

Happy Halloween all! May the spooks and goblins give you a scare today and have a laugh at least on one kids costume - some of them make me smile as they come to the door (and I always have one rude one - I DONT LIKE THAT CANDY, give me something else - and I always give them a tootsie roll instead). Yes I hate brats. 😉

Happy day all!

Lemonthyme - The repair estimate for the rear bumper and bed of the pickup is over 2 grand. Our insurance just paid over 5 for the deer wreck. So altogether, almost $8,000 in repairs in less than a month! But, not totaled. The truck is a 2016, which we got used with only 5,000 or so miles on it. It'll take a lot to total a truck that new. lol We've had the darn thing SIX MONTHS! Crazy. I've gone YEARS without a dent in a vehicle.

Husband decided last night that he had a craving for Chicago style pizza. Dinner was NOT healthy or low-calorie. But I only ate one peanut butter ball and none of the Halloween candy. Tonight's dinner is rotisserie bbq chicken that he got on sale and really needs to be eaten, and salad which the pizza place forgot to deliver so we didn't get it until after we'd eaten, so into the fridge it went. At least we now have a healthy supper planned...and left-over pizza in the fridge.

I have a ton to do and a dentist appt. at 2 so I best get to work.

Hey guys, quick check in from my phone at home. I’ve been feeling incredibly exhausted recently and I’m not sure why. Maybe not enough sleep is catching up with me but I feel pretty run down. Woke up early to do a strength workout this morning and my 12-yr old DVD player refused to open. It’s been hit or miss with the opening mechanism for months now but today it gave up completely. So by the time I unearthed my brother’s old DVD player from storage, unscrewed the top of my old DVD player to rescue my yoga video and untangled the mess of wires behind my tv to remove said DVD player, it was too late to do any exercise. Sigh. Also the scale hates me because I eat too much. All whole and healthy foods but too darn much of it! Nonetheless technically, I should still be in a deficit and the scale shouldn’t be climbing so it could be water retention etc but it doesn’t matter. I know what to do. If I want to see results, I need to eat wayyy less and I will. Starting tomorrow. (Said not in a procrastinate-y way, but in a it’s 10pm and I’ve eaten all my meals for the day already way). Fortunately, we don’t have Halloween here except in edgy nightclubs and maybe funky private schools. But we don’t get the candy, there’s no trick or treating or decorating or anything. So there’s no extra temptation I have to face luckily. Do you guys live in trick or treating neighborhoods? Are you giving out candy?

Lemonthyme: Happy birthday in arrears! I hope you had an amazing day. All those cookies, girl you have ALLLLL the willpower. I think it’s awesome what you’re doing for those kids and I pray they pay it forward some day. I’m also experiencing somewhat of an upward bounce on the scale so I’m joining you to reign it in. I want to see a great weigh in this weekend so I’m in it with you. Hopefully you were able to accomplish all the things you need to finish today vis-a-vis halloween prep.

Diane: Oh noooooo!!! I’m sorry you’re feeling so under the weather. I hope you went home early and got some rest and lots of hot beverages and honey and if you can stand it super spicy ginger tea.

Lillion: I am in total shock about your car woes. Goodness me!!! If it was in a script I’d be going on about how implausible it is. Really would have loved to be a fly on the wall of your agent. Sorry about the inconvenience. I hope you catch a break soon. You’re way overdue for something lovely and joyous to happen in your life!


Okay guys GTG. I’m not going to do out and out goals because I’m sitting up in bed trying to digest and then I’ll go to sleep. Even though I missed my strength workout this morning, I think I’m going to go running tomorrow depending on the weather. Wishing you guys a blessed evening.

UGH! I worked off and on all day on a post, only to have it disappear before I was done. I usually copy and paste periodically, but I didn't. For now, just going to say I am following all of this, rooting for all y'all, and inspired by all of you.

And for the record, I'm up to 155.0. Need to start heading the other way, but hopefully, I'm on my way today.

Halloween badness! Candy is tripping me up horribly! I’m the one handing our candy out and I’m eating mindlessly! and I just saw an 8 year old in a French maid costume. Ugh!!!!!

I’m sure my scale will be huge AGAIN. Help me stay strong not to throw in the towel and say to heck w the diet until 2018. How about this one- I vow to do the best I can but just realize I’ll float about back and forth and be grumbly about it but it’s me and when I finally leave the 230s it will be time to leave for good. Plus it seems each weekend from now until feb I have something going on! Maybe dieting is easier when you are a hermit?

Enjoy your spooky nights. I’ll do personals later as in tomorrow. My family should be in soon and then I’m off to prep scratch Mac and cheese for them to warm bellies and I’ll have a small 1/2 cup and my big salad. Might as well end the night right and STOP the chocolate.

Oh the craziness!

Ok not facing the scale today. I know it will be up as the siren who haunts with Halloween candy called my name but good. I was weak!

So today will find me on my short walk, I’ve already got 33oz water in and it’s only 341am. I can’t sleep so many thoughts running through my head to the point it’s Driving me nuts. So I’m watching news and seeing the sadness/mess from yesterday. When will this world settle down?

Everything I said I’d do or avoid yesterday: TOTALLY OUT THE WINDOW. Back on the saddle and getting the day going in the right direction that’s my focus. Ugh, why do I do this to Myself?! Alright - I’ll get on with it.

Happy day all.

Hi guys. Checking in quickly before I get swamped. I hope you guys are all well. I saw the tragic incident in New York and thought of you guys hoping that you and all your friends and loved ones are safe. I ended up not working out this morning. I got up early enough but still felt exhausted and run down for some reason so I lay down and dozed a little more. If I get home early enough I’ll try to get some kind of exercise in. Also the scales went up another half pound and I allowed myself a 5-second freak out before putting on my big girl pants and reminding myself that I’m not powerless in this situation. I was a little mad. I’m a little frightened for the pounds that need to go because the rest of the week, I’m determined to be on it!

Laurie: Too bad about the post! I hate when that happens!!! I’m up again too, even from yesterday! Le Sigh! But it’s alright today is a fresh day!

Lemonthyme: The Halloween candy meltdown is totally understandable but it’s also only one day out of several other days when you’ve been on track. And same with all the other events coming up. They can just be one day or one meal out of others on track, 80–20 or 70-30 style. Because let’s face it life happens and it’s not nice to be the one bitterly munching on the kale in the corner. Even when I was super low calorie at 1200-1300 calories a day, I always took a day off each week and certainly a day off for family events and I lost 100lbs doing that. Please don’t give up or peace out till February. One because I’ll miss you on here terribly but mainly because you’re doing the best you can and most days aren’t swimming through a sea of candy and family food functions. You can totally do this and maybe the 220s might be harder won but maintenance or even small losses and the mindfulness that comes with trying is much better than the alternative of giving up. You’ve totally got this sabotaging events or not!

GOALS OF THE DAY
1.) Review/Re-write at least 6 episodes
2.) Stay under 1500 calories. Eat ONLY logged food.
3.) Hit 5000 steps

Toasted: thanks for the reminder! I guess I just get disappointed when I have a day or a few days. I think it irritates me more that I get the weight down and ready to move on and bam. I then see others on this site who just keep
Moving on down the scale seemingly with ease (well and I’m sure work!) Argh! I know, I know- my mom reminds me nothing is harder than loosing weight when you have kids. You just eat with them. Granted they move a ton more than I do and maybe I should pick up their activity practices. I feel today like being the poster child for the 230s yo yo. Oh to give it a swift kick!

Hope your humidity had dissipated and your rewrites minimal.

Laurie: I hate technology when it doesn’t work well! Hope things are looking up for you.

Diane: how’s the cold? I dread colds just because I hate all things associated with it and I swear it takes weeks longer than it probably really does. Hopefully you are on the mend.

Lil: and the deer rut is just beginning en force. Well maybe your grouping of crappy news takes a huge hike. But the good thing is your hubs is ok and the other stuff is replaceable. How was the pizza and candy? You sounded like me about what temptations were in your house too maybe you had better luck!

Vlad: how is you part of the country? Snow yet?

Hello all!

I’m still awake but I think I’ll try and nap as soon as the bus is loaded. This nonsense with sleep is driving me nuts. I am worrying about everything and nothing at the same time. My husband was snoring and sounded like an old fashioned percolating coffee pot at one point, and the moon (or streetlights) seemed extra bright with the bare trees. Oh I can find all things to worry and wake me.

And I came too owing $210 from a bad hair dye job taking my hair from brunette to strawberry blonde w l/ Kool aid red bangs. Don’t even ask what else the dream was, I couldn’t tell you at all but the hair was horrid.

Anyone else having comfort food thoughts with impending winter time? I was looking at recipes as I told the kids we’d try to do a special dinner (the good dishes, good food and good manners) once a month. Sadly most of the recipes that pique my interest are calorie loaded but good. I need to stick to roasted veggies and lean protein I guess instead and leave the recipes alone. However some of them sounded so good!and fat! And comforting! Roasted vegetables it is. 😊

Here’s to trying to shake the worries and maybe the weight will follow. Maybe I’ll find my loss mojo yet again. But until then I’d better go grab some coffee to at least get me through bus stop standing in complete darkness - I’ll keep my kids on the porch until the bus rolls down the street and they can run out to catch it. This whole time change is a pain in the butt! And currently it’s dragging big time.

Happy day all.

Remember how I said we had a healthy dinner planned? Yeah...not so much. I'd forgotten about Wendy's. You see, hubby and I are very supportive of Toys for Tots. We contribute every year and belong to a medieval reenactment group that does a big toy drive. Well our local Marine Corps League chapter had their Toys for Tots storage locker broken into and ALL the toys collected this year so far were STOLEN! So there's a huge push to get LOTS of toys quickly. To start it off, Wendy's promised 30% of their profits to TFT from sales from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the 31st.

So yeah...I had Wendy's for dinner.

Wendy's and candy. Lots and lots of candy.

We had almost NO trick-or-treaters! We aren't in a busy neighborhood, but we got like 30 kids last year. This year I planned and bought 2 big bags of candy. I got 7 - SEVEN - kids! So there's STILL an unopened bag of snickers and a bowl of M&M's and Skittles! But I had my share, that's for sure.

Got to work. It's a terribly busy day!

Take care all...I'll try to bbl.

I'm pretty swamped here at work, so this may be short. I went home on Monday around noon and then took all day off yesterday. Lots and lots of coughing and just feeling achy. I'm better today, but still not 100%. I needed to come in for some training though, so I am staying upright. I couldn't get 3FC to come up on my computer at home, so I didn't get to post.

I've been still trying to log my food and I've been weighing. I've lost a couple of pounds, but I'm not sure if it is because of actual weight loss or if I'm not keeping up with water. That's been a problem.

I'll be more exciting tomorrow!! Sorry! I'm fading.....

Slash: sorry you are still feeling poorly. Maybe the time Off will help and you’ll bounce back come Monday.

Lil: why do people thieve things meant to help others? I’ve never understood that and though diet wise it wasn’t perfect, I’m glad you turned out to help them out again to gather toys and monies.

Hello all! Would it be so nice of me to let you know it’s snowing right now - big white fluffy flakes. Yuck! And my yard stuffs aren’t put away yet. I have furniture and coverings from summer to put away yet and a garage to finish cleaning (1/2 done). I’M NOT READY FOR WINTER.

Today has just been a bust in all things. I’m loafing about. I have been up since what - 230am? And I’m on and off chilling and of course eating what I shouldn’t be eating. And my daily outlook is blah for diet and weight loss. I found the kids candy stash. Yes, I’m a bad mom eating their candy. 😊 and I was reading other threads and those lucky sorts are all whipping through their numbers. Does that mean I’m not totally committed to loosing? I don’t know what it means. I mean well to loose, but the damnable eating of 1250 calories a day is driving me batty of late and because it’s getting colder who wants to eat salads daily? I have to figure out my transition to diet friendly winter foods and that always takes a while for me to switch to something that works. Any suggestions?

I will admit in the cold months I like warm and hot for foods - I like creamy soups, hot dishes (quick meal), pastas when it’s cold out. I like to bake as the flakes fly and as you can read - it’s all a bit detrimental to my svelte self that’s been hiding for 10 years. Well I wasn’t svelte then, 180; but I felt good and I was newly married and was totally optimistic about the future. Fast forward to present and I guess I was naieve with what can happen with life’s journey - job losses, many a miscarriage, housing displacement etc. and the weight came on as I ate my stress and worries. And now I have hurdles where I struggle because some days my outlook changes and says WHO CARES! I’ll admit that’s part of my issue right now.

Ok I’ll take my mumbles and run on off to think some more about it all. The one good diet news of the day is I’ve gotten my water in. Well it’s one thing.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll be stomping mad by the time I hop on my scale and have the most fab outlook with it all. Here’s hoping!

155.0

Not enough time in the day. Making bad food choices, but not terrible food choices. Not getting in the work-outs I need, but still doing stuff. The workday is coming to a close, and I still hadn't posted here. I've skimmed through everyone's entries, and really need to take time to respond to individuals, but that's going to have to keep until I can come up for air.

Thank you all for your consistent posting, though! Even though I am not responding specifically to each of you, it is great to know that my struggle is not mine alone, and to see the commitment other people are putting in despite challenges.

FINALLY I’m ending a day on a good note - a small serving of scrambled eggs, salad and 1, yes one, thin slice of Italian bread w/ a pat of butter. So I’ll have some more water and get on with it. I’m sure the scale will still be up there again as I just be a glutton for punishment to keep revisiting the same numbers. Woot - I’ve never said I’m a super achiever 😊

Ok - may all your troublesome pounds take a hike overnight. I aim to have better spirits tomorrow to deal with it all.