miss michelle -- I've tried FF ranch and it tastes a funny to me.

Hey gals..... I've been MIA for a while, but here I am again.

First of all: look! look! I moved my ticker!! For like, the first time in two months!! It feels good to see something other than 195 down there.

I got a stomach bug thing for a day and a half. It wasn't too bad.... Just annoying, really. about 48 hours of nausea, one excruciating up-chucking session, and a 24 hour headache. Not sure what got into me, but at least it's gone now. Since I didn't eat for a day and a half, I kind of took the opportunity to think of myself as a "blank slate" to start clean eating again... Not that it's a good thing to do (up-chucking for motivation), but because this stomach thing set in after my biggest binge in a month (I've been really great lately -- maybe the stomach thing happened because I shoved so much crap into it and it just rebelled)..... I see it as a "lesson learned."

So far, so good. I have trouble controlling what I eat while I live with my dad, but I sure can control how much I eat. So my stomach bug got me back to 194, and two days of eating later, I'm at 193.5. Usually weight lost due to illness hops back on for obvious reasons (body shock), but apparently I'm doing something okay this time..... I don't want it back!! :)

My sister accidentally got two copies of the TurboJam workout and the BeachBody diet stuff that comes with it, so she's giving one to me. I dunno if I'll do the diet -- I can't do super low-carb due to blood sugar problems -- but the workout looked like a lot of fun. Can't wait to try that and get back on to the exercise wagon!

In other news, me and the man have decided to get married this October. It's sort of a long story, and I've typed enough, but long story short our potential wedding date kept getting pushed back and pushed back until we were looking at 2008, at which point we had to re-evaluate our priorities: WE are our priorities! We want to get married, why keep letting other things get in the way?? And now there's extra impetus to lose some weight by the fall ;)

Stephie, Stephanie updated her blog. Sounds like she's okay, though I wish she'd pop in to say hi too!

Congrats to everyone on their exercise and weight loss progress.... y'all are doing great :D

OMG all it is 2:30 am here I am still not over the initial shock that I am working right now lol. Yesterday was crazy. My 8 hour trip ended up being 11 HOURS! Needless to say when I got home at 8 p.m. and needed to be up and working at 2 a.m. I did not fit in a workout - just tried to get right to sleep. Today should be more normal. No photo work after my work at home job. Will have to reschedule my strength training and yoga for then. As for eating I am not really sure what to do with this new schedule. Since I am up and working from 2 am to 10 am should I be eating breakfast and lunch during those times? Or since this schedule is only temporary (1-2 months) should I stick to my normal eating?

SUSHI - glad to hear you found some employment. Good luck this week, sorry to hear you won't be on much.

miss michelle - Do you feel like your body is rearranging? My scale was not budging but I started feeling better about what I saw in the mirror, sure enough I took my measurements and everything that was being worked on was down...maybe take your measurements? This schedule is interesting to say the least.

brito - You made it home! How is working out and living with the parents going? Congrats on that ticker change. I will have to look at steph's blog I was really worried about her.

545 minutes | 10:59 | 65
 

Good morning everyone.

I feel blah this morning. Pre-monthly nausea? :tired:
I'm extremely tiered. I'm not sure how I'm going to function at work today.

I noticed how bad the people eat at work. How do all you ladies fight the temptations? I bring my own lunch/snacks but it's still hard.

Last night i shed another MINUTE off my mile time since my fastest time to date the night before. I also upped my weights from 50 to 65 on the arm machine. [I couldn't even do the 20 pounds a month ago] I am excited how things are going for me... endurance and fitness wise. :lifter:

Trns, I totally know what you mean. The coworker I share my office with used to have a giant Kit Kat every afternoon (and I mean every afternoon). Luckily though some of my good eating habits have rubbed off on her, and we even go to bootcamp together in the mornings :) So try to be a good example and don't give in to the pressure!

i bring my own lunch & snacks also.

It's hard some days when everyone is ordering out and I can't because it's all fried stuff on the menu. Everyone has now noticed that I don't join in on ordering, so they don't even ask, which is nice, that way I am not tempted.

Some days it sucks, because when I do decide to get something out of the snack machine everyone feels the need to ask if that is on my diet...which, that's great...but give me a break people!!!! Geez...

Hi everyone,

The busy-ness continues in my life. My play (somebody asked what type of play last week - just a comedy at our small community theater) went on all weekend and was quite a hit. Friday night I went home after the performance feeling very ill, and I've been battling a nasty cold/flu-like thing since. I've finally been able to catch up on some sleep in the past few nights but now I'm getting ready for out-of-town guests coming in tomorrow for a long weekend. I'm bummed that I'm sick b/c this is one of my best friends, and she's never seen where I live. Still, Dayquill and Robitussin are doing wonders. I've been medicated on Advil to keep my fever down, too, so my knee has stopped hurting. But the minute I stop taking it the pain comes back, so I don't know what to do about this stupid thing...don't have many options...anyways. I gained 1/2 lb. this week, but that's all I've gained since I stopped doing cardio nearly 3 weeks ago now. This weekend I'll be active with my guests, so that will hopefully help keep the weight down. Just wanted to stop in and say hi.

I don't go out to eat with co-workers, and luckily the only person who keeps a candy jar is quite a ways away. I always pack a healthy lunch and snacks, and I keep a few "emergency snacks" in my desk like 100-cal packs, unsweetened applesauce, tuna, and Chewy granola bars just in case. Once in a while I'll go ahead and have a brownie or cookie or whatever someone brings in, write it in my food journal, and move on.

britomart, how exciting!

miss michelle, as long as your clothes aren't getting tighter I wouldn't worry.

Sushi, yay for getting a job!

stephiewilliams, those are crazy hours for sure. You need fuel for your work"day", not to sleep, so I'd try to change your eating times a bit. Maybe let your stomach dictate when you eat, after it adjusts to the time change.

rosiek2277, FF ranch tastes funny to me too, but there is also a reduced fat that is between the regular and FF that tastes ok to me. Have you tried that?

I know exaclty what you mean Trns, Ive come to figure out, if you cant beat em, join em. Well, but in a good way.. I bring in fresh veggies - cucumbers and peel them at work so the smell wafts down the isle... carrots, fresh cut up fruit also is appealing, and i bring enough to set a big plate on my desk for those people who like to stop by and graze in everyone's cube. Then everyone is like... OOOO! Fruit! and im all happy cuz i have good food that other people like too and dont feel miserable when someone is eating a snickers or cheetos..

Third day of early waking...and it is not getting any easier believe me. Yesterday when I got off in the morning I fell asleep for like 3 hours making my grand total on sleep 7 hours. This is about what I normally get but having it bookend my working time is weird. In light of the crazy schedule I got my run in yesterday. Went to the park. It was crazy hard and had to get used to sucking wind in front of others. On a good note I can feel it everywhere today, especially in my butt, hips, and abs. YAY everywhere I am trying to focus on. Also did an hour of pilates/yoga to kind of chip away at my exercise goal. I will be out of town Friday/Sat for a photo shoot and my birthday so I have to get the hours in when I can. Today have to finish working my at home job then may try to squeeze in some cardio and or water aerobics with my sister in law. I am trying to get her to become more active...its hard for her though, the gym intimidates her big time.

ps: eating was angelic yesterday :) Water consumption although not perfect was nothing to be ashamed of either. Overall a pretty good day.

maja - Can't help you with the co worker food woes. When I worked downtown I was as guilty as the rest of them. I would bring healhty lunches or snacks and then ruin my eating with a vending machine picnic. You are making some hella progress and it shows...congrats.

miss michelle - Thats a good suggestion. If you cannot beat them inspire them to be better and solve your problem that way.

spill - Its crazy how consumed people are when you are dieting. Like it is any of their business. When my husband or I are dieting, my mother in law will constantly ask "So are you still dieting..."?

Megan - Your suggestion about my eating makes sense. Still feels weird to be hungry at 4 am and allowed to eat rofl. Sorry to hear you are sick. That is awesome your play went well though, congrats.

angel - Bringing in fruit for everyone sounds expensive. What a good co worker though treating everyone to a healthy snack though!

Hey ladies!!

It's been awhile! I graduated and moved in with my BF. It's only been a week, but I don't have a job (and probably won't until schools reopen in August) and he works 60 hour weeks. Needless to say I think I might get bored. I also don't really like the house (not to look a gift horse in the mouth, since its free to us) and I seem to like it LESS the more I'm in it.

Annnnnd we have carpenter ants. I'm a huge bug-phobe so this is very upsetting to me. They are in our food cabinets (though we have packed all our food in containers or bags that zip). My dad has offered to pay for the extermination, but its really expensive so I feel bad. PLUS they can't come for two weeks. Two weeks with the ants. I wish I was not such a spaz.

Eating has been eh. I don't seem to have the motivation, though my pants are getting tighter. I still think I'm about 142, so I have about 6 lbs to go. This seems to be the norm for the last 5 months! Argh.

Congrats to all the grads, fiances, and ladies with new jobs!!

Andrea :)

Hi Andrea! It's good to have you back :)

My workouts have been going ok...for some reason yesterday I got on the treadmill and only ran about 2/3 of my workout. I don't know what was wrong with me, I just wasn't feeling right. I got off and did some weight lifting and felt better later. I have really been tracking my food for the past week, and it shows. I am down three pounds since Monday! I swear, if I can just keep this up for a month or so I can get to my goal weight FINALLY. It has been hard keeping away from temptation, and it is just going to get harder when I get back to my apartment and have all that food sitting in front of me. When I get back, I am going to do my best to get rid of any food sitting around that I know I will binge on that isn't my roomate's. I think I will also ask her to get rid of some of the sweet stuff she just has lying around (of course, that isn't a problem for her). I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

where is the banging head against a brick wall emoticon :frypan:

this week has been a shocker. i have eaten crap, i have not exercised - a complete write off. for some reason this week has been really tough as all i have been thinking about is having a cigarette. it has now been 4 weeks since i quit (5 weeks tomorrow!) and this is the hard yards i think. however, to put your minds at rest - i have not relented and am still smoke free ;)

i even went and bought peanut m&m's last night, i was that agitated - and i never go out to buy junk food. having said that - i just realised that the first night i quit i got the m&m's too.

anyway, this weekend i will bring myself back on target for my exercise and i will be eating completely clean.

stacy - your new avatar is so hot! love it!

andrea - i hate ants too. it feels so invasive when they find a way in the house. i put peppermint oil down at the entry ways they had made into the house and it deters them. give it a go. just a drop here and there.

trns - my workmates aren't too bad. most are reasonably health conscious. we have a fruit tray delivered to the department each morning so that is always a good option for a snack. i try to keep some multigrain crackers and cheese slices in the fridge here for a snack if i get really hungry. the biggest tempation at my work is all the morning teas. we have them for birthdays and when people leave and today will be the second one this week.

stephie - your routine is insane :crazy: well done on getting your exercise in and eating clean. great job!

michelle - well done on the 3lbs! fantastic reward for the hard work you are putting in.

My goodness ladies! It seems like I can't get a solid week of diet/exericise without SOMETHING going on....

WARNING: Period stuff ahead..Read at your own risk ;)

So I've always had really painful periods. Like to the point where I lay in bed and miss school/plans/housework for 2-3 days. I've told my doctos and all they've ever done is swith me around to different BC pills. It's been getting reeeeally bad lately and I've been having spotting, flu-like symptoms, worse pain etc. I was in the mall today searching for a mother's day present and it got so bad I left and went straight to the doctor. They did the normal exam and took a urine sample for a PREGNANCY test. So I left with a prescription for diflucan (slight infection) and vicodin (for the pain). That's it! My goodness. Even if I do have a yeast infection that's NOT why I've had debillitating cramps/symptoms for 10 years! And pregnant? HULLO I'm having my period. I really hate doctors. The ONLY good thing that came from this visit they told me to come back next week for a follow up and if I'm "still having problems" they'll give me a referral to a gynecologist (I have to go to the family doctor-HMO crap). That "still having problems" thing pissed me off royally. It's like I've have this for 10 years and they think I'll be better in a week?

Ok, that's enough of that. My second rant for the week.

So yea all of this is really effecting my weight loss. It seems like its always a trip or a holiday or I'm sick or SOMETHING. Does anyone else feel like this? I lost 30 pounds from October to December and only 10 pounds from December to May. There could have been a potential FORTY more gone! I could kick my own butt!

Daisy, thanks! Yours inspired me. I looked around the internet for a good hour until I found that one. I got a couple other on reserve too ;)

Hi gals :)

Missing the chitchat!

My job is alright. Very repetitive, and my throat is so sore from all the talking (it's phone work). It's a temp job, so it won't last more than 2 weeks, but it's good to be getting some money at last. I hope something more permanent comes along very very soon though.
Because of work and the long train ride there and back, I've been off track with food and exercise the last few days. I'm hoping to do some catching up over the weekend. Next week should be easier, I'll have settled into the routine.

Stacy, I so feel for you with the pains! I used to suffer terribly during my periods as well, fortunately the first BC pill I got put on seemed to sort it out and the pains haven't come back even though I went off it. Blood tests are so useles in this situation, I don't get why they do them! But what got to me even more was the lack of understanding - at school, at work, from family, everywhere. I hope you'll be able to find some long-term remedy soon!

Daisy, don't think cigarette, think tic tac! :)

Okay, I have to go to sleep... tired after the long week. I haven't worked since February, so it's tough to go full-time after weeks and weeks of leisure. Tired!

Hey Ladies... Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!

I've got beautiful weather here, and while I haven't specifically gone out to do exercise today, I've been pretty active -- we have 150 small fruit trees which I had to spray this morning (think: lugging 7 gallons of liquid on your back, 3 gallons at a time, up and down hills because nothing's flat here). That was fun but pretty tiring. Then me, little makeshift farmhand, decided to turn the garden so we can get our vegetables in asap. The plot for the garden had been plowed, but nothing else... So I've been out there digging up rocks, throwing out turf, and whacking away at the ground with a hoe. It's pretty intense!! So manual labor is my substitution for a structured workout today. Eating has been okay but I must say I've seen pizza more times than any one person should in the past week.

Anyway, back out to the garden I go. I really want to plant something tomorrow.....

Have a happy Saturday! :)