Friends! My computer is temporarily (I hope) ka-put and I'm only able to briefly scan posts on my lunch break. I'm still lurking tho - always happy to cheer your successes and draw motivation from your determination and commitment.

Heather - wudya mean, "Go Red Sox"???

Catherine - I'm keeping my head low, and you aren't even mad at me! I hope, for his sake, that the Puralator guy comes thru with your package!

Sandy - Congrats! Kiss the new baby for me!!!

Sharon - The plan is for me to ride Gabriel on Thursday night. He's been doing AWESOME at the trainer's place, and it's time for me to quite watching from the sidelines like the sissy I am, and jump up there myself. If you don't hear from me on Friday, then he probably had other ideas.

Hugs to the 3FC troups!

Midnight – When I was in school I never fit in the desks if they were attached. I went and found another chair in another classroom and would drag it all the way across the building if I had to. I hope you don’t have the same problem in the future, but if you do, please demand your right to be comfortable in class! I am sure you are paying enough to be there that you deserve it.

Rat – I agree with the others about the loose clothing. I feel uncomfortable wearing more fitted things, yet I know they look SO MUCH better on me than the loose things. Also, we really are most critical of ourselves. Do you have any from behind pictures of yourself at your highest weight that you could compare? I am “lucky” (I am using that word in half jest) that my ex liked to take pictures of me from behind so I have plenty to compare to.

Rabid – Before I forget, that restaurant you mentioned before seemed SO COOL. I would LOVE to have something like that around me.

Peggy – That is great that people are noticing!

Catherine – That is insane that Purolator, when they are supposed to deliver straight to your door, pulls that kind of crap. You have every right to complain.

oops - I appear to have messed up my color scheme here - sorry!

Ammi – I hope your infection goes away soon! That sounds so miserable!

Donna – That slammy thing sounds so cool. I have days that I would LOVE to have something to beat up.

Sharon – Sorry to hear you are feeling grumpy. Maybe your could relax in the bath with a good book or something? It would be hard to eat in there.

Luan – Congrats on being down 5 pounds this month – that is great!

Brandnewme – I am THRILLED to hear that you love your new doctor. It is so important to work with someone who treats you right. I hope the synthyroid clears up most of your problems. That would be so amazing if it turned out not to be your heart.

Debbie – I am also finding exercise to be more chore like than usual. I hope we both get inspired with some new zeal.

TheStory – That is so cool that you are now in adult virgin fat territory.

Gggirls – I hope your weigh in went well!

Sandy – Congrats on the grandbaby! Yes – we want pics!!

Battle – That is so great that you get up from bed buzzing to exercise. I truly wish I could be a morning buzzer. Maybe someday. . . .

Lesley – I go to the gym straight after work. I know if I went home first there would probably be no way. If course I am really lucky that my gym is right in my building. The important thing is finding what works for you.

Vicki – Math wise, the easiest way to do it is to add the two days together – 11.4 laps, and divide by 4, which comes out to 2.85 miles – so a bit more than 2 ¾. What is all this about Mexico?

Annie – Good luck on the job hunt! I hope you find something fulfilling and enjoyable.

Lindsey – That is so cool that things are going so well with the new guy!

Meta – Thanks for that link. I do believe that most things are expandable by usage. I found the fact that it had to do with heart rate very interesting. I know that my resting heart rate has gone way down since I have started exercising. That is very cool to think that my increased capacity for cardio helps my overall stress system – including the part which works with denying myself things my brain wants. Very interesting. . .

Brenda – I am so sorry you had such a rough week last week. Let us know how you are doing!

Angie – I forgot to thank you for the compliment on the last thread. I am actually starting to feel pretty some days. Of course that brings up all kinds of other emotions that I need to work through, but I knew that was inevitable. I am glad to hear that some of your stress is falling away. Maybe you can go get yourself a massage or something to really help out the process.

Deb – Isn’t it almost time for the wedding? Is it this weekend?

Valerie – Sorry to hear you are having computer troubles. You will do great riding Gabrial on Thursday!

I changed my picture again to one I took a week or so ago in my kitchen. Recently I have been spending too much time playing a new video game I got. I swear they are like crack for me. It made me remember the fact that I said that I would make my reward for hitting 100 pounds a Wii. I think I will stick with this and go ahead and get myself one. My coworker used to have one for sale, but she doesn’t any longer. I think if I am going to spend my time playing games, that at least I should be active while I am doing it. Also, knowing how hooked into them I can get that could be a whole lot of extra exercise!

I have been having a harder time motivating myself to exercise lately. I went another weekend without doing anything. I did chores and things, but no structured exercise. I need to find something else that I really enjoy doing so that I don’t have to search for motivation.

newbie
 

Hi, I'm new here. I posted an intro in the introductions forum on yesterday (i believe). I am re-starting my journey as of this past Sunday. Enough is enough, and I hope that I can stick with it.

I am so proud of myself just now because I have no control (well i should say HAD) with not overeating. Well we just went out to a Bosses Day luncheon at an Asian restaurant, and I stopped eating the FIRST time I felt the urge to! I still have like 2/3s of my lunch left that I can eat either tonight (probably won't) or tomorrow! Also, I am bad with soda. I normally drink several a day. And at a restaurant -- I sure get my money's worth in refills. Well at lunch today, I did have one cup of soda but surprisingly that was it. I didn't go back for any refills or anything.

yaay for me! I went to the gym last night for the first time in a year. I am planning to go again tonight. I know this is pretty minor stuff but for me i am very proud.

~Ayah

Brandnewme: Sorry about your hubbies job ending. I hope it is a temporary thing. Good luck finding something yourself. I'm glad that you seem to be doing better sweetie.

Luan: Yippe for your loosing 5 more pounds. Keep on going hun.

Ratkitten: The pics are not nearly as bad as you think they are. Hugs. I have to agree. The pants look wayyyyy to big for your fanny!

Sharon: Sorry that you are struggling right now. I have to be on the protein shakes as supliments until I can manage to eat enough protein in one day without having to drink a shake. I don't see that happening for quite a while as I can not eat much at one time. lol.

Donna: Glad that you got to "play with slammy". It sounds like so much fun. I am looking for administrative assistant work. I have tons of applications in everywhere around here. I just need to be patient and wait for them to call. Not my best feature I have to admit. lol.

Ammi: I'm so sorry hun that you are hurting. I hope you don't go into a full on cold. Hugs to you. I workout with the trainer on Tuesdays and Thursdays and today my trainer was on vacation for the week so I worked out with a man. He was nice. I got to use a new machine for my shoulders, tummy and batwing arms. lol. I actually liked that machine the best out of all of them. I have been working in my yard very hard so I am counting that as exercise and I haven't made it to the other gym again yet. I am not going to beat myself up over it though because I am so worn out and chores are working my butt too. lol.

Catherine: I hope you get your new computer today. How exciting. I love getting things in the mail. lol. I hope you feel better soon too.

Peggy: Great NSV. It is so nice when we see people that we haven't seen in a while and they notice our hard work. Hugs.

Patti: Hang in there sweetie. Hugs.

Midnight: Yea for payday!!

Val: I hope they put you on Gabe. You are so lucky. Please have someone take a photo of you if they do.

Nancy: your new photo sure shows your weight loss. You are looking great. You are so close to that 100 pound mark. I am rooting for you hun.

vicki: You are doing so great. Keep up the good work.

Lesley: Come on sweetie. I know you can do this. Think about all the benefits of loosing weight. You can do it.Hugs.

Battle: Hi there.

Sandy: Congrats on your new baby Alexis! How exciting.

gggirls: Good luck with your weigh in.

Storey: Yeah to another -1. Sorry that you are in so much pain. I was in lots of pain too then I started to swim. It has helped me more than I can say. Maybe you could give it a try.

Debbie: I managed to finish mowing my back yard today. I went and got some more gas in our can and whipped out the rest of the lawn in about 20 minutes. We have a really big yard. It is about 1/3 acre in the back which is a lot of lawn to mow when you don't have lots of energy or a riding lawn mower. lol. Now, it can rain or snow. lol. The yard is clean and I am ready for it. I love every season and I am ready for it to be chilly. You better get to moving. I don't want you to get lost in the desert. Heck, the Southern part of Washington is barren enough. lol.

mybodyis mytemple: Welcome. I hope you enjoy coming here. Everyone is so sweet and caring.

Well, I am procrastingating cleaning my bathrooms. lol. They aren't bad just time to clean them. It has been exactly one week since I cleaned them last. I may rest the rest of the afternoon, shower and go to my group therapy meeting then come home and clean the bathrooms. I can sleep in some tomorrow so that sounds like a plan to me. I hope you are all doing well and having great op days.
Blessings,
Annie

Hi all,

Doing ok today. It's a rainy day here, which I like sometimes.

About my morning exercise, about 4 years ago I started to exercise in the mornings, but it was hit or miss. It took hold when I decided to walk to work as a way to get in some exercise without having to fit in a separate session somewhere in my day. I was trying to solve the problem of finding excuses not to exercise because I was busy, tired, etc., so getting myself to work in the course of exercising seemed like a good way to go. My office at the time was a 35-40 minute walk away. I learned that I felt *fabulous* upon arriving for work....and it saved gas, and I didn't have to fit in a separate exercise session.

Then a small problem that had been brewing with my health got a lot worse. I have exercise-induced anaphylaxis. I also have idiopathic anaphylaxis, which means they don't know what it means, basically--seemingly anything can trigger an episode when a day earlier the same thing would not have. Anaphylaxis is the same reaction one gets when allergic to bees or peanuts. It is life-threatening, but it took a couple of sessions of almost dying before I took it seriously.

The doctor told me to stop exercising. I thought that was a terrible idea, it was trading one set of health problems for another, both leading to death. I have long been the type that must exercise or I simply cannot function. I feel like a zombie. The doctor then insisted that I only exercise with someone else who could monitor me. Well, living alone, that was not going to work, either.

In my estimation, it is better to risk an attack but be healthy every day than to feel like I'm all but dead every day and only cut the risk a bit, since I still have attacks without exercising.

For some reason, I have way fewer problems in the morning, with nothing in my stomach. That is why, combined with the realization that morning exercise helps me feel great all day and leaves much of the excuse-making behind, I exercise in the morning.

Even still, there are some days I don't.want.to.exercise. They're my whaaaaa-I-dont-wanna whaaaaaaaaa days. I had one today. So I made a bargain to do 15 minutes of pilates. I also give myself up to 2 rest days a week. A 7-day commitment is setting myself up for failure, but 5 is very do-able no matter what is going on in my life.

Ratkitten: OMG go out and buy yourself some new clothes that look good and flatter your smaller shape! That picture screams "I don't deserve nice clothes." Honestly, that is the only thing wrong in the picture. When you have one decent outfit to wear, casual or business, that is of reasonable quality and hugs your form more closely, have someone snap a piccie of you and post it here. You'll be amazed, honestly.

Sharon: I'm sorry you are feeling poorly. Today is another day to do better staying OP. I know you can do it. Re the name, I used to have my pic up as well as my name (I think), but I felt odd about posting so many details of my life for anyone to see. I'd rather be more anonymous to the public and be able to bare my soul here on the board. I'll be glad to tell you all my name in a PM, but I just don't want it out there...for now. I hope you understand.

Donna: 300+ punches for the 300+ board! Good job.

I never heard of the Wendie plan until coming here, but it is interesting. I mix up my calories all the time, and I think it does help weight loss. I didn't know that going in, it was more to do with matching my style and ups and downs in appetite to a plan that was flexible enough to handle the fluctuations.

I agree that Catherine should have some Jewish penicillin. There's nothing like it in the world.

Brandnew: Yay! I'm happy you feel good about your new doctor, and that she treated you well and with respect. You sound more upbeat than you have a in a long while.

Sandy: congratulations on the birth. Your SD is lucky to have you in her life.

About your job, my advice is also to complain about her. You do need to go on the offensive. Do not let her get the best of you or be the first one to get to the big bosses or HR.

Story: Congrats on - 1 lb and being thinner than you have been in years. Yay! That must feel spectacular.

Midnight: Hope you got some rest.

Luan: Yippee on losing 5 lbs. You're doing great.

Valerie: Hugs right back at ya!

Nancy: You look wonderful in your new picture. I can see the fat melting off your face, neck, and shoulders. Wow. (I know it's hardly *melting* off of you, but that's how it seems!).



Hugs to everyone I didn't greet personally.

WOOHOO 2.75 lbs down this week. I am happy, I am healthier and I have a great life - and I love Tuesdays.

RK - all I saw in the pic was someone who needs smaller jeans. Waaaaaay too much room in those babies.

Nancy - love the new pic - what a change!

More later - have a great evening.

Carol

tonight was a so so night. I didn't exercise and i kinda ate alot. all the snacks were 100 calorie packs (except the bagel w/cream cheese) i only had like 3 or four bags. I wasn't so bad at dinner but still a little bad. I don't know what is wrong with me i have like no will power.
I had to work with a lady i don't get along with at work today. That was great fun.
other than that today was okay

Midnight,

I hear ya on having to work with someone you aren't happy with.. I seemed to be around a bunch of angry people today. I tried not to let it mess with my head when they vented to me. I almost didn't exercise cuz I was so affected by it all, but made myself go. Yay me! I know I'm mentally in a better place because of it.

Hang in there!

Luv,
Rat

Hey everyone!

I finished my paper this morning just in time and I think I did fairly well on it. I'm popping in to ask any of you crafty ladies out there for advice. I'm going with the boyfriend to Boston for Thanksgiving to see his family and I want to get his parents a gift (to thank them for their hospitality and such). Since his parents are both artists and his mother loves arts and crafts and specifically asked Jed to ask me if I did any, I was thinking that it might be nice to needlepoint/cross-stitch something for them... I'm not really sure what the differences are between the two and I was looking to buy a kit, but there are so many different types I don't know where to start! What's the difference between stamped and counted? I want something as foolproof as possible, considering I'm quite crafty but haven't ever tried my hand at this in particular before. I only have a month to do it in, so I'm not sure as to what size to go with. Any advice you could offer would be much appreciated!!! Also, if there are any companies that make kits that are easier to deal with or whatever, I'd love some suggestions!

Thanks again!

Lindsay, I used to cross stitch all the time and its very intricate work and it takes tons of time, and you don't get very far very fast....so with that said, here's some info. Counted cross stitch is where you count each little square, and make a little "x" of a certain color goes in each square. Stamped is where the picture is already stamped on the cloth already, and you just do some fill in work. I've never done the stamped, so that's about all I know about it, but I've done lots of the counted. If you really want to do something like this, maybe do a very small one. Maybe some flowers, or maybe even get some hand towels that you can cross stitch on them. I hope this helped some.
If you have a Micha*l's around you, they have all kinds of kits.
Debbie

Brandnewme, Great news on getting a better doc and even better that she is treating you with respect and interest. Hopefully she will get everything straightened out to where you will feel better and better all the time.

Luan, :woohoo: on the 5 lbs gone forever!!

Ratkity, Ha!! Those pants look like the ones I have on right now!!! Now it makes me want to throw them away!! LOL

Sharon, I'm having the same kinda day. Stuffing my face with everything bad. O how I hate TOM, it's all his fault for making me crazy!!

Donna, YaY!! for you getting all those punches in. I still don't understand what it is...but it sounds like fun. We are planning on getting the Wii this winter and I want to get the dance dance revolution..I was wondering if there is a weight limit on it...anyone know?

Catherine, I second that emotion...don't mess with us fat women...especially those of us PMSin'!!!

Peggy, :congrat: on the great NSV...that sometimes is worth more than anything just for the recognition of all your hard work.

TFFU, feel better...ok? :hug:

Valerie, I was wondering what happened to you. Hope you get the puter fixed. How's your favorite horse doing?

Nancy, love the new avatar. You're looking better and better all the time. Yep, still am struggling with exercise and even food today. I gotta get back in control..but hormones abound!!!

Ayah, sounds like you are getting yourself in control with cutting back on the soda and going to the gym. Just take baby steps, and don't get overwhelmed with trying to do too much too fast....o and :welcome:

Annie, we are having downpours today so no yard work once again. Glad you got yours done though..I bet they look so nice. I'm envious!!!!

Battleax, I'm with you on doing only 5 days. But lately I can't even get that going for me. What's your secret? What makes you actually get up and get moving? I haven't found anything to make me want to get up and move.

gggirls, :congrat: on the lbs gone forever!!!

Soggy and wet out there tonight and I'm just sitting here thinking about what I can eat. So I got on here hoping it will help squelch the urge.
Hope to do better tomorrow...again.
Debbie

Just a quickie before I run off to bed...

Deb, I have DDR (dance dance revolution) for the xbox. No weight limit and I do it barefoot! I would recommend better floor pads than the one that comes with it. The best prices are at Newegg.com, but dunno if they sell pads for the wii yet. My little sis and I love DDR. We are going to get everyone hooked on it during thanksgiving week at the beach.

Hugs and Luv!
Ratkity

Lindsey: I am very particular about what I display in my home. I'm not a tchatske or a country-crafty person, and I have a simple, but carefully created decor. When someone gives me something meant for display, I am alternately delighted and uncomfortable, because I feel obligated to display something not of my choice, and most likely not matching my decor. I like my environment just the way it is. If the parents are artists, they may feel similarly about their home aesthetic.

Also, it's not necessary to go through as much trouble as a needlepoint would entail, especially as you are a crazy-busy student. They will understand this. A bunch of flowers, or some baked goods, or a nice bottle of wine, are really all that's needed.

GGirls: congrats on the weight loss!

Debbie: I hope your urge to eat has passed.

What gets me out of bed in the morning to exercise is that I really, truly cannot function when I'm not getting regular exercise. I can't think clearly, I can't do my job, I have no fun, I pack on the pounds like you wouldn't believe. It's amazing how much benefit a little bit of regular exercise has for me. Just like the eating plan, it's a commitment. Some days are easier than others.

Rat: Good job on following through with exercising today.

Battle, the only reason I considered doing something like this is because Jed's mother has done TONS of stuff like that for his apartment, like latch hook rugs and even knits him strange sweaters... which I don't want to get into... haha. I figured that since she does lots of that stuff for him that she probably has a lot of that kind of stuff as well, but maybe you're right. The only problem is that I really cannot think of another gift to get them. I can't get them wine because I'm under 21, I can't give them flowers or baked goods because we'll be flying to Boston and they're picking us up from the airport... so I don't know. I ran the cross-stitch idea by Jed (I found a mini kit for a picture of a panda with some bamboo, which is her favorite animal) and he seemed to think that she would love something like that, but then again he could be wrong... *sigh*. I know it's not necessary to do something that is so time consuming, but I really want to show that thought went into the gift and I didn't just run out to the store at the last minute and grabbed some generic host gift. I have a feeling that his mother's opinion of me may be VERY important, considering that she still calls him 2 or 3 times a day. I guess what it boils down to is that I *really* want for his parents to like me. In the past, I've had some very bad experiences with people's parents... usually because either they're very religious and I'm not or because they feel I'm taking their son away or something... and I really don't want that stress all over again. I dealt with parents hating me in my last relationship for a year and a half and cried countless times because of hateful, inconsiderate things that were said about me by his family, so I guess I'm in super-defense mode this time to try and do everything in my power to be liked...

Lindsey, Jewish mothers generally are very important in a Jewish man's life, trust me! I remember well meeting my college boyfriend's parents and the scrutiny I received (I am also Jewish, but was not good enough for reasons I won't get into for the sake of brevity). The mother actually had the nerve to call my father and tell him how lucky I was to have a prize like her son give someone like me the time of day! OMG she had no idea who she was dealing with when she called my father LOL. It was something!

That being said don't try too hard. Just be yourself. It is better to be genuine and let them take you as the lovely person you are. Maybe the other chickies will have some suggestions on the hostess gift. It sounds like they would appreciate the crafty gift. But, in any case, try to relax, ok? Hugs!

Lindsey,

I echo the things Deb said about any project in needlepoint or xstitch. They are time consuming, but lots of fun! Instead of doing the kit, perhaps buying a book of patterns for his mom? Then she can pick!!

As far as jewish mamas, listen to Battle and be yourself :)

Hugs to you!

Luv,
Ratkity

lindsey ~ if you think she would like the panda alot, why not do it for a christmas gift and just keep the hostess thing simple?

Good Morning!:coffee:

Lindsey: I will let you in on an embarrassing secret...I have a stamped baby blanket w/Eeyore on it that I bought last December :eek: to crossstitch for my Great Nephew...he was born May 18th, and the running joke was that it was supposed to be done by the shower, then the birth, then the Christening...which was 2 weeks ago!!! :dizzy: :o Now maybe it will be done for Christmas...but I am really thinking maybe when he Graduates HS!!! :rofl:
It is very easy to do but SOOOOOOOOOOOO time consuming. And as Battle said, Jewish Mama's are a breed of their own, and if you just be yourself, they will love you. ( I just hope I am not too bad when my sons find thier special someone!!)

RK & Debbie: We managed to get a Wii this summer in Pennsylvania since it is VERY scarce here in NY. Just walked into Walmart and there it was!!! :dancer: It is really alot of fun and I am looking to get DDR for Christmas. We have had so many "dance mats" and I love to watch Andrew and Sammi do it together...it's a hoot!! :yes:

Ayah::welcome3: This is a great place to be!!


Ok, since you guys think I am nutz and don't know anything about "Slammy" I have attached 2 pics so you can see what I am talking about. And no, the guy is not my DH!!:rofl:


Have a Great Day!!:cheer2:

Oh Lindsey....meeting the "rents". So nerve wracking! Just be yourself and have a good time. You have no control over whether they like you or not...so don't stress out over it.

As far as a gift for the mom goes... I make homemade soaps and I used to take two bars and put them on a nice wood soap drying rack that my hubby would make and tie it up with a raffia bow and put it in a pretty gift bag. You could find out what scents she likes and do something like that. That is something she would use and everyone *loved* them when I showed up with them. I love lavender soap with bits of the flower in it myself. Another one I would make that went over well was pinkgrapefruit with peppermint essential oils. I *so* need to take a day and make some soap! Another idea that is simple, but nice is to find some nice potpouri and put it in a nice jelly jar (like a mason jar) whose lid has the removeable middle peice. Then take a nice piece of lace (cut in a circle - you can buy these pre-cut actually) over the jar opening and thenscrew the jar top on. Then wrap a pretty ribbon or raffia around the neck of the jar and its a nice little item to put in the powder room, etc. You can find out what colors she might have there and coordinate it to fit. If she likes to bake...you can make up a cookie making kit. You could also make some herb infused oil and put that in a decorative bottle, leaving the fresh herbs in there. I do that alot and it goes over well. It is a nice gift and something people wouldn't normally get for themselves.

Just some thoughts for ya!

Lindsey...how exciting (and nervewracking!) to be offered an opportunity to "Meet the Parents". I'm with Battle on keeping the gift simple and more traditional. Decorative items, particularly handmade ones, are very personal and I think better left to when you know the family a little more and have shared more time with them.

Since it will be a holiday, a small basket of unique and tasty food items might be nice? Special crackers, real maple syrup for morning pancakes, jams, one of those "cookies in a jar" dry ingredient gifts with instructions, teas, coffees, ciders, cocoas etc. You could add a couple of mugs with logos from your school to make it uniquely from you. Not a dream to pack for flight, but doable and an appropriate gift for the whole family and not just mom.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure it will be great!

Nancy, your new avatar is really nice. You SHOULD be feeling pretty! :)

Congrats on the 2.75 down gggirls...yay!

Hi ya to everybody else. :)

Peggy...neat that you make soap! I recently bought some homemade soap at a Farmer's Market and loved it. I was thinking about trying my hand at it maybe. Is it very difficult?

Lindsey- Just calm down i'm sure his mother will love you. As for a gift I like the idea of the dry mix containers. I made homemade cocoa mix for my sisters for xmas last year and they loved them. When i get home i'll try to find the recipie for you. I just put them in square jars and tied some ribbon around them.
That is my advice but that doesn't neccesarily(sp?) mean anything being that i never had to meet a boyfriends rents before.

Once you use homemade...you don't want to go back to store bought. It is easy in that the steps are not difficult, but it is a bit time consuming...but so worth it. The ones I make have olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil and palm oil as a base. I also only use essential oils and real herbs...so nothing synthetic.

Just google soapmaking. It is a a fun hobby that is for sure.

Ayah – I just posted on your intro thread, but wanted to welcome you here too! It sounds like you did great at your bosses’ day party. What about diet soda? The thing about getting your money’s worth is such a hard one, and makes me avoid buffets. That is great that you are getting back to the gym!

Annie – I hope you had a good meeting last night and are enjoying your sparkling bathrooms. :)

Battle – I looked up your condition, and OMG – wow. I have never heard of that, but boy does it sound scary. I don’t think I will ever let myself complain about my condition again ( I have uterine prolapsed which means I can’t do certain exercises like squats).

Carol – Congrats on the 2.75 down!

Midnight – First of all, self talk is very confirmatory. If you keep telling yourself you have no willpower you will probably end up proving yourself right. One thing I would say is from what you mentioned you ate, it sounds like all refined carbs. Eating lots of protein and fiber will help you feel full and stay full. I try never to eat a snack that doesn’t have some amount of protein. Also, this is a learning experience where we learn what works for us. Don’t expect to be perfect right out of the gate.

Lindsey – My feeling about the gift is that you want to be yourself and not do something that you wouldn’t normally do. If you aren’t crafty like that, why pretend to be because his mother is? Also, you might get yourself in trouble if she then starts asking you questions about crafting items.

Debbie – Nice hot soups work well on cold soggy nights. I hope you found something to help squelch your eating urges.

Rat – DDR is part of the reason I want to get a Wii. It sounds like so much fun.

Donna – I have to tell you a funny story about those punching dummies. When my ex and I first moved to our last apartment, there was a sporting store nearby that had one of those that they would wheel out front next to the road as a display. My ex and I had a running argument as to what it was. I knew that it was a punching dummy, but he was convinced that it was “something that football players hang their clothes on”. It was too funny! I finally found on online and proved to him what it was.

Peggy – I have never made my own soap, but I recently discovered this great store near my house called Lush that has great natural soaps. It is very dangerous - for my wallet that is!

I am pretty sore in my shoulders and back today from my weights workout yesterday. I wouldn’t say I exactly enjoy being sore, but at the same time it feels good to know I was really working things.

Tonight I am going out with a friend for a movie and a late dinner. I would love to be more social and need to figure out how to meet more people – something that I am not great at.

Do any of you watch Dancing With the Stars? I thought Jane Seymour looked so much like Zelma when she had the short hair last week.

Oh Nancy...I KNOW it is expensive. You can make them yourself for a fraction of the cost and make whatever combinations you want to. It also is a good way of keeping your hands busy for a while. I make one that I love (and need to make MORE of) that is spearmint, peppermint and peru balsam (think vanilla). Just very soothing.

Now I REALLY want to break out my stuff and make some. lol

I got to class a little earlier today so i got a good desk. Yay! I think i am going to do good tonight i have a lot of homework.
Nancy- thanks for the idea about protein and fiber. I'll have to try. Maybe i'll have an apple tonight. We got ones that are huge. I never saw any that big before and i wanted to see what they tasted like. apples have a lot of fiber right?
I'll try and do some exercise too. I think it might just go well tonight. we'll see though I don't want to jinx it. talk to you all again later.
p.s the soap making thing sounds cool i'll have to look in to it maybe that will help the friday boredom(sp?)

our bosses are all out of the office today in a conference, so in the spirit:D, one of my coworkers bought TWO huge boxes of doughnuts.

They are sitting on my desk, with the tops off so that everyone can come by and grab some.

I only 'tasted' like 1/100 of a piece (lol). I didnt get a whole one or even a half or a third of one. I am so proud. Everyone who has come by has said how tempting it must be to have it here, and I said 'no not really'!! Wow!!! I am so proud. I guess my desire to change really has come full circle :carrot:

Eeeep Ayah! I couldn't have them on my desk! I'm a sucker for even a lousey donut (or cookie.. or cake.. bleh..too many weaknesses! lol).

We had cookies left over from a meeting yesterday and I got them off my desk this morning and into the "party cube" (empty cube in cubical world). The best way to get rid of something is send an email out to the local cube dwellers that there is food in the "party cube".

Toris, so way cool on the soap making! I used to take time to make candles and had a blast doing it. We are all such a talented bunch here, ya know?

Hugs and luv to all,
Rat

Mamab- LOL im really bad about it. if i have eaten a heavy meal the day before even i will drink a laxative tea to empty me out. i dont do it too often, but i do it. lol

Ammi - unfortunately i wont know. even the study group doesnt know. only the pharmaceuticle (sp) company knows.

Nancy - thanks! LOVE your new pic!

RK - Thanks! nothing really is going on. just waiting to go to Louisiana.

Annie - you are doing amazing yourself my dear!!

ok so i dont remember if i said anything about the new cupcake recipe i have, but its pretty good. basically you take a box of cake mix, a 15 of can of pumpkin, and 1/2 c of egg beaters. mix it together, and bake as directed. it took me about 10 extra mins than what the packaging said, but they are very dense and flavorful. i made red velvet. they arent too sweet. i also made an icing out of fat free cream cheese and splenda and vanilla. it tasted... fat free... but gave the cake that little extra sweetness. and with the holidays coming up, its a nice little 2 point treat (when you make 24 - even with the icing) one thing tho, they dont spread out like cakes made with oil do, so how you fill the cup is how they are going to come out :)

Hi All,

I’m late posting today, blame Pogo lol, I’ve been trying to get my badges :D I’m doing OK, but my skin infection if anything is getting worse despite it being 3 days since I started on the antibiotics. I am going to try to go see my doctor tomorrow and see if perhaps I can try an antibiotic cream or something as well. Let’s hope I can get an appt.

Catherine - so the big question is, did you get your delivery? I really hope you did, but if not then I look forward to hearing what you do/did about it :yes:

Peggy - aren’t NSVs just wonderful! I’m really glad those compliments made your day despite the fact you were feeling bloated and miserable :hug:

Great news too that the thyroid meds seem to be doing their job now :cp:

RK - yep I think it’s time you treated yourself to a shopping trip. I have the big hips, huge tummy apron, yet smaller top half problem and I find that as long as my pants have a bit of give, or a partially elastic waist band I can go for a size to fit my butt as well as my tummy!

Patti - I think you should take the rest of this week to fully recuperate. Take it easy and then on Monday you can hopefully start your exercising again feeling much better and energetic :hug:

Midnight - I bet you can’t wait to get your first pay cheque. Is it spent already? I know you have a load of exercise lined up to be bought :D

Val - sorry your PC isn’t working right now. I hope it won’t be too expensive to get if fixed so you can spend more time here with us :D

I hope you get to ride Gabe as planned. You’ll have to take photos so we can see the wonderful occasion :yes:

Nancy - I am loving your new avatar photo, you look so SKINNY and YOUNG, and I have to say you look a little mischievous too ;)

I hope my infection goes quickly too, it doesn’t look promising though :cry:

They are showing the US Dancing With the Stars over here, and I love it. I nearly cried when that woman judge got all emotional talking about Jane’s dancing after losing her mum! I am such a sook :rofl: I didn’t notice that Jane looked like Zelma when she had that wig on, I wish I could watch it again to see. I do remember thinking how odd it was to see her without her lovely long hair.

Ayah - :wel3fc: I would definitely not call going to the gym, and being in control of what you eat and cutting back on the soda too just minor stuff! It’s a brilliant start to your diet and you should be proud of yourself :cp:

Annie - thankfully the cold doesn’t seem to want to happen so apart from my skin I am feeling OK. I didn’t have much energy today but I did get my exercise done. I’m glad you liked your work out at the gym with the new machine for your shoulders, tummy and most importantly those bat wings. I hate mine I really do, but not as much as my tummy :lol:

BattleAx - oh my goodness what an horrendous health problem you have. To go into anaphylactic shock when you exercise sometimes must be so terrible. I mean at least people who have that kind of problem with nuts or bees can avoid them. But a dieter really can’t avoid exercise. Kudos to you my friend for having the guts to carry on exercising knowing the risks. Do you exercise with the phone close so you can ring for help if need be? Or can you use one of those adrenalin pens that people with allergies to bees or nuts carry with them?

I was reading what you said to Sharon about not putting your real name on here and how you took your photo off. I can understand all that, but I just wanted to say that I remember your photo and I miss seeing your lovely smiling face :hug:

Carol - :woohoo: :cp: :cheer: that’s great news that your WI went so well. 2.75 lbs down, how great is that!!!

Lindsey - I see you have already been told about the difference between counted cross stitch and the stamped one. I’ve done both and have to admit I prefer the counted cross stitch. I love the sound of the one you have bought to do for your BFs parents. I think it’s a lovely idea and I am sure they will appreciate the effort you put into it especially as you’ve never done one before. One suggestion I have that may solve the problem brought up by somebody about his parents perhaps not wanting to put the cross stitch on display because it may not suit what they have, is to buy one of those cards with the cut out for you to mount the cross stitch in. If you buy one of those it makes it into a very special greeting card that they can put on display for a short time before storing it away if they choose to. If they love it so much and want to keep it on display they can put it in a frame and it will look lovely.

Debbie - sorry you aren’t having a great OP day. I hope you can at least get your exercise done today, that will make you feel better about perhaps not staying 100% OP :hug:

Donna - aw what a shame that guy with Slammy isn’t your hubby, unless of course your hubby is even better than that ;)

I loved hearing about that blanket you are supposed to be doing for your great nephew. That makes me feel so much better about a jumper/sweater I started knitting for Daren about 3 years ago. I have the front, and one sleeve done but nothing else :rofl:

OK Pogo is calling lol, gotta run, bye for now,

Hugs,

Ammi :chicken:

Ammi: I carry the epi pen with me (same as what others carry for bee stings), along wit Benadryl tablets. I will take Benadryl (antihistamine) when I'm feeling there may be a problem, or am exercising at any other time during the day. Benadryl will prevent the problem or lessen its severity. I don't like to take them because they cause drowsiness, which is another reason for getting out first thing in the morning when there is less chance I'll need it.

I know it sounds horrible and scary, but for the most part I just carry on with my precautions in place.

lindsey - LOL RELAX!!!! first off, just RELAX! if you go into it all stressed out you arent going to make the impression you want. just be yourself. i dont know about making something to be put on display for several reasons - it may not match the decor, if its something she already does she may not appreciate the handiwork, and if it doesnt work out, you put a week into a cross stitch for nothing :)

i would just go, have a good time, relax, be helpful, but not overbearing, be pleasant, and most importantly be yourself :) . my ex's mom once told me that she didnt like getting gifts from the boys girlfriends, because she felt like she was being bought.

also, what happened on TBL last night? my DVR decided to change the rankings so i didnt get it (got Good Eats instead) lol

Battle: I'm glad that you have something you carry with you in case of anaphylaxis. Sounds scary to me. Hugs.

GGGirls: Yipee on another -2.75 pounds. You are doing great.

Midnight: I hope you can get your night snacking under control. Maybe take up a hobby like knitting or something to keep your fingers busy.

Lindsey: I think you got great advice here about the gift for your boyfriend's mom. Just be yourself and there is no way they won't love you.

Debbie: I hope it stops raining a bit so you can get your lawn mowed.

Donna: I want a slammy. lol.

Nancy: I had a great meeting last night and I always learn so much of what I am supposed to do or not do. lol. Have fun at the movie and dinner with your friend.

Luan: Thanks for the recipe. It sounded good until I read your review of it tasting.... Fat free. lol.

Ammi: So sorry that your skin infection is getting worse. Hugs to you and I'll be praying that you get a Dr. appointment asap. Maybe it is something you are eating? Have you been eating anything different in the past month or so?

Well, My DH and Dad came back from Pritchard early because my Dad had a asthma attack pretty bad. They decided to be closer to home and just deer hunt this year so they will be coming home every night now. I am glad to have them but sorry for the circumstances.

I got a call from one of the places that I applied for a job. They had given me an interview on Friday but someone "in house" decided to take that position so she called to see if I would be interested in the position that the other girl would be leaving. It is much more pay and a saleried position. It is in the social work field and I am thrilled to be considered for an interview on just my resume and cover letter that I sent to them. She said it will take a couple of weeks to get it posted and set up an interview for me. I hope they are serious because I am excited and thirlled at the prospect of having a job where the sole purpose is to help other people in their lives.

Well, Off to feed my doggies their dinner now. I hope you are all doing well and being op.

Blessings,
Annie

thanks Ammie i am doing just that taking it easy but come monday i will be in full swing again.. i have been amusing myself by ordering halloween decorations... am i bad or what ? lol!

OMG< OMG< OMG!!!!


My next door neighbor just came over~she is 24 and I have known and loved her since she was 8~ and she brought me the sweetest surprise!!!

I AM GOING TO GET TO SEE JOHN EDWARD ON DEC 15TH!!!!!
I am a true beliver in spirits :ghost: and I have had experiences too many to list. I have ALWAYS wanted to meet with him and see if he can tell me anything, but have never pursued it because I was scared of what I would find out. I was toying with the idea and unsure once again, and now I really will be going! :yay:

Have a great night! :cloud9:

Wow, this place has been really busy... there's no way to catch up, so I'll just :wave:

I'm with Heather - I'm so far behind I can't catch up with you all.

I put my shoes on and got back on the treadmill - that's not a lesson I will have to learn twice. It's starting to feel better - just hard to push myself onto it. I'm really motivated to reach my goal before our cruise to Mexico in December - it makes it easier - plus I want to have some strength and stamina to do all the things we have planned.

I had to look to see what Slammy was - how cool is that. You guys have such great ideas. I only think about walking or DVDs.

It's really cooled off here which is dangerous for me - makes me want "comfort food" - tonight though my comfort food was grilled chicken salad. I'm off work for 4 days now - I will stay busy and focused.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

Carol

Oh wow Donna!! Way cool! I've seen his show. I haven't seen it on recently.

Too cool!

Luv,
RK

Hi Everyone~~:wave:

I'm also with Heather in that there is no way I'll be able to catch up. :( It's been so busy here in the last few days--which is good :)--unless you've fallen behind like I did. ;)

Oh yeah--I looked at your pics RK--you do know your butt looks big because the pants you're wearing are all bunched up and way too big right? I figure that someone must have mentioned it, but I'll do it again for you. Now go to WalMart or something and buy a couple of pairs of pants to wear while you're at this weight. You deserve it and if you go there you won't spend a fortune on pants that you won't be able to wear for long. :hug:

Donna--I love John Edward! You have to make sure to tell us how it goes. Did I mention that I will be going on a ghost hunt soon? There is a prison up here in Massachusetts somewhere that is supposed to be haunted and some people I know are planning on going there. They've been to a few places already and one of them can talk to spirits. I can't wait. I'm really a believer in a lot of stuff--but I am also very pragmatic so I'm thinking that I'll actually end up being the one who must be convinced that the ghosties are real. :) I'm excited and I'll let you know how that turns out. :D

Hi Ammi--I'm planning on writing to you soon. I've just been really busy with getting back to work so I'm kind of beat. Also the reason I haven't been able to post for a few days.

I've been doing really well with my diet plan and I haven't cheated. However, I have to find the time to exercise somewhere. I'm really frustrated thinking about it right now. I've been on the go for the past 2 days and literally haven't had the time to walk. Meaning that I have other things to do too, because of course I have 24 hours in my day just like everyone else does. I'm just getting up at 5 a.m. and getting home from work after 6 p.m. so I'm beat and I've got to make dinner and such. :rolleyes: Once I get back into the swing of things I'll be okay, but right away it's a little overwhelming. I guess it doesn't help that I'm helping to cover someone's vacation either, does it? :lol:

I've got to get to bed. :welcome: to the Newbies, :grouphug: to everyone else. I'm thinking of you.

:wave: Vicki