Annie - really its just the frosting, the cake is pretty good. if you can come up with a better sub for regular frosting (or eat them without like i have been) they are actually pretty good.

Just a quickie, Battle (I'm NOT putting the 'axe'in so there!!;)lolxxxx) I missed your post about your name but found it today, I totally understand, sometimes I worry if people who know me in 'real' life ever read my posts, but wth odds are against it, at least here in the UK. I'm sorry to hear of your allergy/reaction, that must be so scary, at least you have an epi-pen in case. Do you carry one of those bracelet thingies which has your medical details on too? It's sometimes hard enough to psych yourself up to do exercise without the added worry of having an 'attack' GOOD FOR YOU not letting it stop/spoil your healthier lifestyle.:carrot:xxxxxx
Zelma, never knew you sang,I hope it all goes well, I miss 'seeing' you:hug:.xxxxxxx
Dolfin, I too sort of believe in spirits, but try to think of alternatives to why things happen, being sceptical is a pretty sensible thing in these cases. My parents lived in an old house & some pretty weird things happened, there weren't explainations for a couple of them. (Believe it or not my bed used to move, shake, lift up & generally scare me to bits, my 'understanding' parents said I'd be locked up for being crazy!!! I shared my room with my sister & she saw it too.)xxxxxxx(ps luckily as I got older it stopped but the loud bangs, things going missing & 'cold spots' remained) Hope I don't sound too crazy!!!!
My sad/depressed mood has lifted, I'm sure it's hormonal, my boobs are very sore like TOM is due, but it isn't for two more weeks:mad:. I have to have a scan on Monday to check for fibroids as TOM is so bad my Dr thinks it might be that, though as I have no pain at other times I doubt it.(my mum has them & they caused her a lot of pain all the time) Anyway...I gained 5lbs, I felt so low & ashamed but I'm feeling better, OP, drinking tons; my eyes & body parts are so swollen with water, I hope it will go with the water intake being upped as I look like I have no eyes!:( On a positive note on Saturday or Sunday we are going to the Robin Hood Festival at Nottingham Castle (10 miles away from us) there will be jousting, jesters, sword fights, a 'camp' offering sword making, armour repairs & manufacture, roast pig, as if we were reall in those times. It's so much fun, Steve & Gareth both won awards for their archery skills last time we went, shame I couldn't 'beam you up' Nancy I bet you'd love it.xxxx
Ammi, BIG HUGSXXXXX :hug:Steve saw the pics & he was aghast at the fact you can't see a specialist, he thinks you should go & sit in his clinic & refuse to move til he sees you!xxxxxxx
Valerie, have I said HOW JEALOUS I AM??? ;)lol Yes get some pics done, I'm sure with all the gentle handling you did with him he will accept you on his back.xxxxxx
Annie, I hope you get the job, it shows how special you are that they offer you ANOTHER job,:hug: fingers crossed for you. How is the eating going are you on 'solids' yet? lol;) Sorry about your dad, at least he had Joel with him.xxxxx
gotta go & get stuff done, sorry I can't remember or reply to everyonexxxxxx
xxxxsharon

Sorry too much to catch up on so i'll just say hi to all and share my good news. I had a pretty good night last night. I stopped when i wasn't really full which is like a big deal. I think i may have lost a little becuase one of the desks that i sit at didn't hurt as much today. I will have to check. I jave to go to class now but i will be back later.
p.s. i am thinking about trying penny's low fat cookies and muffins. Has anybody tried them?? and if so could you tell me how they were.
Bye for now.

Sharon – My fibroids caused lots of bleeding, but almost no pain. It really depends on where they are in the body. I hope you doctor has some answers for you. The Robin Hood festival sounds awesome! I am jealous!

Luan – Have you heard of Television Without Pity? They do great full recaps of the shows they cover. You can find last week’s TBL here: http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com...+Biggest+Loser

The movie last night was. . .odd. It was definitely the kind of film you normally see as a student, not as an entertainment seeker. It was from the 1920’s and there was no sound. That was so weird. I don’t think I have ever seen a move with absolutely no sound before. I wish they could have put some music in the background, even if it didn’t entirely fit.

I totally scored yesterday at Costco and got both persimmons and Asian pears, along with Boca burgers and Laughing Cow cheese – both staples for me.

I was somewhat disappointed this morning to see no movement on the scale, but I do feel somewhat bloated. Oh well – hopefully it will all show up next week and I will hit my goal.

Yes, I finally got my package. To say I made a scene yesterday is an understatement. After staying home for 3 days (I was sick and not going anywhere, but still), they were going to deliver it, or else!. They even tried to tell us they couldn't deliver because of construction in the area. The closest construction has got to be 5 miles away. Every time I called they had a different reason why they just couldn't deliver it. I finally called Dell, and had them call Purolator. That worked, plus a lot of screaming on the phone. In the past when they have refused to deliver, we had to just bite the bullet and take the bus out there because we were expecting tickets that were time sensitive. This time, I had all the time in the world, and wasn't going to drag a big box home on the bus just because they refused to do the job they were being paid to do. I got a nice email from a regional director this morning that I was so pleased to return to explain exactly what happened in detail this time and previously. I told her in my best lawyer voice that had they been working for me, I would have fired them long ago. I still don't know what their freaking problem is, other than not wanting to be bothered to actually deliver packages. Maybe they are afraid of the neighborhood, and that the boogie man might jump out and get them.

I do love my new computer. It's himself's graduation present for me. I don't graduate for two more months, but I was actually, physically, wearing out my old laptop from the amount of typing I have done on it. It's white mostly and silver, which is kind of weird. I was used to my old black one. The worst part is transferring everything over. I use firefox for my browser, and they have this new thing where you can synch your bookmarks between more than one computer, so all my bookmarks/favorites were transferred between computers in 2 seconds. That was the easy part. Now comes music, photos and documents. I think I'm going to thumbdrive those. It will be basically like backing up stuff, but then I'll transfer it to the new computer. I guess I don't have any excuse to not do his typing for him now. I think he had an ulterior motive.

Heather: Hi back to ya.

Carol: Good for you getting back on the treadmill. I'm glad you were able to and your feet are okay.

Luan: I would be making the cake for my DH and my Dad to have so I guess that "normal" frosting would be okay. I may give it a go.

Sharon: Sorry that you were so upset at gaining. I know how you feel. When I would gain on the liquids I would be sooooo upset. I'm sure for you it is TOM approaching. I hope your Dr. has good news for you and not that you have fibroids. Hugs. I hope I get the job too. lol. My Dad is okay today. He and my DH are gone hunting again today. They leave at the crack of dawn and come home after dark but at least they come home every day now.

Midnight: So glad that the desk isn't hurting you so much now. I used to have to work in a place where the chair squeezed my hips so badly that I had bruises. I was too ashamed to say anything about it and I would be near tears sometimes from the pain. Hugs to you sweetie. I've been in your shoes almost and It isn't fun. Keep up the great work and soon you will have tons of room to spare around you in the desk.

Nancy: Sorry that the movie wasn't the best. I have been wondering about laughing cow cheese. My mom used to eat it when she was dieting and I never tried a piece. Is it spreadable? It looks like Jack cheese right?

Well, I am feeling good enough and energetic enough today to go work out at the regular gym. I am going to head out there then I have to see my surgeon for my 6 week check up. I hope their scale is happy with me today. I will post my weight when I get home.

Blessings to you all,
Annie

Catherine: I am so happy for you that you finally got your computer. Yeah for using your best lawyer voice too. Have fun with it. How are you feeling now? I hope much better.
Blessings,
Annie

Hi everyone,

I did really well yesterday until a demon took over and bought a huge chocolate chip cookie for dessert at dinnertime. Oh well. Tonight is Girls Nite, and it's my turn to host. I'm making Butternut Squash and Sage Orzo. I'm trying to do my usual eating lightly during the day so there is more flex room for our get-together.

Yesterday I had a blood pressure and heart rate check. Resting heart rate was 60, and BP was 110/78. Not bad, not bad. My resting heart rate has gone down since increasing my exercise level. I'm sure you can all understand breathing a sigh of relief when any type of health check turns out positive. I've dodged another bullet.

Ammi: How is your infection? I'm concerned about you. I hope you get some relief soon.

Donna: Let me guess, you are excited about seeing John Edward hehehe. Enjoy it! I saw him about 10 or 11 years ago. There were hundreds of people in the audience. It was really something. I was praying that he would pick me out of the audience and deliver some messages, but alas, that was not to be. He was quite the cocky young feller at the time, but amazing all the same.

Gggirls: Yeah, shoes are a good thing! Have a great workout. You can make really satisfying low-cal soup for comfort food.

Vicki: sometimes life gets in the way. There are days when all you can do is tread water and wait for the schedule to calm down. You're doing well staying OP, and that is something to celebrate.

Luan: The cake recipe sounds good. For me the problem comes in at stopping with just one piece. If the whole cake is there, it calls to me until it's gone.

Sharon: No, I don't wear the medic alert bracelet. Maybe I should. The Nottingham Robin Hood Festival sounds like fun. Wish I could go! I hope your problems with water retention and TOM are solved soon. It's awful to feel bloated and yucky.

Midnight: good job on doing well yesterday. I hope the scale shows a nice loss for you.

Nancy: I am eagerly awaiting your news of passing the 100# mark. I bet next week will be a good week for you. This delay is just to keep you motivated. : )

Sorry to hear the movie was weird. TBH I am not that appreciative of most of the ahh...avant garde entertainment.

Catherine: You are a force to be reckoned with! I have no doubt they've made a note in their computer to not mess with you. What is their problem! Anyway, congrats on the new computer. Enjoy typing with abandon.

Annie: Have a great workout. I'm looking forward to your weight loss report.

Heather: Hi!

Have a great day, everyone

annie - its really moist. and holds up for a few days pretty well. im sure you could do a regular frosting, or even use whipped cream.

battle - well 24 cupcakes is 48 points, so i would presume that would be what a whole cake would be, but at least youre getting some veggies too... lol

Hi All!

Just wanted to pop in this afternoon and tell everyone to be encouraged today.
Don't give in!!! As much as you may want to. DON'T! Just imagine yourself at your GOAL, and posting your before and after pics and being so proud of the person that you've become despite all of the obstacles.

We can do this ladies... if for no other reason than 'they' think we can't and that we won't :D

ok have a good day.

Hello All,

Not a very good day today. I went to the doctors because the antibiotics I am on just don’t seem to be doing anything and my ‘lesions’ are getting bigger. I saw a different doctor because my usual one is off sick, and I am so glad I actually saw the one I did because I finally got a diagnosis. I thought that I had much more than just infected spots. I would put a picture on here to show you all, but it would gross you out. Sharon can tell you though that it’s not a pretty sight. Anyway it turns out that I have Granuloma Annulare. It’s a skin condition that has no known cause and no cure! And it normally takes 2 YEARS to clear up on it’s own :eek: Most people have it on their torso, only 5% have it on their faces like I do. Because of that I will have to have treatment of some sort to help slow down the spread and to lessen it’s awful appearance, so now I have to wait to get that hospital appt. My doctor rang the consultant and he said he will see me ASAP, but the doc told me that if I don’t get an appt by Monday to ring her and she will nag again. She really needs me to be seen. So there you go, not great news. But enough about me…………

BattleAx - thanks for asking how I am, as you can see from the above, I’m not doing too great. The ‘lesions’ are spreading etc etc. I guess I should just be grateful that it’s not life threatening and get over myself :yes:

Annie - nope, my skin condition isn’t caused by anything I’m eating or doing, there is no known cause, but I am sure my stupid immune system is behind how fast it is spreading and how it’s not healing at all.

Great news about the possibility of that other job. How impressed were your potential future employers to offer you another job when the person ‘in house’ took the job that you initially went for. All that without meeting you, just imagine how more impressed they will be when they meet you in person. Not that you will need it but :goodluck:

Patti - I am glad you are just taking it easy for the rest of the week. Roll on Monday and you will be itching to get back OP and on that treadmill :yes:

Donna - that is amazing that you are going to see John Edward. It will be so spooky if he gets a message for you!! You will have to tell us all about it! How lovely of your neighbour to buy you such a special gift.

Carol - glad to hear that you put your shoes on to go on the treadmill :lol: With your feet still being sore you are definitely motivated by your cruise to carry on losing those lbs :cp:

Vicki - Daren is sooooo jealous that you are getting to go on a ghost hunt. Although he has had some bad experiences with ‘spirits’ he’s always fancied going on a proper ghost hunt. I am sure we’ll do it one day. I hope you have a brilliant time and that any ‘spirits’ you do meet are friendly ones :hug:

No worries about the email, I just wanted to make sure you had received mine.

Sharon - sorry we didn’t get to chat long this afternoon, I was sleeping for most of the afternoon after I was at the doctors. You know me, I like to sleep when I have bad news :cry: I’ll be on earlier tomorrow for a better chat I hope.

So glad you are back OP and feeling better already!

Midnight - that’s wonderful news that you stopped eating before getting full, that’s a great step towards losing those lbs :cp:

Nancy - I’m keeping my :crossed: that you will have a better WI next week and will reach your goal.

Catherine - so glad that your computer finally arrived. It sounds really nice, I hope you get everything transferred successfully! You know you said you were wearing your old lap top out, did you wear the letters off your most used keys? I do a lot of typing and have worn out some of the letters. Good job I can touch type and don’t need to see the letters!

Ayah - what a lovely positive post, :thanks: it’s the kind of thing a lot of us needed to hear :yes:

Well it’s time for me to get some sleep. Take care all and I’ll post again tomorrow.

Hugs,

Ammi :chicken:

:hug:Ammi i am so sorry to hear about your skin condition... i am sure the drs will do all they can to help... i will have to go read up on it

ammi- so sorry bout skin condition. I hope they will find a way to help it a little.

Ammi -- :hug: You go on about it. You need somewhere to vent. poor baby!

Hi kittycats...

Ratkitten - Buy new pants. End of story. :) You have done so well, a nice butt hugging pair of jeans may do you wonders. You are fab!!!

Ammi - That skin issue sounds horrible. I am so sorry you have to deal with that. You are a real trooper, and I want to congratulate you on your stamina through it all.

BattleAx - I am very impressed that with the health issue you have lurking around any corner that you have decided that your day to day health is most important. I admit that I am still having a hard time getting into an exercise routine. I know I feel infinitely better when I exercise....feel darn near like I want to just run down the hallways at work....and yet, not engaged. We still have not put our house together (carpet in one more week)...and my hope is that it triggers something.

Annie - I am glad to hear you are getting your energy back. You are doing phenomenally. You are one to be admired. I wish you were here to bop me in the head and tell me "get to it...what are you waiting for?" And congrats on the possibility of that other job. They would be lucky to have you.

Donna - I find the spirit world fascinating...and scary. My parents live (and I lived there for 18 years) in an old pastor's home....but it was previously the house associated with a cemetery. At some point during my childhood my dad decided to move a portion of sidewalk that we had used forever. The sidewalk... it was a tombstone face down. Jacob Campbell. The cemetery had since moved years before, but they left that tombstone. The cemetery would not take the stone...so my father has it in a flower garden. He swears that Jacob walks around the house. Freaks me out. When my best friend passed away 5 years ago, I prayed she would not come visit me (and she didn't). I was scared to be in rooms alone, for fear that she would "show up". My DH thinks I am mental, as he totally doesn't believe in ghosts. I have another friend who believes she can see ghosts...but he doesn't believe her either.

Carol - glad to hear that you put your shoes on to go on the treadmill. Ouch!!

Vicki - The ghose hunt sounds fun...and terrifying.

Nancy - Girl..you look fabulous. Great avatar. You have done a great job....keep up the good work.

Catherine - Aren't new computers fun?? I hope you enjoy it!!

Heather - I hope this school year is going well for you.

Things here are ok. I am apparently waiting for divine intervention to get my rear in gear. But I will...darn it.

Take care and be well,

Angie

There are so many posts on here since I last typed, I'd never catch up. You gals are busy!!!
I'm doing ok, just hormonal. In a funk. Icky. I've eaten over my set calories, but not by alot, but the food choices haven't been good. I sort of just let it all go when TOM is here. Hopefully it will be gone by next week and I can get back to normal.
We are having one heck of a windstorm tonight, and the lights have flickered a couple times already so I hope I can get some personals in before it shuts down everything.

Angie, I think we are in the same boat. No motivation at all. I wonder too what it will take to get me in gear...I'll kick you if you kick me? :kickbutt:

Ammi, give me the docs number...they won't know what hit em!!! Even better, give it to Catherine too, they won't want to mess with both of us!!

Battle, glad to hear you had a good report from the doctor. It always feels so good to get good news!

Annie, YAY!!! going back to the gym and feeling more energetic...good for u!!!

Catherine,ooo a new computer!! Lucky you!!! Glad to hear you got your package. Maybe they will realize they can't get away with not delivering to you anymore.

Nancy, don't know if I've ever seen that Laughing Cow cheese. Sounds good though. You look very devilish in your avatar...cute!

Midnight, glad the you fit into the desk better today. As days pass, it will get easier and easier because you will be getting smaller and smaller...keep up the good work!!

Luan, the cake and frosting sound delish...can you send some over? :rofl:

Well that's all for now ladies. Have a good night and stay OP...even I would only listen to myself..
Debbie

Good evening all,

Battle: I hope your get together is a fun one.

Luan: Hugs. I am going to try to make the cake tomorrow if I have time. I may have another job interview for a temporary job.

Ayah: Hugs and thanks for the sweet wishes for us all, back at ya.

Ammi: I'm so sorry that your infection is possibly something else. I wish I could give you a big hug. Please vent away. You are still beautiful no matter what your skin condition is.

Angie: Okay, here it is. I almost cried at what you said about waiting for "Divine Intervention". I got a HUGE wake up call last year right before Thanksgiving. My Dear sweet older brother by 6 years died suddenly and very unexpectantly. I was so shocked along with the total devestation I felt at loosing my last big brother. My other big brother died the year before on Thanksgiving weekend.He was very sick but this brother was, I thought healthy. The bottom line is that it shocked me into realizing that I need to "man up" I need to get my butt in gear and loose this weight once and for all. I pray that nobody else gets a wake up call like this because I miss my big brother John every single day. I think about him. I think about all the things I wish I could tell him and sometimes I wonder if he knows how much I have changed since he passed away. I hope this little pep talk will sink in sweetie. I do with all my heart. You only have one body. Extra weight is so harmful to our bodies. Please be motivated to stick to a plan, exercise and drink lots of water. I hope this doesn't upset you I truly mean for it to inspire and motivate you into moving. Hugs and enough about that.

Well, today I managed to swim for 40 minutes no stopping at all. I am so happy with this progress. I love to do better than the time before and this was definately accomplishing that. Last time I did 30 minutes and it was terribly hard. Today after I swam for 40 minutes I did some squats in the water, leg lifts and a few other leg exercises. I treated myself to sitting in the hot tub for about 10 minutes. I had the whole thing to myself and I allowed myself to day dream some good thoughts.

At the Dr. He was soooo pleased with my progress. It made me feel bunches better. I lost another 4 pounds I think and he said as I feel better and eat more and exercise more I will loose more. He said my body is in a starvation mode right now because of how little I am eating. He did encourage me to try to eat a bit more than I am drinking for my protein. After I went to the Dr. I went and bought some jerkey. It is packed with protein and I managed over a two hour time frame to eat an ounce of it which gave me 15 grams of protein.

I got a phone call from a staffing agency that I had put my application in at and they have a temporary job as a receptionist for me to interview for. I am probably going to go there tomorrow. It would be great because it is temporary and that will make it perfect for my other job to have time to get things in order or, a county job I applied for at the Welfare department. I know God will work things out the way they should be for me. So all in all it was a pretty good day. It is 7 p.m. now and I am cooking dinner for my Dad and my DH Joel when they come back from hunting they will have something hot. I'm sure they will be hungry, cold and wet as it's been raining allllllllll day.

Blessings all,
Annie

Debbie: Hugs to you. Do you have a fire place? I would love one when it is stormy and cold. I hope you have one and you can sit in front of it being toasty and think of me. Or, go ahead and be romantic with your DH. lol.
Now, you come on and get back on track. You are only 4 pounds away from being out of the 3's FOREVER! You can do this girl.

Blessing to you,
Annie

Annie - GOOD LUCK on your interview. happy thoughts will be with you :)

hey story, where do you live?

Boy things happen here so fast I can hardly keep up. I played hooky from work today and didn't do anything. It was the 3rd time in 15 years I have called in so I am justifying my entitlement. I did manage to walk on the treadmill early this morning for 20 minutes - it was such a relief to have it out of the way - although in the back of my mind I kept thinking I should do it again or get out the pilates video. Alas - I did neither. Another good day OP. Sometimes I think I have too many numbers in my head but I always need a reachable goal - each and every week. So this week's is to be under 325 - I have a physicians scale and that will move me more than halfway down this set - wow what will I feel like when I don't have to move the big weight to 300.

The dogs (Gracie and Gypsy - gg - get it) loved having me home today. They are used to the 3 day weekend and seemed a little confused early on but quickly adjusted to it. Another goal is to be able to walk them both at the same time - that one will take a bit as they are both pretty strong willed - a lab and a labradoodle.

Donna - that is so neat you get to go see John Edwards - I hope you get to connect with him.

Vicki - I'm not brave enough to do the ghost hunt - especially in an old prison - I can't wait to hear all about it. Just keep taking care of yourself and the exercise will come - you've come so far.

Luan the cake sounds so good - with there just being two of us here I would eat the whole thing. No - not quite true - hubby would eat one piece and I would have the rest. That is way to dangerous for me. I admire your ability to have it around. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do that. I can taste test all day long and still eat dinner. That's what I'm sure I would do with the cake - just cut a piece to even it up in the pan - and then even the row up - and before you know it - I might as well empty to pan so I can wash it.

Sharon I'm glad to hear your mood has lifted. Hope the test results are good for you. Glad to hear you are OP. The Robin Hood Festival sounds like great fun. Maybe you can get some pics for us.

Midnight - so glad to hear you didn't repeat the experience with the desk. You won't have to worry about that much longer as you keep getting smaller.

Nancy - I look every day to see if you've hit your 100 lb mark. What a milestone - if I can ask - how long has this journey taken you. You look fantastic!

Catherine - way to go in dealing with the delivery problem. I would never know where to begin transferring all the info over - I'm computer challenged. I do hope you're enjoying the new pc.

Annie - you are amazing. Good luck on the job interview. How sweet you are to have something hot when the guys come back from hunting. I hope the scale was good to you and it was a good check up with the surgeon.

Battle - great blood pressure news - was it high before? Girls nights are so fun - although I must admit - in my case, usually so fattening too. Let me in on the secrets.

Ayah - thanks for the encouragement - back at ya!

Ammi - I'm sorry about the news but I am so glad you finally saw a doctor who will be your advocate rather than just letting things happen. Perhaps there is a "new" treatment that can give you some relief faster than 2 years. Keep us posted on your progress. You are such an encouragement for me - thank you.

Angie - just wake up tomorrow morning knowing it is the day to "put it in gear". You will feel so much better - I know - I'm preaching to the choir - easier said than done. I look forward to your next post to see how it goes.

Debbie - you must have sent the wind to Missouri - not to mention the rain - how nice of you to share. What a strange fall this has been weather wise. We are just now closing our pool tomorrow - usually we close it by the end of September. Today the dogs both swam - they must have sensed what was going to happen tomorrow.

Story - I hear you about public pools. I feel like a pool snob but I refuse to go to a public one after having our own and knowing what can happen when there are many people using the same facility and care is not adequate. UGHHHHHHH. Glad to hear your back is starting to feel better. Earthquakes would frighten me too! Although we were in Oregon a few years back and there was a thunderstorm - my brother's roommate was frightened by the thunder - he had never heard thunder before - I guess it's all in what we are used to. Thunder is very relaxing to me.

Enough for now - nite all - keep up the great work

Carol

Ammi-I’m so sorry about your skin condition. Isn’t that another autoimmune disorder? One of the best treatments is UV, and the best place for that is the Dead Sea. Could you get the Health System to pay for you to take a nice long vacation there? Worth a try. Yeah, I don’t look at the letters either. I sometimes will sit in my chair with my head back looking at the ceiling while typing. That creeps him out, especially when I carry on a conversation at the same time as I’m typing. Men just don’t multitask like women can.

Debbie-I’m known for my letters. I once got an insurance company to send my roommate a check for $13,000 just from a letter. They wanted it back later, but I just thumbed my nose at them.

Annie-40 minutes in the water! That’s got to be some serious wrinkles on top of loose skin. I hope you get the job. I know how that kind of thing can boost self esteem.

I’m using my new computer. The screen is so much wider than I am used to that I feel like I’m watching a tennis match, swinging my head from side to side. Now I just have to unlearn all the weird things that I was used to doing with the old one, like being able to use the delete button now. I basically spent all day transferring photos and documents. I’ve been trying to stay busy because he’s going to Ottawa in the morning without me for 2 days. I’m embarrassed to admit that I have trouble being apart from him. I’ll either eat myself half to death, or not eat anything. Half the time I end up sleeping on the couch.

Catherine -- I have trouble when hubby goes out of town too! I was single into my mid 30s and yet no longer like being home alone? I don't get it. When he traveled a lot last winter I binged quite a bit... I am getting used to it now, but he also doesn't go away for as long. Back then it was Sun-Thurs gone. Now it's usually 1-2 nights...

so i started getting lazy today. I started to find excuses for why I wouldn't workout today and why i should just go and grab something quick to eat (fast food) just this one day! Well I was sitting around and the clock hit 8 o'clock pm and I just couldn't do it. I felt so uncomfortable. I walked over to the computer read this thread, particularly my words of encouragement to everyone, and decided that I would not allow myself to intentionally get off track (practice what you preach).
So I anticipated having 0 minutes of exercise today, but instead I took my butt to the gym and did 70 minutes of cardio. Ahh I feel great! Woohoo!

Ayah, WYG on staying away from the bad stuff & exercising, I know tons about nutrition (came top in my year in a test for it at school) just wish I followed it through to 'real' life, lol! It feels so much better to be OP, just think what that burger/whatever would be doing to your insides now...ick Well Done!xxxxx
Catherine, so glad you finally got the parcel sorted, I hate dealing with those sorts of people, they think they're doing you a favour! WTG on the new laptop, you deserve it, even if it means doing some stuff for hubby (I have to do all of our correspondences too) it will be so much easier to use, especially as you seem to know what you're doing; I'm from the school of 'trial & error' when it comes to technology!xxxxxx
Nancy, thanks for the info, I really thought pain was the main thing with fibroids. I had Aiden at 38 & before then I bled badly (since I had Gareth 3 years previously)& I thought fibroids affected/prevented pregnany, anyway I'll know Monday afternoon for sure. Your film sounded odd, though I hate music in films, I like to concentrate on the screen, but as it was totally SILENT no wonder it seemed weird.xxxxxxx
Well I was totally OP yesterday & I feel better for it.
Ammi's face is truly shocking, I'm glad she found out what was causing it, just hope the Dr/specialist can do something to help FAST. It's bad enough getting a spot or coldsore, I used to want to stay in with them!
Ammi, I hope you hear from the Dr's today, big hugsxxxxxx
wel time to do 'something', lol
xxxxsharon

Ayah -- That's a great NSV!!!

Sharon -- Sounds like you're doing okay staying OP!

Good morning all - just a quick HI - off the see the ortho about the knee that has been abused by all this weight - I did manage to walk on the treadmill again this morning - there is something very liberating about knowing I don't have to do more today - but hopefully I will. Dreading this visit - new doc - I can already hear - how much do you think your knees can take with all the weight. Hubby is going with me and I am a little nervous they will ask my weight in front of him - he has no idea - in his mind I weigh 140 - he's the greatest!

Good Morning!:coffee:

Vicki: Wow, that sounds like so much fun. I think I would probably pee myself though!! I am such a believer that even though the "man" who visits here now and again doesn't scare me one bit, I think in an unfamiliar surrounding I would just :faint:!!

Ammi: I am so sorry your beautiful face is having such a problem.:hug: I hope this Dr. can help you and make you feel better!! I hope Darren is pampering you, as you deserve some extra TLC!!!:hug:

Nancy: I don't think I could have sat through a movie with no sound, as I have Tinnitis and the silence would have driven me crazy!! Have you ever tried the Boca "chicken" patties?? Sammi and I had them last week and they were delish!:T

Catherine: I am so happy you finally got your computer!! Did you tackle the delivery guy?? I would have paid to see it!!:rofl: I think it is really cute that you miss Himself so much when he is away!! Doug works 3 7pm-7am shifts and I am so happy to have the bed to myself!! I am actually thrilled when he works OT. But then again, we have been married 20 years...not like you newlyweds!! :love:

Battle: I think your :devil: has been visiting here every afternoon!! I am chowing down on 100 cal packs like they are going out of style!! I don't know why, but my hunger has increased and I don't know how to control it.
I am hoping to wear some of my Grandmother's jewelry and carry a card from my FIL so maybe they will come through. I actually found out about John E. from a book my neighbor's nana gave me a long time ago, and have always been fascinated.

Sorry i have to cut this short, but it is very hard to type 1 handed since my cutie Jack has decided he wants to be held and is sleeping like a :bb:

Have a Great Friday!!!:cheer2:

Donna- goodluck with john edwards i hope he has a message for you.
ammi- again so sorry about your skin condition. I hope they find something that will make it go away faster.
gggirls- hope ypur visit at the docs goes well. Maybe he won't ask your weight isn't it on your charts? mabye not if it's a new doc.

well good news. I lost 1lb and a hal. I started out a 818.5 but the ticker didn't want to to the .5. O well i still lost it even though i was a little bad. Yay! I am going to try to cash my check today then get the exercise stuff i want. I'm still thinking about doing jenny's lowfat muffins see how they work out. I might also try the cookies. But that is a lot of money. But then again I might indulge. Besides i won't be the one eating them all my mom will share the muffins with me and my dad and mom will probably share the cookies.

I love fridays. I have no school or work so i can sleep in as late as i want. The only thing i should do is my homework but i am a horrible procrastinater so i usually out it off till sunday night. it's bad of me i know but i always do that.

Hi all!

Ammi - I'm never, ever not never whining about anything on here again until your skin condition clears! I'm so sorry you're suffering through this and it must really want to get you down sometimes. A proper diagnosis is something I suppose, but still it must be hard. Get better as soon as you can. I'll miss whining. :)

Annie - Your new avatar REALLY shows your progress! So exciting. You look great....good luck with all this job stuff.

Story - Congrats on the pants victory! It's so nice when we fit into new sizes.

Donna - Enjoy John Edwards...a very special opportunity for people interested in that end of things. Can't wait to hear about it all.

Catherine - Enjoy your new 'puter, and try not to miss hubby too much. I think you'll really enjoy Ottawa. I really love the city and it's one of my favourite places to visit in Canada. You guys could zip over to Quebec to the Museum of Civilization if you have time. It's literally within walking distance of downtown Ottawa and a great tourist stop. Then you could add one more province to your 'Been there done that' list. :)

Ratkity - You and I are the same height, have some of the same body challenges (apron - blech blech blech) and I've got 10 pounds on you. Today I'm wearing size 20 pants. With much love I'd like to say BUY SOME NEW PANTS! Your much reduced bottom deserves NEW PANTS. :)

The scale has moved a little this week and my official Monday weigh in should bring a little ticker move. It's somewhat silly that so much of the joy of my day depends on the number on my scale. I need to work on that.

I'm a music fanatic and I had a little treat the other night. My local movie theatre broadcast a 1981 Queen concert filmed in Montreal. They have huge screens, and it was in HD...amazing sound as well. Beautiful filming as well... amazing tight shots you'd never experience otherwise. Other Queen fans out there will understand that it's always great to see Freddie again, ya know? It was a nice evening. This Saturday is the symphony, so from one end to the other musically this week.

I LOVE FREDDIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw Queen at the Boston Garden that same year. I was in high school at the time. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!! Freddie is sorely missed! That sounds like a great thing to see again.

Hi Ladies,
The winds finally died down and we are getting sunbreaks with rain. It wasn't even as bad as they thought it was going to be. There was one fatality in Seattle I guess and lots of damage to people's homes, which is so sad, but around here, I think things weren't too bad.

Annie, after reading about your big brother, it hit home. It's so sad that he died so young. If he only knew how he's saving your life though, he would be so proud. So with that said, I will try my darnest to get back OP and stay there. I don't want to die, I know there is something left in life for me to do, I just don't know what it is yet. So thank you so much for posting about your brother. BTW, you are just doing so well, and to think, a doctor telling you to eat more!!!! WOW!

Story, sounds like you're doing so well. And no fill!! That's a good thing, right?
Good news about your back loosening up some more and being able to get out and enjoy the weather and a nice walk.
We used to live in CA and boy, some of the quakes we got were pretty bad. After a while though, you get used to them, just duck into a doorway or ride it out in bed. I laugh about the people up here because they think a 2 pointer is something to report on...pretty funny. Where abouts in CA do you live?

Carol, I hope you are enjoying your day off. Wow, after 5 years and hardly ever missing, I'm sure you deserve it. Have fun with the pooches!!

Catherine, I think it's cute that you will miss your hubby that much. Just don't eat too much while missing him.

Ayah, that's wonderful that you did get up and exercise. Guilt really has an impact on us huh? I think that is what gets me motivated once again, because I feel like I'm letting myself down when I blow it.

Hi Sharon, Ammi, Heather, Nancy, Battle, Luan, gggirls, and who ever else I didn't mention

Donna, That's going to be so much fun and so interesting to go see John Edwards. I've wanted to go for so long because we have an aunt who disappeared in Florida and we think that my cousin, her son, murdered her for drug money, but they never found her...so it would be interesting to see if there was a message from her. I hope he picks you as one to do a reading for.

Midnight, congrats on the pounds lost!!

Ah Queen!! They were soooooooooo good. That must of been a fantastic time just watching and listening to them once again.

Today the plan is to stay OP. I feel better today and TOM should be exiting pretty soon here so that will help tons.
Have a great day and be safe!
Debbie

Hi ALL!!

Sharon? A Robin Hood festival and Nottingham Castle, and YOU're jealous of ME? That sounds like a riot! And THERE, even the accents would be authentic! What fun!!

Annie, Best Best Best of luck on this new job! (Or jobs, as the case may be!)

Catherine - Kudos on your victory over the delivery. I hope some fur flies behind the scenes now!

My computer at home is, in fact, HISTORY. Dead. Kaputt. Donefore. So I'll keep this brief while I'm at work. Otherwise I'd have so much more to say to all of you!

I RODE GABE LAST NIGHT!!! Actually, for real, RODE him. Not just got on and sat there a few minutes. Not just had someone lead him a few steps. RODE him! I have a friend that's not familiar with anything but really dead-broke, slow-poke quarter horses. She thinks the first time I rode him I should be out galloping through the fields. She SO doesn't get how strong, quick and reactive this horse can be, or how very green and new he is to this. She thinks just because he's sweet he'll be perfectly willing to carry me around calmly from day one. Yeah, right. ANYWAY, we walked over lots of different ground poles, did a little leg yielding along one wall, and HE DIDN'T DROP ME ON THE GROUND! Even when the kittens were pouncing around in the hay just beyond the gate. Fortunately, he doesn't care at all about the goats either. It was a good first ride, I'm giving it another go next Wednesday, and I'm SOOOOOOOOO inspired to keep myself on track right now! It's actually depressing to think of how much more weight I could have lost - nothing really in the last year - and how much better a rider I could and should be. This horse is the dream of a lifetime, and I've let him and me down so far. I have to do better, and I know I can. If I didn't believe I could do MUCH better than I have, then I wouldn't be so disappointed in myself. But I know better. I know what I have to do.

If I'm going to spend any of my lunch hour walking, I better get with it. I'm so saddle sore from all the riding I've done this week, even before I rode Gabe, that it will be a task just to loosen up to walk.

BEST WISHES EVERYONE!!!

I have not been having a good eating week. Last night at Girls Nite, I started drinking wine. It tasted good, and since I was home and not concerned about driving, one glass led to 3 or 4. I'm not used to drinking much, so all the wine caused me to lose control over my eating. It wasn't pretty.

Today is another day.

Battle, ooh wine, love it, just a shame it ALWAYS leads to MORE wine & then cheese, crisps (you call them chips) & other bad stuff.:o It is a shame that low or no alcohol wine tastes icky. Still you enjoyed it & it's a new day today.:hug:xxxxxx
Valerie, WTG on riding Gabe,:carrot: my horse was 7 when I got him & he only had to see an open space in front of him & poof he was off with me clinging on for dear life! So I totally understand you being careful, I'm still sick with envy though! You have a horse, well a couple, sob... to ride any time you like, the festival is once a year, hmmm hardly any competetion, eh!!!lol. I look back at what I could have lost, :obut look what you could have GAINED over the year! :pNow he's ready to be ridden you can use it as a very REAL & IMMEDIATE incentive to keep you OP!!! Good luck & have a nice long soak in the bath when you get the chance:hug:xxxxxxx
gotta get the boys ready for bed,
so bye (7.20pm here)
xxxxxxsharon
ps Ammi, hope ur ok, I'm thinking of u & praying something gets sorted SUPERFAST for your skin.:hug: xxxxxx

Battle – Alcohol is a tough one for me. I really love to drink – especially good red wine. Recently I have been trying to occasionally have a small glass at dinner, but it is hard to just stop with one glass. Plus I know that if I have too much it limits my inhibitions and I will likely eat more. That moderation thing can be so tough for me. I wish I could get good wine in small, single serving bottles.

Valerie – That is so cool that you road Gabriel last night!! I am so happy for you.

Donna – Yes – I love the Boca chicken patties, especially the spicy ones. That is so cool that you got tickets to see John Edwards. I can’t wait to hear all about it!

Carol – I have been at this for about 2 years now. I am not a fast loser, mostly because I can’t seem to give everything up and firmly stay on plan for long stretches of time. I really enjoy food and eating out so I do things in moderation. I also went through a really stressful time earlier on this year when I broke up with my BF of 5 years and then spent months apartment hunting. My philosophy is that it doesn’t matter how long it takes me to get there as long as I get there eventually. I also realized I need to work with my tendencies and not fight them. If I try and be perfect it is too stressful for me, so I do the best I can. It can be hard sometimes when I let myself compare myself to other people who have lost much more quickly, but I try not and do this as the journey is so individual.

Annie – I hope your interview went great today!

Ammi – Oh no!! Your skin condition sounds horrible, although I am so glad you found a doctor who knew what it was an could properly diagnose you.

I know I missed a number of people - sorry!

For those who asked about Laughing Cow cheese, they are 35 calorie wedges of spreadable cheese. They kind of have the consistency of cream cheese, but have a bit more of a tangy taste. They have the original, plus a garlic and herb version and a French onion version. They are a great substitute for mayo on sandwiches. One of my favorite uses for them is my faux Eggs Benedict, where I take a 100-calorie English muffin, a wedge of Laughing Cow, a piece of lean Canadian bacon and top it with an egg. It is one of my favorite weekend brunches. They are also great as a snack on celery or a whole wheat cracker. Lastly, if you are trying to keep your calories low but are craving a creamy sauce, you can melt one or two in the microwave, add just a dash of fat-free half and half and some salt and pepper to taste and it makes a great alfredo replacement.

I am thinking that I am very soon going to need a new form of exercise. The gym is starting to bore me. I would love to take a dance class or start fencing or kendo, but I still feel a bit too unfit for those. I feel like I would be out of place unless I could find a plus size group. Either that or hopefully it is just a seasonal change blah factor that I will get over soon. I will start looking around and see if there are any possible classes nearby.

Hello all!

It's great to see folks talking more. Sometimes it feels LONELY *sings..Oh so lonnnnnnnely* on the thread.. hehe. About the pictures and the pants.. well, to add insult to injury, there was a VIDEO of the entire picnic (and pinata smashing) shown today, so we all got to see the baggie bum again. I tried not to be horrified by my looks and everyone was more focused on the beheading of the pinata and the fun we all had.

Ammi, omgosh about your skin thingie. I'm sending special over-the-ocean healing vibes to you. I think a posse made of us would scare the beejeebus out of any doc! BUT, we would get you care. I'm glad you have a doc that will help and nag for you.

Realist, I shall buy new pants! I promise. I did try on a bunch of 18s and was somewhat depressed because I'm not in a real 18 (whatever that is). Some were impossibly tight and some were loose like 20s. The sizing over here is schizophrenic, I swear!

Deb, I'm sorry you are in a hormonal funk and that mean old TOM slinks out soon. I haven't done any hard exercise since Tuesday! I hurt my surgery foot a little and didn't wanna push it.

Annie, I was so sorry to read that your intervention was the death of your sweet older bro. You didn't say it was related to living an unhealthy lifestyle, but any loss is a wakeup no matter the cause. Congrats at the 40 minutes and doctor being pleased with your progress! I know your bro would be proud of you today. I am!!

Story, w00h00 on the pants NSV! That would make me feel absolutely wonderful :) You can keep your earthquakes.. little or otherwise.. hehe. I'll keep the hurricanes. A least I can move out of the way of those.

GGG, I'm so glad you were able to take a day off for you! I have 2 goofy golden retrievers and they are so funny playing together. They love it when Mommy's home. I can walk each separately and each is an angel on the lead. Together, they are monsters!! It's hard to control them. What goofy things. I love them lots. Good deal on the treadmill. I have one knee that hurts me, but I did that before I was morbidly obese. Bleh.

Catherine, w00h00 on the new laptop! My baby sister got a new one too and I'm so jealous. Mine is doing just fine (2 yrs old) and there's no reason to get another (yet..Muhahhaha). Sounds like you are feeling better! It's so cute that you'll miss him so much when he's gone.

Ayah, great job on the exercise!!! You go girl. I love how positive you are.

Sharon, do you still have your horse? Is the festival this weekend? I have a friend that does blacksmithing and makes swords. Man that takes some muscle!! Too bad he's married. hehe.

Donna, awwww about cutie Jack. I like the Boca veggie burgers.. the ones with roasted veggies. I might have some for supper tonight. I do need to get some more sweet-hot mustard. I love that stuff!

Yay Midnight for -1 gone! Keep up the great work! Unfortunately, if I want a muffin, I have to buy just one. If there's a box, it'll continually taunt me until they are gone. But, for me, there are no bad foods. Just bad amounts.

Meta, I'm so jealous about you seeing Queen in HD!! I love them! I miss Freddy too.. alas. I know I shouldn't be so happy at the sight of a lower scale number, but I do it too. It's just that we are working so hard for that one result (and all the associated effects of feeling better).

Valerie, YOU ROCK!! Go girl!! Riding on that sweet Gabe. Very inspiring! I know about horses that are touchy and powerful (although I do like the ones that are a bit calmer). We need picts!!! Keep up the great work and don't think about what could've been as far as your progress for this last year.

Alas Battle, I understand the alcohol thingie. I used to love the light mental effects, but now my stomach gets so upset with any alcohol that I can't drink it anymore. Ugh.. that means any binge I have is done when I'm mentally all there!! ACK! hehe. Yup, today is another day and it will be a better one.

Nancy, I have some laughing cow FF cheese in the frig and didn't think to sub it for mayo. That's a good idea. Thanks!

Phew.. omgosh I did it!! I caught up with you loverly peeps. You all are very special to me and I love hearing about you, even if you are just doing the same!

Luv,
Ratkity

:wave: I am new. I just wanted to stick my head in and see what is going on. Starting next week I will try to post something everyday. My life has been crazy the last few weeks. I shall post if you would like.

I'm getting exercise by cleaning houses and walking at least 30 minutes on days I don't clean. As far as eating I just counting points at the moment but will be doing WW starting Nov.1st.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

welcome jessiebug
Rat- i hope you find a pair of pants that makes you look awesome. I hope seeing that video wasn't too bad of an experience.
Valarie- congrats on riding the horse. I hope it was great fun.

I just got a bunch of exercise stuff so i have variety. So now the idea is just to actually use them. well i am going to go play with them now. so i'll check back tonight.