Good Afternoon!
It is a dark day today plus I forgot my coffee so that is a double whammy!
Betsy, just slide on by any day. We are just happy to see you! Excellent work on day 3!
Larry, I hope your new adjustment works well for you.
Silent, do you often feel meh? What are you making for your friend? I think your scarf sounds cute. I also think it is sad when it is too cold to wear a scarf and hat!!!
Jane so scary that you consider that warm!!! I am a whimp, I know! Are you getting a little impatient with the floor?
Donna we burn wood to keep the fuel cost down. Also our house is small and very well insulated. There is fuel assistance for the very poor. It is a struggle for many but you don't hear of it much.
Time4Me I am so happy thatt your trip home went so well. You must feel very encouraged!
Chris can I have your energy? I do not get all energized when I exercise. I've tried all different things and all I get is tired.
It seems to me a few of us may be in our winter rut. I will use it to my advantage and eat in a healthy rut.

I'm kind of in Betsy's mode today: not wanting to do a long posting. Today was a more calories day—as opposed to the semi-fast days—so I had cream in my coffee, four cups altogether instead of the usual two, and yes I had my magic muesli (not ready to give it up just yet), and then roast beef for dinner. My eating plan is just how I like it: boring and not requiring much thought. I think too much about everything else, so it's nice not to think about food. I've done my time with thinking about food, feeling guilty about food, obsessing about food, so these days I feel liberated from that prison: food is just fuel for me.

As for exercise, it's a bit frustrating not to be able to walk or try out the "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD (didn't get a chance to even try it before the angina hit), but I have to wait until I get a repeat stress test and get cleared for intense cardio. And that won't happen until later in the month. Meanwhile I'm doing my regular nightly leg exercises: they're a good habit now, and make such a difference in how easy it is to climb stairs.

I'm kind of frustrated with my Belgian friend, too, because she won't commit herself to coming to visit me in September. She had a horrible childhood with a mean mother who thwarted everything she wanted to do, so she's afraid if she says "oui, septembre" to me, her mother will rise from the grave and somehow prevent our getting together. But I realize that I have a hangup, too, about wanting everything to be definite. So I have to learn how to hang loose and figure if her visit is meant to be, it will happen. Same deal with the kittens I want: I can't control when my breeder's female cat will come into heat, or when she'll get pregnant, or what the kittens will be like, so there's no point in obsessing about it.

At least my artistic life is going well. I'm one of a half-dozen participants on a collage blog that has a weekly theme, and this week's theme (announced today) is a fun one: we're supposed to pick one book or magazine from which to make our collages. I've chosen the January issue of National Geographic, and I'm having fun figuring out which pages to cut up and how to combine them into interesting patterns. I'm reading a cool book, Geometry of Design: maybe I'll get far enough into it to use some geometric principles in this week's collages.

Well, I guess this is sort of a long posting after all. Sorry I'm not up for the usual individual greetings, but I'm thinking of all of you fondly. And especially I'm rooting for you, Betsy, to get a nice long streak of being free from emotional eating. Just remember not to fight the urges: separate yourself from them, observe them, and let them pass on into the oblivion from whence they came. They'll get weaker and less frequent as the days go by, I promise you that.

Thank you Ubee and Mountain Walker

Hey all

Fi and Betsy- it's more than okay to take a 'for me' post! Anytime!

FI- That collage does sound really neat! I hope you have a lot of fun making it.

Betsy- keep on that bibge free train! I am rooting for you!

Ubee- healthy eating rut sounds like a good one!


I am sick (got a col like 1 day after landing) and I slept in until 3 pm today, but I didn't fall asleep until 5 am..... so I am not sure if it's still some jet lag or if it's just me being sick.... but I do know I snacked sooo much last night... ugh... trying to be more on track today... and worried about my sleeping pattern tonight for work tomorrow.

Good Morning! Today I will remember my coffee.
Fi I too like to have things definite. I am learnng to let go and it feels great!
Rebecca please stop in more often. We want to know how you are doing!
Melissa I sure hope you are feeling better and can get your sleep pattern back on track.
I have some nice salads planned for today. It is going to be 40 today so my husband will BBQ when he gets home home work.
For the last few years I did not enjoy cooking but now I am getting into the challenge of creating fresh, healthy, and delicious meals.
How is everyone doing?

Good morning all!!!

How is everyone today?

Merstopher - Great Job on the loss... you are doing great... I am a cat person too but I love dogs as well.... I have 2 dogs and about 6 cats... mostly girls... LOL... no testosterone here... or very little... POP means Perfect On Plan... I like to wish everyone that when I close. I picked it up from another board...
Fiona - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of a collage group... I am a wee bit artistic as well... right now I am in the groove of painting crosses... for a while I was very interested in the Bob Ross type of painting mainly because I love the landscapes he would paint... I really need to focus on painting more and branch some...
Ubee - 'It seems to me a few of us may be in our winter rut. I will use it to my advantage and eat in a healthy rut.' This is me through and through. I am definitely in a winter rut. I can't seem to walk unless it is warm. I have been counting calories and doing extra things around the house but I know it is not enough. I have not 5Ks planned for anytime soon. Once it warms up I will really kick the training for those back into gear. The only thing is that I don't have a walking buddy any longer due to injury and I am kind of chicken to do them alone. LOL.
Jane - I cannot imagine -10 here in Texas, as that would be impossible for me to withstand. We have a wet cold here as the humidity tends to be really high. I went on vacation once to a high valley in Colorado (where the humidity is low) and the temps were -30 and to me those felt like 10 degrees in Texas. I remember seeing a girl that would walk from one building to another barefooted in those -30 temps and I asked her about doing that and she said she was just used to it. How do you get used to that? LOL Surely, she didn't do that all the time.
Time4Me - I sure hope you are feeling well soon and hopefully it is just jetlag and not something else.
Betsy - So sorry you are still dealing with all that board stuff. I missed the first part of all of that but I am guessing you are a volunteer who maybe signed on for a year. I certainly do not blame you for not doing it again. I volunteered 18 years ago to be on the City Council and I am still doing it. Fortunately we have a secretary and mayor who take care of most of the issues that come up so the stress from that is minimal.
Larry - I completely understand with high sodium/calorie in restaurants... isn't it insane?... We have Chicken Express here in Texas... awesome fried tenders... but when I started my Lifestyle Plan I was appalled at how many calories each tender had... I won't even slow down when I go by there now... LOL...
MW - the chicken sounds lovely with some veggies... I put on a pot of black-eyes peas and will have that for lunch today with some left over cabbage and maybe some venison.
Silent - I hope you find that energy and drive to cook for your friend... I am sure they will greatly appreciate it... ... what a blessing you are!!!

Thursday I had training for work and Friday (yesterday) I had to take a certification exam. I got in early and it was warm about 70 degrees so I had the afternoon to do yardwork, moving brick stones and making a little walkway/step to my storage building, cleaning the back porch and getting it winter ready AGAIN, blew off the back bricks and then came in and cooked cabbage for dinner. I even did a little painting and put together a wreath I had been planning to do for a week or so. I am a little sore this morning from maneuvering the bricks (carrying them from one place to another and setting up my step and walkway) but other than that feel pretty good today. I am hoping for another pretty day and it looks like some high 60's are in the forecast. Maybe I can get some of that good old walking in today.
I hope everyone has a wonderful POP (perfect on plan) day.

POP - perfect on plan... Got it!

Don't have much time today, just did a walk/run and have to clean my house before dinner theatre tonight. Just wanted to check in!

I did not swim or bike Thursday after all... After doing a few metrics for a myfitnesspal weight loss challenge (plank crunches push-ups etc) I got on the bike and after a couple of minutes wasn't feeling too hot. I think the previous 3 good work-out days in a row (especially wed) were catching up to me so I took a night off.

BUT yesterday did 30 min of cardio, and today braved the cold to get some outdoor calorie burn!

I also picked up a fitbit force yesterday, loving it so far!

And I am within my calorie goals since jan 2... Scale said I lost more today, but my next "official" weigh in will be Monday.

Hope you guys are having an amazing Saturday! A POP day!

Good morning all. It's a rainy and very windy day here. There are dire predictions for how this will affect the Seahawks game.....I gather it's being played today!

Ubee -- Thanks for giving me a bye. And I'm amazed that anyone can be upright and functioning without coffee. I may be a tad bit addicted -- at least mentally. Glad you remembered it for today. Your enthusiasm about cooking again with the new eating plan is great -- hope it's contagious. That's one "illness" I wouldn't mind getting!

Fi -- I'm with you on wanting things definite. We're just organized and while I sometimes can't give an immediate answer to an invitation, I at least say that I'll let them know by such and such a date. Drives my family crazy, but since I'm the one who does almost all of the holiday and birthday meals, knowing more than a day in advance is helpful. Do they think the meal fairy just delivers these meals? Your collage group sounds so cool -- although I have to admit that cutting up a National Geographic is something I'm not sure I could do. My parents always saved them to take to school so I've been trained to never, ever get rid or mar a National Geographic. But none of us carry around our childhood baggage, do we? Keep up the leg lifts. They seem to really add to your day. I'm working on the free from food thoughts, but a long way to go.

Time4Me -- Hope you're feeling much better by the time you read this. Sounds like your body definitely needed some down time.

Pam -- So envious of your being able to get out and do some yard work (I think I am....may have to rethink that statement). It sure makes a difference in the spring not to be facing a mountain of tasks that need to be done. And sounds like you got a good workout with it. My griping about the co-op needs to stop as I agreed to do this so I just need to suck it up. But, I really admire you for volunteering for your town council 18 years ago and continue to serve.

Merstopher -- Your posts always make me want to get out and move more. So glad that you're seeing such positive results from your efforts. Keep up the great work.

I'm definitely procrastinating on cleaning the house for the January birthday gathering here tomorrow. It will get done, but we've covered my thoughts on cleaning house -- a root canal without any pain relievers might be preferable. OK, that may be a slight exaggeration. Mentally, I'm slowly getting back in the game. I need to bake one of the birthday celebrants a cake and the other one a pie (yes, I spoil my family), but they don't even sound good right now. I'm getting my exercise on going up and down my steps to the basement for Toby. He signals that he wants to go out, then realizes that it's crummy weather and turns around to come back in. We've done that 5 times so far this morning. Yes, the training is coming along well. I figure I'll be perfectly trained in about another week or so!

Have a great day all.

Days Binge Free: 4

Good Afternoon! Had my coffee!!!
Pam I am so jealous of your weather! Glad you got moving with your yard work. That sounds like a very good workout. Let me know when you sign up for another 5K so I can cheer you on!
Chris I had to look up a fitbit force. I thought for sure with a name like that it would involve exercise. How was your dinner theater?
Betsy you are so good to your family. Good for you. Mine showed up unannounced and HUNGRY today. When you were writing about Toby I was thinking boy he has her trained! Great minds...
Happy day 4! Proud of you!

Larry sounds like you've got a plan

Betsy - 3 days binge free is good, you are doing amazing! I probably should tackle that someday

Ubee - I've been tired lately, I blame the lack of sunlight, I feel low energy during the darkest parts of the year. Yeah it gets too cold and you have to promote function over fashion for most of the year too. THe scarf is very "airy" so not very practical but sometimes you just want something pretty!

Fi - I feel your frustration, I mean I can't really imagine. I hope you see the specialist soon so you can figure out what you can and can't do . I can only imagine the frustration.

time- hope you feel better soon.Readjusting to a regular sleep schedule and all that is hard. I didn't even take a holiday but all the special days off here and there combined with weekends have me struggling.

PJV that sounds like quite the workout!


merstopher I have an older verion of fit bit thats on its last legs I really need to start wearing it again! I love the stats its just remembering to grab it in the AM off the nightstand that I struggle with. (I don't sleep with mine on... )



lunch with a friend and had a salad, with grilled chicken and dressing on the side, so that was good. I'm really trying to make better choices. Dinner plans tonight with a different friend again we're going to make a salad and maybe soup... so that should be good. I have a LOT of housework to get to, I was working on that but took the lunch break. Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Silent it sounds like you are getting your spark back! Maybe the January thaw is helping. Enjoy all your social activities!
Duh!!! Did a google for fit bit again. I see it is a fitness thing... Need to focus a little more! Maybe I needed more coffee this morning!

It is late so I will not do personals. Weight is steady and I am on plan although a little low on calories today, "892"

Hi,

I am back with my tail between my legs. I have been engaging in self destructive eating. I am recommitting to my journey to health and to my best self.

WI tomorrow- with much trepidation.

Andrea

Hey all!!!

Well, I had QUITE a workout today. In December my aunt moved in with me. This morning I asked here if she would like to have a garden so we decided we would. I have a portion of a fence on the south side of my house and it is very sunny. The workout was cleaning all the vines and saplings out of the fence line, raking, carrying the debris to the burn pile and burning the pile. We spent a good 6 hours outside working only taking a couple of short breaks for lunch and water. It was pretty intense and I am pretty sore right now. LOL. We had a good dinner of venison, cabbage and black-eyed peas.

So in light of this day I will report if I am able to walk tomorrow... LOL.

Have a great night all!!!

Good Morning!
Larry that is so low! I would be starving! How do you do that?
Andrea welcome back I've missed you! Jump on that scale. That number does not matter, you will never see it again. How are things going?
Pam I am so impressed! A garden will be rewarding work. How nice that your aunt moved in with you. I think I will make cabbage today. Thanks for the idea.
I will have my coffee and I am going to go on the treadmill today!
How is everyone doing?