I have to ask what does BERP mean?

I understand what you mean Ubee I have to fight the temptation to get on the scale all the time. I only weight in on Saturdays at WW but I do weight myself on the scale at home so I have an "idea" what it will say at WW. I used to be really bad and would weight myself all day long and what ever those numbers said would determine my mood. I would have to asking my fiancé to hide it from me.

Hey All

Rest day for me so I could go run errands after work. Going back to the gym tomorrow with my friend Suzi.

Spent the evening painting my toes and listening to some of mine and Silviu's favorite music. It's been very therapudic. DH has been working on a friend and fellow bandmate's guitar. He's coming over tonight after he gets off work and wants to surprise him with what he's done. We're both still greiving but both trying to keep on living.

I had rotissere chicken with potatonsalad and green beans for dinner tonight...something quick since we had to run errands. Doing good this week with being on plan. Just gonna keep on pushing and hope for a nice loss this week.

My friend Ana is coming to visit me from Wilmington this weekend. She's about an hour and a half away. I'm gonna try and visit her sometime soon. It'd be easier if she had her own place but she's temporarily living with her parents for now. We're gonna have a girls day on the beach on Saturday I think. I'm really excited to have a girls day. It's very much needed. Then we're gonna live it up in the evenin and have a good old fashioned house party at my place.

Well I gotta get in the shower and ready for bed. Hope everyone has a great night!

Sorry, Millie, to be cryptic in my reference to the BERP. It stands for Big Entropy Reduction Project. It's the acronym I've been using to refer to an enormous house decluttering endeavor that kicked off on April 18th when our kittens were born, and is just now drawing to a close... finally!

I'm a collage artist, but I've only been one for four and a half years. No one explained to me when I started out that because collage artists have to collect paper, they also have to work very hard to prevent their living space from turning into an episode of "Hoarders." My house was an unholy mess—just about every room of it—because of my newfound obsession.

When I realized we were about to get our third consecutive pair of oriental shorthair cats, something clicked inside of me, and I became strongly motivated to bring some order into my and husband's world. So for the last nearly four months I've been working like a woman possessed—40, 50, even 60 hours a week—to make space for our new kittens to run and play. =smile=

Sam— I just gotta say that everything you described in your last posting—painting your toes, listening to your dear friend's favorite music, plans for the girls' day together at the beach and for a party (all right!)—sounds enormously healthy and positive and healing to me. And your husband, too: making new music! Way to go, gal... =warm grin=

Hello Lovely ladies! (I think we are ladies in here correct) I have two more evenings to work out before I have my next weigh in at WW. I have been walking 2 hours every night 3.5-4.0 MPH. Last week I did 90 min and 30 lifting at the gym but this week I was not in the mood for the gym. A few weeks ago I was trying jogging. I would jog for a bit and then walk, but I noticed that when I walk I would walk slow, I feel like I get a "better" work out walking at a steady faster pace then short bits of jogging and slow walking. I am "running" my 3rd qtr marathon at the end of this month. I am going to try the fast walk instead of jog and slow walk to see if I get a better time. We'll see

I feel so defeated. I went to the ear, nose, and throat doctor today, as I've been without a voice for 5 weeks now. He told me that my vocal cords are paralyzed. I have to start voice therapy & they need to do an MRI of my brain to rule out something more severe.

I just feel like I can't catch a break these days.

Kayleystar Yikes! Hope you get your voice back.

Fi What cuties!

I am sluggishly getting back at it - trying to summon up the drive again! Funny because I have more reasons than ever to keep going. Stayed on plan today and got my swim in. Think we are making an offer on a house this week. Exciting times.

Fi Thanks :) It really has helped a lot. My friend ended up having to cancel coming down this weekend because her nephews are coming for a visit and her mom needs help with them, so she's going to come next weekend...Which really is better for me anyway so I'm pretty excited for next weekend too :) The kitties look so adorable. I'm glad to hear that they are adjusting very well.

Sugar Welcome back love. I do hope you'll stay awhile. We all miss you here. I hope things move forward without the ex...you don't need that negativity in your life, it'll only bring you down. Sending you big hugs and the extra push you need to move on. I'm here if you ever need someone to talk to :)

Ubee & Betsy You both have been my biggest cheerleaders from the start. Thank you both for being so warm and loving....it's just what I need. You guys are like the aunts that I never got to have. Things will get easier with time, I just need to try and put my health and weight loss back to my main focus and try to push forward. This hasn't been easy, but I definitely don't want all my hard work to go down the toilet either.

Millie I never gave you a proper welcome. So welcome to the thread. I hope you'll stay awhile and gain so much love and knowledge here as I have. I know what you mean about the fast paced walking vs jogging...I've never been one to like running and even if I lose all the weight I want I don't see myself ever being a runner, but who knows. Good luck on your marathon coming up :)

Kayley Nice to see you back at the thread. Sorry to hear about your voice. I sure hope everything works out for you and it isn't something even more severe. Keep your chin up babe, either way you'll get through this and we'll all be here to help support you in any way we can :)

Jane So glad to see you back here again...Sorry I didn't do a personal when you first got back...I'm slowly getting back to posting like my normal self on here...Still hard though. The new house sounds exciting...I hope it works out for you...Keep pushing with the weight loss I know you have the will power and the drive...You can succeed at anything! Keep posting in here...you know how helpful it is :)

So my friend kinda bailed on me for the gym today...She kept putting it off and putting it off and telling me it would be later and later...So I said screw it and just did some exercise here at the house. I did one of the Turbo Jam videos as a warm up then did 100 crunches, 50 side crunches, 40 dead lifts, and 20 weighted side lifts. I think after I post I'm going to try to do a few planks and then call it a night. As I told Fi, my friend in Wilmington is going to have to come next weekend because her nephews are visiting and her mom needs help with them. It really worked out for me anyway. DH wanted to have a nice weekend with me since last weekend was not the greatest with my friend's passing. We're going to hopefully move our bedroom around after we organize and throw out the crap we don't need. Hoping to tackle my closet too. I also want to try and steam clean my carpets. Ever since we moved in here the carpet has been crap and we were trying to keep it clean for awhile, but in all honesty I probably haven't steam cleaned the carpets in 2 years. They look terrible and really should have been replaced before we moved in here. DH is also going to have to do some work under the kitchen sink. We are going to have to replace the board under there with some real wood instead of cardboard that came with the cabinets and try and fix the garbage disposal. The maintainence people here suck and never fix anything so we're going to try and fix it ourselves before we result to calling them. Our dishwasher hasn't worked in almost a year and when they came to try and fix that all they did was clean the trap...When we told them that wasn't the problem in the first place. Then they came up here last week because our neighbor below us has water leaking from the ceiling and wall so what does the guy do? Check the air unit in here only!!! He didn't even bother to check our dishwasher or under the sink, which we later found the cause what we think is the garbage disposal is leaking water. We have no idea for how long but that cardboard that is supposed to be a shelf has gotten so wet that DH had to pull it all out. The builders we found cut even more corners and didn't put any wood down before the put the cabinets in and there's DRYWALL under the cabinetry!!! If this place weren't so cheap we would have already moved....I'm just trying to hold out until we can save up to get some land....I'm so ready to be out in the country and self sufficient.

Anyway, Didn't mean to ramble...Tomorrow is my boss's son's 16th bday party...It's glow in the dark/neon themed pool party. I'm going to go for a little bit but hope to bust out a gym session with my friend before the party.

Hope everyone had a wonderful, on plan, peaceful day. You all deserve the very best out of life and I hope you succeed with all of your life's desires....

Night everyone

Ubee ~ Yes $68 dollars is pricey for a bus pass but it usually lasts all month

Betsy ~ Yeah they offer on the low side for your dvd's and cd's.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up at 8:00 AM this morning. So far today I've let Clyde outside and I've taken my pills, I have also cleaned my tube and mask and thats all I've done today. Im gonna do laundry today and do my 5 mile walk tonight and thats all my plans for today.

Im Bummed, Im back in the 290's....Grrrr.....Oh well I'll just have to try harder

Good Morning!
I know I made a goal to post everyday but I may have to give myself a little wiggle room as I finish up this summer.
Terra a 5 mile walk is a lot for one day. I wonder if I will ever be able to do 5 miles in one day.
Sam so proud of you for not waiting for your friend to go to the gym and just exercising on your own. Thanks for the last line in your post. "You all deserve the very best out of life and I hope you succeed with all of your life's desires...." It was just so nice to hear today.:hug:
Jane a new house!!! Hope you get it. Mind sharing your more reasons then ever to lose comment? If not I'll live.
Kayle so sorry about the Dr. news. Stay strong and stay on plan.
Millie that is a lot of exercise. Good for you! Yes, I give that nasty scale too much power. I will not weigh in until Mon. but I so want to jump on it today. I will resist, it is just a few more days.
Fi I do wish you had taken before and after pictures of your BERP. How did Grace and the kitties do? Are the kitties helping Bob with his depression?
Betsy an hour of housework each day! Have you gone mad??? I think 20 minutes sounds like a better plan. Of course I have company coming and haven't lifted a finger... So how is the diet/WOE going? Sticking to your daily plan?
So today I am thinking this will all be easier in the fall. Just like I think it will always get easier with the next season. Hmmm maybe it won't get easier and I will just have to suck it up and deal with today. Sounds like a plan.
Have a peaceful day.

Good morning. I meant to post yesterday, but got stuck changing all my passwords again -- at least for the sites where there is access to money, bank accounts, or credit cards -- due to the Russian hackers who have stolen 1.2 BILLION passwords worldwide. The don't know what sites will be impacted yet, but I just went ahead and changed my passwords again. Just passing this on in case any of you hadn't heard it on the news and are like me and do everything online. It takes a lot of time to go in and change all the passwords. Waste of time!

Sam I know that you're still going through so much with the grieving process, but your posts are beginning to sound more like your usual chipper self. I can certainly understand why you want to get out of your place -- what a disaster or one waiting to happen. Glad that Ubee and I can be your cheerleaders (along with everyone else). Not sure we're ready for those short little skirts, but the spirit is there!

Millie You're running in a marathon? OMG, I am so impressed! You talked about doing the jog/walk thing. I know the lady who owns the gym I go to (and who is a licensed trainer) has said that when doing cardio that mixing it up is much more effective than doing a constant pace. Of course, I guess one has to actually have some pace of any kind first (that would be a reference to my current lack of activity!).

Kayley :hug: I'm so sorry you're going through this. Just googled vocal cord paralysis and like so many things, the cause may remain unknown. Hope the tests go well for you.

Jane You can do this. If nothing else, just think of how much exercise you'll get with moving into a house!

Terra Enjoy your walks -- sounds like you've got your days ordered!

Fi Hi! How are the kitties doing? How was Grace's visit?

Ubee You'll be happy to know that while I've scheduled an hour of housework each day, nothing has actually been done other than the normal stuff (move the dishes from the sink to the dishwasher). I'm currently revisiting the budget to see what I can cut out so I can just hire a cleaning person. I've managed to stay on plan for 2 days.....maybe the turn around has started!

Do any of you talk to yourself when it comes to deciding about eating something you know you shouldn't? I've really had some serious backsliding of late, and after having a bad a fib episode on Wednesday, I decided that I could either get serious again or probably die years earlier than necessary. What shocked/appalled/irritated/aggravated me last night was that I wanted popcorn. Now I had already had my food for the day, I wasn't hungry, etc. It was just the switch in my brain demanding more carbs plus who doesn't love popcorn. I had to spend an hour talking myself out of making some -- and yes, Fi, I did the breathing exercises. I've just got to accept that I'm every bit as much an addict as someone who does drugs or alcohol except my addiction is to carbs. One day at a time! Off to take my BIL to the airport. Hope everyone has a great day!

HAHA let me be clear that I am doing my 3rd quarter marathon. Half of a half, its 6.55 miles, if I did an actual marathon (26.2 miles ;)) someone would need to carry me about 19 miles on their back lol. I am also not sure if you call what I am doing "running a marathon" I like to tell people I am participating since you can't call want I do running. It usually gets a laugh.

Yes I have been told and read that interval training is very good for you because your heart rate goes up and down. I just take so much for me to run/jog that when I do the walk phase i walk very slow. Maybe once I lose more weight and I have less weight on my knees it will be better.

Ubee ~ Yeah 5 miles in one day is alot, I hope one day you'll be able to do 5 miles too, Im sure you'll get there

Betsy ~ Thanks I will enjoy my walks

Kayleystar ~ Yes I did have a good day. I hope you had a good day too.

Good morning everyone. It's a gorgeous day here and I'd better enjoy it. Temps in the mid 90s are expected for Monday. Yes, I know a lot of you have that every day all summer, but I bet you have AC every place you go. We don't. So, I will probably be filling the kiddie pool and making sure that the dog stays as cool as possible.

Millie :o Once I read your post again it dawned on me that you're doing your third marathon which is a quarter of one. Yes, it's exactly what you said, but for some reason my mind thought of us being in the 3rd quarter of the year and you were running a marathon each quarter. Regardless, I'm still in awe that you're doing this and if anyone laughs, tell them to get off their rear ends and join you. Personally, if I did a run/walk combo, it wouldn't take me long because having collapsed after the run part would eliminate the need to follow up with that pesky walking no matter what speed. And I imagine that it will hurt a lot less with each pound off. I know it makes a huge difference for me when I get into yo-yo mode with trying to lose weight and can always tell when I've put on more than about 5 pounds.

Kayley Bummer. I would have had a few tears as well. Hunting for that silver lining? You've got a doctor who wants to make sure that this surgery goes perfectly for you which means that he wants to get these issues cleared up. Like he said, overall you're a great candidate. Think of all the people who want the surgery who have so many issues from years of obesity that they're not even candidates. And think how much your energy levels will go up when the anemia goes away (not to mention finally get rid of the pneumonia). I've been reading up on focal cord paralysis, and pneumonia is one of the infections that can cause that. Hopefully you'll get a two-for-one fix out of this! Hang in there. You're doing all the right things. You're taking care of you. And we've got your back when you're having a bad day! P.S. No, I didn't have the popcorn although I sure wanted it!

Terra Glad you had a good day. More walks planned for today?

OK, where is everyone else? Jane, SilentArctic, Ubee (other than on my index finger!), Fi, Sugar (I know I've forgotten someone, but please don't be insulted......I also forget the names of people with whom I interact every day!).

This shouldn't be such earth shattering news, but I've made it through 3 days of staying on plan. Hopefully this rededication will stick and I'll be able to get the weight regain off in addition to getting back on track to lose more. Ubee is doing a one week challenge. I've suggested doing a one week challenge for the next six months. Don't know why one week at a time seems more doable than six months, but I've given up trying to understand how my mind works (or doesn't work!) when it comes to controlling my eating. Guess I'd better get it in gear. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Hi Everyone!
Betsy I am with you. One would think 3 days in a row being on plan would be no big deal but for some of us it is a near miracle. Do you go in the kiddie pool also? 90 degrees is too hot for me. Thankfuly we have only hit 90 once this year! Does picturing me on your middle finger help? I don't talk to myself as much as I hear all of you talking to me when I am working through a no no food moment.
Terra what are you up to today?
Kayley I would be bawling. Like Betsy said there is a good side to this. I thought thank goodness they are so picky because it would really suck to be sick after the surgery and not enjoy watching all that weight fall off. Surgery day will be here soon.
Millie proud of you for being in a marathon whether it is 100 feet or 100 miles! You are lapping those of us just sitting on the couch.
Life is busy doing end of summer stuff and chasing my tail...
Have a peaceful day!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I granted myself a complete and utter day of rest, most of it with the kitties sleeping curled up against me. I really needed it after the long stretch of crazy days I'd just been through: frantic BERP activity before we left for New Jersey, the trip itself, the positive but challenging hours in our bedroom with the little ones, the super-frantic BERP activity downstairs to get ready for letting the kitties out of the bedroom, and the Big Day itself, when Grace came over and Oscar & Nénu explored their new territory.

We had a grand old time on the Big Day (Thursday). Grace and Bob and I were all three in an elated party mood: that's the effect that those two little balls of orange fur had on us. Grace, who wants to be a vet some day, is very eager to learn about cats, because her family just has a dog. Her eyes were wide open, and she was completely enraptured by everything the kittens did. Bob, whose mood has been markedly improved by the advent of our new fur-kids, was in fine form, regaling Grace with all kinds of funny stories about biology—everything from giant sloths to extinct whales to his own research. (I haven't heard him talk about his science since he lost his job at NASA!) I was so mellowed out, I wasn't in the least bit in teacher/mentor mode with Grace—which was wonderful, since she got to see another side of me.

And a big part of how all three (five) of us felt was the house itself. Grace first started coming over here about 1/3 of the way into the BERP, so she definitely saw the place when there were books and papers all over the living room, including piled high on one of the futons, and when the dining room was so full of crap you couldn't walk into it, and she got plenty of glimpses of how chaotic things were elsewhere in the house. Something about all the gleaming wood floors, the colorful rugs, the fact that the kittens could explore underneath things without getting all covered in dust... it made us all high! I was in such a blissed-out state I decided it counted as a Very Special Occasion, and allowed myself a small piece of cheesecake after my Greek salad for dinner. That's the first time I've had sugar since my birthday in February!

And then a day of rest. Today is another day of rest, for the most part, but I did spend about two hours going through one of the last remaining "mystery" boxes: 99% of its contents went straight into the recycling bin. I'm afraid I'm still too weary for personals, but I'm wishing all of you a nice summer weekend.

Good morning. I'm working myself up to at least getting the dusting done and the bathrooms cleaned......and we all know how much I "love" doing housework.

Ubee Had to switch you over to my index finger, Ubee. In addition to people thinking I was giving them the bird while at the grocery store, some people seemed to think that talking to a finger was a little odd. So, you have been moved. I highly recommend holding up a finger and talking to it if the store is crowded -- pretty much clears out the aisle around you when you do this. Right up until the manager approaches to ask if something is the matter. Working on a week long string of days -- feel good about getting beyond stringing together 2 minutes of staying on plan! ;)

Fi Wow! What a wonderful day you guys had. Such joy in your post and for so many reasons. I'm so happy for you and Bob (and Grace and the kitties) as it seems like you've turned such a major corner in your lives and so many positive things are happening for you. :hug:

Kayley I definitely want an anal retentive Type A doing my surgery! And congrats on the 2 pounds. Any week you lose is a good week whether it's half a pound or a whole lot. Glad that you're taking all the right steps with getting things "fixed" and that there are signs of your voice coming back.

I've lost a little over 8 pounds since Wednesday and need that positive reinforcement to keep me on the straight and narrow until I can get myself back in the habit of eating right. Still mad at myself for letting it get to this point, but glad that I'm taking the steps to stop the backslide. Like I said at the top, I'm going to dust the house and hopefully get the bathrooms cleaned up. Then I've got to drive up to Seattle to pick up my BIL from his weekend trip to CA for a family event. Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend.

Betsy ~ No, I only got in one 2 mile walks yesterday but I still think thats better then not walking at all

Ubee ~ Yesterday I took a shower around 11 am and then around noon My cousin came by and we went to lunch and I also got in a 2 mile walk last night, I'll try harder to get my 5 mile walks in each day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been up since 8:00 AM, I've done all of my morning duties today. I've also already ate breakfast. After I finish watching my shows, I do my 2 mile walk and then I'll do a 1 mile walk at noon and then I'll do 2 mile walk again this evening and that will total 5 miles today. I hope we go shopping today instead of tomorrow but I doubt we will :( but anyway my only plans for today is to get my walks in and thats it.

Hey everyone just checking in real quick, no personals today. Lost 1.2 lbs this week. Would have hoped for more but I'm not 100% back to working out my full 5 days a week so I'm not going to complain. DH and I didn't get any walks in this weekend because of rain. We have been running around town though for things we need. I just had a late lunch and am going to start working on cleaning our bedroom while DH puts some finishing touches on a friend's guitar. He has his first show tonight with the new band. I'm excited but hope I'm not out too late since I have work tomorrow.

Well I'm off....hope everyone has a great evening

Ugh... I have to admit there's one "fly in the ointment" of my current happiness: the kittens still (or rather again) have that pesky cold they had a few weeks ago. My breeder treated it (after taking them to her vet) with an antibiotic, and it cleared up nicely, suggesting it was probably due to bacteria, not a virus. The first night we got them home we heard them sneeze a few times, and by the following day it was clear they had nasal congestion. Since my breeder had sent us home, just in case, with a newly prepared bottle of that same antibiotic and instructions on how to use it, I started giving it to them. I have been doing so, twice a day, all week. At first the sneezing and congestion went away, but by Friday, it was back again.

I hope it's just that the antibiotic is no longer any good, since my breeder said it would only last for about 10 days. She didn't tell me whether to refrigerate it, so maybe it's my fault, 'cause I have not been keeping it in the fridge.

So anyway, I have to take them to the vet tomorrow. Bob is at the farm with his mom, so I'm alone here, worrying about this infection my little ones have. Isn't it annoying when everything's going really well, but there's this one thing wrong, and it just bugs you like nobody's business? =big sigh=

Hello ladies. Just a quick post today. I weighed in at WW yesterday had a 1.2 loss. While that is better than a gain I was expecting at least 2 pounds gone. My goal is to give up soda for a least 10 weeks and see how much that helps. (10 weeks because as of 10 weeks today I have not had Starbucks. I was drinking it 5 days a week). I'm sure that will help a lot with my weight loss. Walked 6.5 miles today and forgot sun screen, so I am a little pink. Eek!

Checking in. Back to chatting tomorrow.
Having a great day! Got my nap in and lunch out with hubby.
So not on plan yet so wonderful.

Good Morning!

The boss is out of work not feeling good today so I actually have some time to sit and enjoy my breakfast and post to you guys :) I've got a bowl of gluten free oatmeal with chia and peaches in it this morning with a cup of coffee.

I didn't get home until after 1 am this morning from DH's show, probably didn't get to bed until after 2 am and slept over this morning and ended up late to work lol...Surprisingly enough I don't feel extremely tired...Don't ask me why but I'm just going to roll with it. Hopefully this afternoon doesn't tell a different story. I'm hoping to go on a walk with DH tonight after work since he won't have his usual Monday night band practice but not sure how the weather is going to be...They're calling for rain today and tomorrow. Either way this is the week I really buckle down and try to stay completely on plan and work out my 5 days like usual...I've been a little lax with the eating...not eating the best or the worst so it's back to eating the best for me...

I hope everyone has a great day and will hopefully get to post again tonight, if not will be tomorrow :)

Good Morning!
I am in quite the good mood today. Yesterday was so relaxing and I really needed it. This week will be crazy with a trip up north so I may not post as much. I will be thinking of all of you so I can stay somewhat on plan. My husband is busy checking out places to eat that will be on plan. I'll even be going swimming so will get some exercise too.
Sam glad to hear you are going to get right back at it. You are in the "Danger Zone" as I like to call it. It is where you lose a big chunk and then life happens and you decide to pull back on your intensity and the next thing you know it is a year later and you are bouncing around with the same 10 pounds from a year ago. You can do this!
Millie nice loss! Good job on the 6.5 miles! Giving up soda should be a huge help. Another member, Cherrypie lost a lot of weight by giving up soda and she is now maintaining a loss of around 200 pounds. (Sorry going by memory and it isn't what it used to be.)
Fi sorry the kitties are not well. What did the vet say?
Terra when you say you are watching your shows are they soap operas?
Betsy I chose your middle finger for a reason! I feel like I am not out there enough on your index. PLEASE consider getting a tattoo of a crazy lady with bad hair on your middle finger. I swear it will help you lose weight. I mean you've lost 8 pounds that is great! Every time you are putting something in your mouth I am on that finger JUDGING! No, you are not allowed to say mean things to me I am sensitive.
Kayley your post reminded me to get back to taking my vitamins. Thank you! Yes, it is just a delay and it will give you more time to practice eating healthy because there is no turning back after surgery or joining this group.
Miss everyone else!
Have a peaceful day!

Good morning all. We're expecting a scorcher here today -- by anyone's standards -- as it's supposed to hit 99. So, I will definitely be getting everything done this morning and then sit on the porch with my feet in the kiddie pool this afternoon. Filled it so Toby would have a place to cool off.

Terra I totally agree. Getting a 2 mile walk in is way better than not doing anything at all. Good for you for getting out there and doing that.

Sam 1.2 pounds is nothing to sneeze at. Hope you get through the day without feeling the need for a nap and can get in the walk with DH.

Fi So sorry that the babies have a cold -- hope the vet visit provides a lasting remedy. And, yes, I know exactly what you mean about things like this getting under your skin when everything else is going so well. Doesn't seem like they actually bother us more than if we were having one catastrophic day after another? In the meantime, doctor your babies, and enjoy a little down time while Bob is at the farm.

Millie Good for you on loss! Giving up Starbucks and soda will definitely show results, albeit maybe not as fast as you might expect. Add it in with calorie reduction with other food, and you'll probably see some bigger results. I'm impressed that you've given up Starbucks and soda -- breaking these habits is hard to do and you need to give yourself a lot of credit for that!

My BIL took me out to dinner last night for taking him to the airport and picking him up, so I had more than I had planned. So far, I've gotten 8 of the 36 pounds off to get back to my low point since starting in January 2013. Still really irritated with myself for letting that happen -- and am amazed that it happened so quickly. I literally gained 30 of the 36 pounds in less than a month. The breathing issues are some better and I feel as though I have more energy, but still can tell a difference in how I feel. Hopefully I learn from this -- the only person who can make me healthy is me! Back to the hour of housework for the day, off to the gym, and then hopefully pick up the RV. Have a great day.

Ubee Thank you very much. I agree I think it will help. While I would count my daily soda in my daily cals, its till a lot of sugar with no value.

Betsy Thank you very much as well. So far starbucks was much less stressful than soda. I think with starbucks I kept telling myself how much $$ I was saving. Plus with starbuks I had to make a trip to get it, soda is in the vending machine at work. But still no soda since 8/7.

Sam I just have to say that you picture from Jan '14 to July '14 is amazing.

Do you ladies find a healthy food you like and then eat it until you can't stand it? I do. I find a meal I like that's is healthy and then eat it everyday for a month, then one day the thought of eating it sound bad. I try mixing it up but for planning and cost saving I just always find myself picking the same things. anyone else?

How well these kittens handle being in the car! I can't believe how they just cuddle up together in their traveling crate and don't cry at all. I'm really delighted, because it means taking them to the farm will be a piece of cake. It's so different from our previous pair, who were flat-out terrified of traveling and just impossible to take anywhere.

That's the good news re. the trip to the vet. The bad news is that in addition to having colds, for which they'll continue to need antibiotics, they also both have ear infections. What ugly black gunk came out of their ears—yuk! So I'll be giving them drops for that. My breeder promised to pay for any vet bills from problems they had when we got them. I hope she'll come through on that, 'cause with DC-area prices, it was an expensive visit.

Meanwhile, the kittens are acting like there isn't a thing wrong with them. They eat very well, and both gained weight in the past week. They are super enthusiastic about running everywhere and playing with their toys, and were very affectionate with me all weekend. It continues to be a wonder that they are such good friends: they always want to do things together, whether it's playing or eating or cuddling up to me or taking a nap.

And they're so funny about music! Last night I finally found time to sit down and watch the 2014 Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. Their response to the music coming out of the speakers in the den was to turn into complete maniacs—climbing and climbing at high speed, from one level to the next of the many opportunities for mountaineering available in that room. They say oriental shorthairs are such exuberant climbers and jumpers, they reach the ceiling within their first year of life: this pair may achieve that feat within six months.

The most hilarious part was their reaction to my singing along with some of the songs I know so well. They both stopped in their tracks and stared at me in shock when I began singing, then they scurried up my chair and my body, all the way to my mouth. The two of them took up positions on either side, pressing their fuzzy lips against mine as if to find out in that way what in the heck I was doing. In no time at all I was laughing so hard, I couldn't sing anymore. And they repeated the same behavior every time another song came along that I wanted to sing aloud. What a hoot!

I know I'm not writing to any of you individually very much, but please know I'm cheering with gusto for your weight loss achievements and remarkable feats of walking. Wow—two miles here, six miles there, you really make me want to put on my walking shoes and join the parade. But not tomorrow: Grace is coming over again, and we have to try to ignore the kittens and finish a collage we're making together for Bob's mom's (Grace's great-grandmother's) 90th birthday party, which is coming up soon. And I have to bounce back from my post-BERP laziness and do something about the guest room, which is a zoo, because my best friend Mary arrives on the 20th for our annual 5-day horror movie festival. Lots of work =whew= and goofy kittens eager to be a part of every single thing I do...

Good Morning!
Rainy cool day today and I'm loving it!
Remember Susan Powter? She used to say "Stop the insanity!" That is what I feel like cheering to myself today. This relationship I have with food is insane. It is to nourish me, not treat me, pacify me, entertain me, comfort me,... Going to work on having more balance in all aspects of my life.
Fi I love your posts. Your life seems to be headed into a very positive place.
Kayley good luck with your uterus. I had mine yanked out this year and I am so happy about it. Please feel free to share what you feel comfortable with from counseling. Others stories help me so much.
Millie I so find that I can eat the same thing over and over again. Sadly I seldom get sick of foods. I just change with the seasons and cost of foods.
Betsy we cross posted. Please go back and read my post to you.
I will be going on a little vacation "up north" so I may not post for a few days but I will be reading and thinking of you.

Good morning all. Woke up extra early today, but that's good because I've got a lot to do!

Millie Chuckled over your post about finding a food you like and eating it so often that you can't stand it any more. Yes, I do that, too. I could fix something different every day for a year if I used my "old" recipes which seem to mainly be high in calories and carbs. But I definitely need to work on learning some new recipes. You're definitely not alone. And I totally understand about Starbucks and the saving $$. One thing you could do is fix special flavored coffees for yourself at home -- much cheaper and you know what's going into them.

Kayley If we ever find the secret to stopping emotional eating, we could become instant millionaires! It's hard to do. I've been trying to do substitutions when I get into an emotional mindset -- for instance substituting a piece of fruit when I want something sweet. Have a piece of cheese when I want something salty (some of them are amazingly salty tasting). Eating frozen blueberries or making up some banana "ice cream" when I want something cold. It's definitely not at 100% yet, but it's slowly getting there.

Fi Hope your babies are doing a lot better by the beginning of next week. Just glad that they don't seem to be suffering from it. Love your description of playing with them and watching them -- so much joy comes through in your post.

Ubee Oh, Ubee, only you would suggest getting a tattoo on my middle finger. Of course, now every time I look at my hand, I think of you. It's going to have to be a virtual tattoo because I've got enough "natural" ink on me -- stretch marks, age spots, both legs are discolored, etc. Hope you have a great time "up north" (I'm so envious!) and kudos to your hubbie for finding restaurants that will help you along. You can do this!

The RV is finally ready to be picked up, so that will happen this afternoon. I'm headed into day 2 of actually spending an hour on housework in the morning. Don't enjoy it, but do like having things look better on a consistent basis. I figure 4 days a week will get the house cleaned every week without a whole lot of extra effort. Eating this time of year is just wonderful with all the fresh fruits and veggies -- Just have to remember that they're good with just some seasoning and don't have to be drowned in cheeses, sauces, or fried. Time to get to work, then to the gym, home for a shower, and then off to get the RV. Have a great day everyone.

Ubee ~ Nope I dont watch soaps

Betsy ~ Yeah I think its better to walk 1 time back and fourth instead of not walking at all but I'll work up to 30 mins of walking outside.

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I woke up at 7:30 this morning and I got ready for the day and then around 8:00 am, Mom,Scott and I left to go to his appt. and then after his appt. we went to pick up my mom's meds and then we went to cd trade post and then we went to Walmart cause we forgot some things when we were there yesterday and then we came home and now we are home for the day. I just plan to get at least 1 of my 2 mile walks done today and then I'll go for 5 miles on Friday.

Hey sorry guys I'm alive just still not really feeling the vibe, I feel the pressure but still don't have the energy. Still coughing and still feel tired most of the time so despite pushing myself to have some semblance of a life I really am just going through the motions.

I have a appointment today so maybe they'll say its something, maybe they'll tell me i'm crazy and its nothing. I'm back to trying to make some-what smarter choices eating (still not SMART choices but smartER lol) hoping tha helps some, I don't feel like doing intense exercise though, not with the coughing fits and ongoing congestion.


Ubee - Hope you have a great trip

Fi 0 Cute kittien stories!


Betsy - I am jealous of access to farm fresh veggies!



Everyone... wishing you the best. Sorry I'm not "around" much ya'll are doing fabulously.

Not much new to report: just kitten crazies that are so much fun to watch and to get involved in, and pressured about finishing up the collage Grace & I are making together for Bob's mom's 90th (the party's not until the 23rd, but we want to get it professionally matted & framed for her).

I see Grace again for art education on the 19th. My friend Mary arrives for our annual movie festival (we call it the Blood Binge—a yearly event since 1991!) on the 20th. Grace is coming over again briefly on the 21st to see and hear Mary's big bass viol, called a viola da gamba (Grace plays the double-bass). Then, on the 23rd, I have to leave Mary briefly to run to the 90th birthday party and present our gift and then scoot back home again. I don't like it that my precious five days a year with Mary will have these interruptions, but there's nothing to be done about it except go with the flow. I tried to talk Bob into letting me skip his mom's party, on the grounds that she won't remember whether I was there or not, but he said, "Everyone else will remember if you were there, and Grace especially will remember," so... that was that.

Meanwhile, I have tons to do over the weekend to beat the guest room and guest bathroom into a semi-acceptable state. And Bob even wants to go to Grace's father's 40th birthday party this Friday! And not long after Mary leaves, we'll be driving to the farm, with the kittens, for a long Labor Day weekend during which (hopefully) my auxiliary studio will get painted—the floor, the ceiling, the walls, the door, the windows, the woodwork—all of it. We're hiring someone to do it, but still, making the arrangements, buying the paint, dealing with the fumes...

I don't like having a schedule this packed because I worry that I'm going to suddenly cave under the stress, even if it's positive stress, and go into depression pain. Then I'd be useless to everyone, including the kitties. =sigh= Please wish me luck that I can live through it all without losing my joie de vivre....

Ubee Back on track pushing HARD this week so don't worry...not gettin all comfy yet!!!

Betsy DH and I didn't get our walk in on Monday but are going today where this would usually be my rest day.

Millie Thank you so much for the kind words. Its been a real learning experience for me since I started my journey in January and I still have a long way to go but I feel great!

I hope everyone else is doing well. Last night I pushed harder than I ever have at the gym with my friend. We're going again tomorrow and I'm ready to push just as hard!! Hoping for a nice loss this week so I have something to report for my 7 month weigh in :)

I'm off to get a walk in before it gets too late and I'm ready for bed lol...night all!

still here. Still fat. They accepted our offer on the house, just jumping the bank hoops now. Been busy packing. Also doing interviews, hoping to go back to work soon.

Dieting is on off but im not giving up!

Good morning all. This has been one of those weeks where I seem to be meeting myself coming and going......not normal in a retiree's life!

Terra Did you know I think about you every day? Every day I say to myself.....I need to start walking like Terra does. And every day my knees say.....what planet are you orbiting. I'm hoping to do that once more weight comes off. Keep on being an inspiration!

Silent SO GLAD you went to the doctor and hopefully at least began the investigation into why you're still feeling lousy. You haven't felt good since you came back from Cuba -- think how long ago that was! Hang in there.

Fi Just take it one day at a time. Don't even think about what has to get done by such and such a date (except for the collage since it has to be matted and framed). It sounds like you've got so many fun things coming up in your schedule (OK, the painting doesn't sound fun, even with hiring it done) that hopefully all the good vibes will carry you through. While your breathing exercises don't do much to curb my appetite, they did totally relax me -- maybe do those if things start to seem like they're spinning out of control. How are the kitties doing after the vet visit?

Sam Sounds like you're continuing to get back into your normal stride. Just getting back into our normal life rhythms can be very comforting.

Kayley Sounds like things are beginning to look up for your surgery and that everything is getting treated! This is so exciting for you!

Jane Yahoo! While the move itself is a pain, moving to a new house is so exciting. And eventually the right job will turn up for you as well. I know how much of a pain in the neck getting a loan is -- so much paperwork and so much of it seemingly meaningless!

I'm still on a path of losing between .4 and .8 a pound each day since I got back to eating on plan. Of course, it would be more exciting if this weren't weight I'd already lost before! Still kicking myself for being so out of control there for awhile!

Off to take some friends to the airport. Becky is here for the next few days while my BIL is off in Canada fishing with my nephew. For the last five days, I've told him that one of the vent covers on the roof of his travel trailer was open. For the last five days he didn't walk the 20 feet to the trailer and close it (he has the keys, otherwise I would have done it!). So, we finally had a storm and it blew off and rain got in. So yesterday right before he's scheduled to leave, we're out there on the roof of his trailer trying to do a temporary fix with plastic sheeting and enough duct tape to go around the world once or twice. I do not understand how men think.....actually I'm not sure that they do, but that's another discussion. Ta ta.