Hi all, just a fly-by real quick. I'm very hungry and that's never good, so I'm off to get some dinner and then some exercise, since August is a new month and new exercise goal.

Thanks again to everyone for support. Two more weeks or so of being broke and borrowing from friends, it looks like. Not good for the stress levels, but I'll cope.

Siena, I've been having low back pain, which I've had before, but too many times this year. So I found several sets of exercises and I've been doing them. Remind me and next time I'm on I'll find the URLs for you. Actually, my back's doing much better, but I want to keep doing the exercises in hopes of avoiding another spell of this.

Sorry to everyone I've missed.

Oh, Celery, what a beautiful name! A lovely little Virgo, just perfect.

Karen, another 4 lbs - OK I'm jealous - I have to remember that I lost 10 lbs my first month, and now I've sort of settled down to 1 lb per week. That Fat Flush sounds like an interesting plan. Is there a book?

Terri - yes, she's definitely a little Spice-y. Ginger's little Spice girl. Love it. It was me who got the raise - won't kick in until the next pay check.
So, what are the Push workouts like - I'm not getting them yet because DH still hasn't found another job - we can't keep nibbling at our savings - we're too close to retirement.

Leah - welcome! We need all the old ladies who losing that we can get.

Valerie - I hope the truck has air. I know you really don't like being on the road, but if you have to be away from home, this is the weather to miss.

Siena - it isn't that almonds are bad, it's that they are high in fat - even though it's good fat, it's still high calorie. An almond snack should be like 11 almonds, when it's my daily fat, I try to have 22.


Thin - Hi, hi, hi! What a great weight loss. How you liking the weather? You know, this so totally reminds me why I would NEVER live in like Florida.

Vortex - Are you working, or is there just a bill you didn't expect? If I'm being nosey, tell me to back off, but I do know what scarey money is.

Well, the concert was awesome - it was at the Ark, which is a lovely, intimate venue for singers and small groups - you can actually see their faces. My husband says that he sounds like Luciano Pavarotti, singing folk songs.
IF you're interested, his web site is www.keelaghan.com. I can sing along with almost everything he wrote - love The Fires of Calais.

I don't know if I can stand waiting until tomorrow - does anyone else watch Project Runway? Someone has been caught breaking the rules, and will be expelled from the competition. Both DD and I are on pins and needles.

Take care guys.

Sue

Good day today... did my 40 min. of exercise. I'm afraid I'll be too sore to do the same thing tomorrow, but if not I'll do something more low key and hope to repeat today's workout on Thurs.

Sue, It's a long, long story--and all my fault--but the short version is: A creditor has frozen my checking account pending a court date on Sept. 29. I only have one checking account, so I can't use any of my money until I pay the debt in full (or until Sept. 29, whichever comes first). Which means I have to pay the debt... without access to my money. Oh, and also my rent, utilities, etc., have to be paid.... without access to my money. I'm employed, but I have direct deposit and my paycheck was deposited before I knew that my account had been frozen--so I can't access that, either. I've borrowed money from my mother to pay the debt, but it's going to take about 2 weeks to get everything arranged and the garnishment lifted from my account... so I'm living on the charity of my friends right now.

Thanks for the music link... my folk singin' friends will be interested.

Good evening everyone!

Hi Angela, on the exercise! Oooo, a frozen account, that just seems WRONG! How the **** can they do that? I understand needing to be paid, but couldn't they just freeze the amount for them?

Sue, yes there are a number of books. The original plan book is simply called The Fat Flush Plan by Anne Louise Gittleman. She also has a companion shopping list/journal, a book just all about the different foods and what they are as well as a cookbook, which I just got. There are 2 different forums one on Ivillage and another of her own site. I'll send a private message if you would like it. It is a lot of work, a back to basics type of thing with a lot of planning and prep needed, but, yes, it has been working really well for me. The best thing is I have no cravings! I have been on it now about 7 weeks but I expected my weight loss to drop off before this. Like my last post said, I think I found out why and I'll be changing accordingly, so next week, I may not have that fantastic loss.

Hi Leah, you sound like a busy woman too!

Thin, TMI? Nah...we love to talk about poop! WTG on the loss!

Terri, sorry to hear about the trama. What would they actually do to her?

Lilion, you could try an "elimination diet" to see what foods it is that gives you problems. I've done that. Maybe a first step before seeing a doctor.

Hi Celery, just write it anywhere you can remember it. We only post it at the end of the month.

Have a good night everyone!

Opps, didn't mean to leave a mad face at the good evening!

Hello ladies, I know I have neglected you lately and I am I have been in a total funk the last week or so. After I had gone for the test I kept waiting for the results....and waiting. I gave in to some stress eating in the meantime...phoooey! Ater a week they called and said the tesst did not show anything that needed surgery. Well, I would differ with them on that, but I suppose this Dr. has the last word for now. I will just look for another surgeon. I do know that I need to keep trying to take the weight off instead of gaining some back. That is what I did in those three days of eating! My scale is up TEN lbs! I hope some of that is water, but I know how fast I can gain when I let myself go. When will I learn? OK, if I haven't learned by this age, there is no hope.

Terri, How is the baby? Would the other horses hurt the baby? The bullies. Tell them to back off baby. Spice is a perfect name.

Thin, It was a pleasure to see you posting. I think you may be like me huh? Just not into chatting at this time. I am going to do better though. I just have to get back to where I was. Have you heard from 2cute?

Has anybody heard from 2cute? How is her sister?

Barb, How is the nut house these days? Are you still having computer problems? I know how aggravating that is. My ISP goes on the blink sometimes and I get so mad when I can't get online. Who would have thunk it? Ha! When my kids wanted to give me the computer, I was like "what am I going to do with a computer"? well, now I can't imagine life without one...pretty much like indooor plumbing.

Valerie, back on the raod again huh? I will sing that song for ya! The fact that I can't carry a tune won't stop me.

Vortex, there may be hope for your back down the road. I had such awful back pain when I was younger, but when I went through menopause the pain stopped, or at least it didn't put me flat on my back anymore. I have no idea what that had to do with it. I am just glad that it doesn't happen anymore.

can'tforgetthis, oooo, I will take your weight loss! You are doing fantastic. Don't worry about how fast, it all evens out sooner or later. The first time I did WW I lost 109 lbs in 11 months. Oh, to have those days back and not undo all that I had accomplished.

Sue, How is it going?

Lilion, What are we going to do with "US" LOL! We can't seem to behave ourselves for long at a time, but at least we keep on trying! You have done soooo good, and I have done soooo bad with the weight loss. Now let us leave those goodies alone and get down to business. You can reach the onesies before I can get to 200. Ouch! If I don't keep put of the ice cream I am never going to see 200...I mean 200 not two plus hundred.

Celery, err, I don't remember what you said on the last thread. LOL! But a big hello, and I hope things are going well for you.

I am sure I missed some people, but I hope not. I know we have some missing (like I have been).

Leah,

siena, Hi!

I think it is time for me to shut my mouth! Have a good one ladies....Ruth

Hi ladies,

I overslept this morning. We had our church friends down last night. He is the Assoc. Pastor and had wanted to see the place. She is our Sunday school teacher and has become a good friend. His sister is also in SS and she came too. They also wanted to see Spice and swim. So we did all that and cooked burgers on the grill. They didn't leave until after 10 pm. I fell asleep on the couch while DH was watching Miami Ink at 11. We had a really good evening. Although, he did disclose that he is being looked at as a Sr Pastor at another church about 4 hours away.

Little Spice is doing just fine. And the pen is holding together despite the dumbbutts using it as a scratching post. Tomorrow night we'll do the wooden posts. I'm not really sure that they would intend to hurt her. I reminded DH that when we put the young girls with the boys, the boys run the girls around and around the pasture. I think it is more that there is a new horse in the herd and they wanted to check her out. However, she is so tiny and got scared and ran. With momma trying to keep up with her and the others following at their heels. DH was afraid she wouldn't know to stop at the fence and run through it. They all stand around the corral at night. They push on the panels but its not a aggressive pushing. So when she gets a little bigger and stronger, I will let them be all together again.

Another scorcher of a day. Then I think we get a few days of relief before it comes back with a vengence. I swear I heard possible 104-108 next week. But its one more week closer to September!

I watched the Push.tv cardio workout yesterday while I was on the bike. It was a 30 minute workout. Because I had said that I have very low physical endurance, it was not a killer workout. It looked like a good low-impact routine that didn't look like it had difficult steps. I'll have to try it. I should do it tonight since I didn't get in a workout this morning. I love the other strength-building workout. It is just a series of moves that are put together to fit my requirements. Sometimes it is kind of annoying that you're down on the floor then up then down on the floor. However...it is good for the body to be doing those movements. I have felt great afterwards.

Okay, I know I need to do more replies but its time for me to get in the shower. I'll try to catch up at lunch. I'm not sure what's on the agenda tonight - have to finish putting up a new mailbox and clean our bedroom/bathroom. I'll plan to get a workout in and then get in the pool. Sounds like a plan to me!

Have a great day!

Good Morning Ladies!

Well, I don't think I'm even going to bother to WI today. At the doctor's office I was at 248 again. Granted, that was a different scale and after lunch, but still...

To top it all off, we had our neighborhood watch ice cream social yesterday - so of course I had two bowls of ice cream and then DH was making candy to take in to the prison - his mother always made tons of candy and cookies for inmate's on DH's "list" at Christmas time and they won't be getting their treat bags any more, so he thought he'd take some in before he left for good. They used to try SO HARD to get on that Christmas list! Anyway, he made peanut butter balls, which are my absolute favorite, so of course I ate a few of those. I'm a pig.

The doctor switched me from Allegra to Zyrtec - which, of course is WAY more expensive and I'd just filled my Allegra - but I'll see if that stops the darn itching! He also made me an appointment with an allergist in September. And today I get a lovely MRI on an unrelated matter. I HATE MRI's! I freaked out with my claustrophobia last time...I'm just hoping the weight loss makes me feel like I'm not so confined this time. I hate doctors.

Yeah, cheery post. Sorry.

Okay, I did weigh and it was 247.2 - as it was yesterday at this time on the office scale. So I'm UP three pounds.

Ruth: You and I are not doing too well these days, huh? Don't know about you, but it ticks me off! I'm TIRED of this! So let's fix it! I'll you if you me!

Well ladies, my last hearing is here and then I have to run to the Dr for the MRI. So I best go now. Take care and stay cool! Like this not necessarily like this

Hi all. I got too long-winded on the main 300+ thread so no time to post as i have to get a nap. Truck hasn't stopped moving long enough to esercise, but have done some leg lifts, crunches, and 100 straight up punches per arm while I drove, as well as some curb stepping while the doggies were doing their doggie do thing. Behaving food-wise.

Terri, hug on that Spice for me.

Everybody - DO well today!

Good morning!

I just had to stop in and share this. My boss is such a "man" He never thinks about what he is saying before he says it.

This is my day off and he called earlier to ask if I could come in, we've been kind of short handed. Never mind that they had already asked me if I could work on my next day off as well! So anyway, I didn't pick up when he called, but called him later. I said I couldn't come in today but would on Monday. Ok, great. So he starts talking about what's going on (i'm his only confidant and trainer), tells me he had to make a deal with one of the other employees to cover a particular undesirable shift among the employees. He's giving him a raise to take it and he asks me "do you think that's fair"? Uhhhh...silence on the phone....has this "man" forgotten that he's talking to someone that has had this shift from 2-4 days a week for a couple of years now, with no raise for it???? He says, "Karen? are you still there?" DUH!!! Without even thinking, I said, "No, I don't think it's fair to those of us that have already been doing it just because it needed to be done!" Of course he immediately realized what he had done. Needless to say, I got a raise.

It wasn't exactly how I would have liked it, but hey, i'm not going to quibble. "Men"

What would you have said if you had "been thinking"? IMO, you said exactly what needed to be said. It's wonderful that he saw the light and gave you the raise!

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

It's horrendously hot here. It's supposed to go from 100 down to the high 80s tomorrow, but the house is all heated up and my air conditioner can't push it away. So it'll be hot inside until the weather really cools down, and I can't even think when that'll be. So I collapse instead of keeping active, but it's too hot to sleep...

Had physical therapy today and was finally able to tell the therapist that my knee is a bit better. Still pain, but I'm walking most of the time, as opposed to limping, though I'm still walking carefully rather than striding. And the pain makes me groan rather than shriek. But honestly, I think the healing is more from my resting up the knee than from the PT. Well, whatever it takes to get it back to normal.

My pants are falling off me now, and I was excited when I noticed how big they've gotten -- but it didn't stop me from cheating. After PT, I went to a gourmet grocery that recently opened and got a slice of their pizza. I've been salivating over it for weeks now. No excuse -- all I can say is that I didn't finish the whole slice, though I did eat all the ham and pineapple off the top and it was a big slice. I also decided that that was dinner, which was going to be beef and broccoli over rice.

I just don't get myself sometimes. I have all kinds of reasons and motivations to stick to my diet (like being only one inch from a smaller size, like the fact that my cheating affects others in ways that make me very sad) and then I cheat. Okay, the pizza satisfied a want and now I don't have to want it any more. But I came home and had some chocolate, which I do keep on hand for use in small portions when I'm craving it. So I only had a bit, but it was a bit of this and then a bit of that, and those bits do add up.

I'm going to get off this computer and go do something (not physically challenging, but just get out of the house for awhile).

Hi All

Worked at church today, a quiet day, I work alone all morning and only one other person the rest of the day. Answering phone does make it hard to get anything else done though. I didn't get time to workout today, left for work at seven and had to stay late as it was staffs turn to serve the meal we have before wed. nite classes start. Needless to say I got home around 8:30, watered the flowers and made supper for DH and now here I am on the puter late at night again. I did stay OP though so that is a good thing. Tomorrow night I babysit my granddaughters while my daughter golfs, I will have to take a walk with them, get my workout in and babysit at the same time. Tomorrow is also my day off from both jobs so I will have to clean house and get caught up on chores around here. The weather here isn't as bad as you have it out east, thats the weather we sent you. We had the 100 degree weather last week it only cooled off Monday night. It is so dry here we haven't mowed the lawn since Memorial day and its brown.

How are the rest of you doing I love reading your posts. I will get to know your names eventually. Lets see Valerie drives truck and hates it. Terri has Spice the foal, how is she doing by the way?

I have to go now but i should be able to post more tomorrow.

Good Morning Ladies!

I don't think I'll talk about yesterday's food today. Apparently, Ruth hasn't me yet.

Thin: My MRI was for nothing important - just a brain tumor. Seriously, I have what's called a pituitary adenoma, which is a benign growth on the pituitary gland. They are not uncommon really. It was found several years ago when I had an MRI of my head due to this whooshing noise in my ear. Never found the source of the annoying whoosh - but did find the tumor. Some secrete growth hormone and cause all kinds of problems, some do nothing. Mine secretes prolactin, basically makes your body think it's pregnant, periods stop, there's even a bit of lactation...in my case that was never much, I didn't even get milk when I was pregnant. So other than my TOM being all messed up I had no symptoms to speak of. Guess it's good that I have an annoying whoosh in my ear or we'd have never found it. Anyway, I take a pill and the tumor doesn't grow. Untreated, it would grow and eventually be a problem, but with the meds it's nothing...just has to be looked at in order to make sure it's working every once in a while. For some time there I had to have an MRI every three to four months. That was horrible~it was also at my highest weight! I'm pleased to say that 80 lbs makes quite a difference in how claustrophobic I was in the machine...

The two double vodka's I had before the test probably didn't hurt either. As it turned out, they'd told me to come an hour early! I wasn't sitting there for an hour and had nothing else to do, so I went to Applebees and thought "I'll have a drink to relax me." Two drinks and nachos later I was ready for my test! Then I went home and took a nap!

Sorry to hear your machines are on vacation too! I don't know WHY I can't seem to get the energy up to get on the I.M. I think that when the summer's over it'll get better.

Karen: WTG on speaking your mind and getting that raise! The idiot!

Leah: and Lilion is the quasi-judge who does medieval reinactment! Don't worry. It's really hard to keep track!

Siena: Don't you worry about one slice of pizza! Did eating one slice of pizza get you to the weight you are now? I personally feel that you have to eat the things you want now and then or you get depressed and binge. I've had times when I've just eaten and eaten and never been satisfied...why? Because I wasn't eating the one thing I wanted to eat. A few bites of it and you are done and back on track! You are doing well, don't beat yourself up.

Valerie: Read your post on the other board. Inspirational, to say the least!

2Cute: If you chance to check in - you have my thoughts and prayers in this hard time.

Well, the Zyrtec seems to be working. I think it makes me sleep too. I was taking Allegra in the a.m. without any problems, but not sleeping well at night for some time. Dr. said to take the Zyrtec at night so I am and the last two nights I've slept like a log! Hope that keeps up!

I was already bad today...someone brought donuts again. I don't even know WHY I ate one. It wasn't even that good! But I will not be bad the rest of the day because of it! I will eat only what I had planned and no more! I also will be going to yoga tonight and then do my 1/2 mile walk to the car - Yay for nice weather! It's WAY cooler here today than it has been! We're in double digits again! Now if only it would rain!