Valerie -- That's terrific!!! I'm happy you got the job!! Seems like things are coming together a little???

Today has been a rather nice day. They were predicting rain but the sun was up all day & it got nice & almost warm. What a fall day should feel like.
DD & I walked to the lake & fed the ducks. Lovely lovely.
I had to take my younger brother (that lives with us) to get a haircut. Instead of sitting in the waiting area with a fidgity 18 mos old, me & DD walked around the parking lot next door (big empty lot) for 25 mins! :running:
I would still like to get in my weights dvd this evening. Don't know if I will get to it or not.

Okeday.. personals:

Annie: I agree that Ken needs a haircut, I thought it looked just plain silly through the whole show but that was one of the reasons why he was picked in the first place, cause he stood out.
I think the guy on the blue team with all the facial hair should get rid of that too. I bet he would be quite a cutie! I bet they are saving that for the end or something.

Katy: Feel free to jump right in here. I have only been around for a few weeks but already feel at home. These women are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.
I occassionally do Richard Simmons when I need a change or its raining/too cold out. Right now I have been enjoying walking/jogging. I have 2 of the sweating to the oldies tapes from the early 90's, a diso sweat dvd, a 60's sweat dvd & a sweat & tone dvd. They are all good. His stuff is geared more to the overweight then most other exercise dvds. I have a bunch of other stuff (taebo, etc) and I can't to most of the moves on them yet. Richard's stuff I can do. You might not be able to get through a whole program yet but you can do some & work your way up (thats what I had to do). Your 25 mins of walking was great but don't push too hard. The goal here is not to totally wipe you out for the rest of the day. Try 15 or 20 mins and work your way up. Every little bit helps.
You already have a nice size loss under your belt (no pun intended). You should be proud of that. I am glad you are noticing the nice little benefits from your loss so far. Those are sometimes much better then what the scale has to say.

Michelle: I coulldn't weigh myself everyday. I don't like seeing those #s, even if they are down. I do know that some people do get obsessed though. If it really does become a problem then let him hide them.

Wyllenn: I love to see you post here. Just like when Zelma posts, it gives me hope that I can be in your shoes one day. And you both know what its like to be very large & now whats it like to be small. Thats a wealth of information!

Nancy: Sorry you were having work issues, hope it is better now.
I will have to check out the laughing cow cheese, haven't tried that yet.
I do the same "eggs benedict" idea but with skim milk shredded mozerella cheese & egg whites (yolks make me gag). It is soo yummy.
Sorry your man stinks in the support area too. Glad you can feel my pain though.
Congrats on your 2 lb loss!

Lavendel: Welcome back!
Congrats on your 2 lb loss.
Sorry eating has been giving you troubles. Just keep at it.

Katt: Congrats on your loss!

Ponchita: Welcome! I posted a welcome to you awhile back, not sure if you caught it. Feel free to jump right in. I am fairly new too.

Brenda: Hang in there!
Congrats on switching to a better position!

Valerie: Congrats on getting a nice DH compliment. Every once in awhile they hose themselves off & redeem themselves.
Huge congrats on getting the job! I was reading your post and I was wondering why you didn't say if you got it or not, them bam! at the end. lol

Hope everyone has a good night!

Valerie - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! I can just picture you jumping around the place, full of excitement at getting the new job. The pay packet will be great of course, but you just sound so happy at the actual job itself. I thought it was truck driving that you didn't like before, but obviously it was more that you had to be on the LONG road all the time. If I understand it correctly, you will only be driving around town with this job. I can't wait to hear how your first day goes. I hope you don't ache too much.

Ammi - I am SOOOOOOO glad that you are feeling better. I was getting really worried about you and just wanted to yell at your doctor and tell him/her that they had to find something to make you feel better. Obviously they have. I can't wait to hear how your dinner with Sharon goes. I am sure it will be full of laughs. Are the significant others going to join you?

Pochita and Katie - WELCOME!!!! I know you will both just love it here. I don't manage to post anywhere near as often as I would like, but at times I am sure I make up for it with my 'novels' to people. You will definitely be welcomed with open arms and hopefully you will feel part of the family soon too.

Well, as for me...

TOM finally visited!!!!!!!!!!! YES, YES, YES, YES,.... YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It is about time! This weight gain, moodiness (as in you REALLY wouldn't have wanted to know me a couple of days ago) and cravings were REALLY getting to me. I didn't know what was happening as I haven't had a period for 7 months. I was HOPING it was TOM, but when he didn't arrive earlier I started to think that I was just losing my mind and become a real monster.

The forecast today is for fine weather and 27C/80F, which sounds just wonderful to me. We have 'free dress' day at school so I am in my black jeans and sneakers. It is also National Bandanna Day, where they sell coloured bandannas for teens with cancer. I have on a nice bright yellow top and bought a yellow bandanna, so I should be feeling all 'cheery' today. I can't believe how much better I feel just because TOM is here. Bring on the cramps, and the bloating, and the back aches, and whatever else it wants to bring!!!! I can cope with it all today! Well... maybe I will manage a little complaint or two later, but it will all be worth it.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. I am hoping to have a little time after work to get in some individual replies. We have been helping out with the school's drama production this week, so that meant for a late night Wednesday and another late night tonight. At least we can rest tomorrow, but I know I won't sleep in, because my body clock just won't let me.

Take care,:hug:

Zelma

Good Evening everyone....Well i'm finally moved and halfway settled and glad to be back in SE Missouri!! not much to report so i'll just leave it at this....

Have a great night everyone!

Ziggy
(mel)

Val - CONGRATULATIONS ON THE JOB!!! That's fantastic news!!!!

There may be more regularity in my posting (and personals) soon!!! I'm about 3/4 of the way done with my class, and once I finish, I can take the final, and be DONE with it! :) I have about 6 weeks, so I'll be able to do that! Hopefully, within the next week! :D I'm taking a final in my internet course on Monday, if I can make the time for it...and I withdrew from one of my classes, since I didn't need it to transfer and the teacher didn't even TEACH. Then I'll just have to worry about Spanish, and my other computer class! :D:D:D:D I canNOT wait for May when I get to transfer!!!! I'm in the process of applying for jobs in South Bend (where my new school is), so when May comes around, I won't have to commute so far. Looking for office jobs again...we'll see how it goes.

Back to my Desktop Publishing & Access! Gotta get this stuff DONE!!!

Zelma, I don't think I've ever seen anyone so excited about TOM before! WOOHOO! :carrot:

Andie -- This place is about HOPE. I never thought I lose 100 pounds, and I think it's important you all know that! I'm nobody special, I just somehow stuck with it! Honestly, sometimes I can't believe I couldn't do it before. And of course, other times I do bemoan the complications with all the food prep and exercise and think there's no way I can do it for life. But then I think about the health complications I am hopefully AVOIDING by losing the weight in the first place, and I can live with it.


So, apparently I am unrecognizable.

1) On Tuesday, I saw a Japanese student I hadn't seen in over a year. I had seen him around campus and wondered why he never said hi. It occurred to me that maybe it’s harder for Japanese people to code differences in Caucasians. So I went up to him and started talking. I could tell he didn’t know who I was for a second. Then he said “You look different!”

2) I talked to a man today whom I have interacted with several times before over the past few years (he buys books from me). I moved offices over the summer and hadn't seen him since last fall maybe. I commented I was glad he found me in my new digs, etc... but I wondered why he was surprised I knew his name and why he gave me his business card again, as I thought he knew I had one from earlier.

After he left, he went to our secretary's office and heard him asking where my office was -- apparently he didn't recognize me, even after talking to me! She told him he had just been talking to me, and he said "I didn't recognize her." Our secretary told him I had lost over 100 pounds. She said he just kind of stood there and then said, "Well, that's some accomplishment!"

At least his conversation with her clarified his interactions with me!!

You know, I never for a single day forget I am on this journey, but sometimes I forget just how far I have come.

So, ladies, that's HOPE.

VAL - WTG hunny!!! Knew you could do it!!! Who wouldnt want a babe like you behind the wheel :) So proud of you! And my will power is still going ok lol .. its cos of the 185 I want to get to by Tues rofl ... definitely a way to encourage working out and not being naughty when you set a target like that :) Gotta get someone to take a piccy of you behind the wheel too hun :) Definitely something to pin on your fridge or whatever ...
Oh .. and if your "friend" brings in any more ice cream .. tell her to buy the smallest pack available ... if she says it costs less to buy the bigger one (you know that more for your money arguement) ... remind her how much of it you have (and will have to) thrown out and tell her if she wants to save wasting food get the smaller one! There was a big thing I had to overcome ... the Buy Bulk its Cheaper mindset lol .. not when I was having to throw out so much!

ZELMA - .. not sure if I should say this .. but WOO HOOO about TOM visiting rofl .. you are the first person I have "met" that is that happy about TOMs visiting rofl.

NANCY - I have never mashed cauliflower .. will have to give it a try .. I have some in the fridge so will so that this weekend .. do you put anything with it or just mash it up?? WTG on your loss too hun!! The FFM must be in a good mood this week lol .. here's hoping she doesnt get too many Tricks on Halloween so she is in a good mood next week :)

LAVENDEL - WTG on your loss hun! Thats brilliant .. and yes its a daily challenge to reach at least 1500 cal a day for me too ... will admit its easier on a cold day lol .. just glad we have those dotted in to keep my weekly average for each day over the 1500 lol .. Im hoping our summer will have a day or two each week where its a little cooler too .. in the HOT weather I just cant eat anything! And 14lbs so far is GREAT work! Just remember to keep a watch on how much you lose a week ... so many researchers into weight loss advise on about 1% of your weight as a target to lose each week is a safe figure ... but everyone knows that its usually in the first month or two that we have our biggest loss .. I think of that as all the fluid and loose fat going .. when it starts slowing down that is when you are working on the buddy fat (been around so long you know each other well lol).

POCHITA - Its lovely to see you post .. lurk no prob ... but post so we can get to know you better :) Hope you are having a wonderful day!

KATY - Lovely to see you jumpin right on in hun :) I only have one RIchard Simmons dvd .. and that was thanks to the lovely Sharon (voodoo) on here ... shes now my exercise angel lol .. cos if it wasnt for her I wouldnt have such a great routine to do :) I have Disco Sweat .. would love to get some more of his ones.. we dont have them in NZ (grr) ... but Im saving up to get some on my CC lol ... He is just sooo fantastic .. and he seemed to know the exact point that I would be feeling like giving up cos he says things like dont give up and you can do and Im so proud of you .. says that youre special .. and I have never had that in any other exercise dvd I have seen lol .. so he really does encourage you .. and its also great to see other larger figures doing the work too .. I started off only doing the warm up, one song and the cool down ... now I am occasionally adapting it by adding in weights .. or recently I did the crunch song twice (ouchy abs!) ... and I also really sweat now! I have just bought an elliptical (thanks to everyone talking about them on here lol) so I will have that next weekend (talk about a count down lol) .. Im gonna start off slow .. aim for 5 min and see how I go from there .. if I have the right song on my ipod that should play the whole 5 min lol .. Whatever form of exercise you choose just try to do something each day .. 5 minutes is better than NO minutes .. and maybe if you get a pedometer you will be surprised how much movement you actually do ... I had mine on yesterday and I never thought I really walked all that much .. but I am pottering around the house more than I thought I was so thats a good day result lol.

Okee .. gonna get my positives on here before I get too busy tonight ...

1 - MY HUNNY IS COMING HOME TONIGHT! Its only til Sunday .. but I feel a lot happier when he is home lol ..

2 - We closed on the house today!! Sooo we now have another property and Im officially a landlord! Gawd thats scary lol

3 - Our land agent came around with a basket of goodies as a congrats gift ... THERE IS CHOCOLATE and other goodies lol .. BUT .. when I looked it all over .. none of it tempted me to open it up .. Scoot and I will open up the wine tonight tho .. gotta toast the purchase .. and we didnt do that when we bought this house so will make up for it lol.

4 - I managed to have my afternoon nap (1hr) which helped after only 4.5 hours sleep last night lol ..

5 - I got my Law & Order Season 4 on dvd!!! Yippee Something to watch when I go to bed ... have to do that after my hunny has gone tho cos he gets tired of watching it rofl ... instead I have to deal with Dr Who, Columbo (which I like) .. or Buck Rogers rofl.


Okee .. have a great day everyone .. chances are I will be back .. just call me the Terminator rofl.

Love and Laughter!

You guys are so awesome :) I'm really happy to have found you all.

NotTheCheat - First, congrats on the 2 lbs!!!

I have had issues myself with my husband. It's not that he's not supportive it's that he doesn't realize how things will affect me (I think!). Like today he bought a 2 liter bottle of my favourite non-diet soda for me. Nice, and the thought is what counts, but yikes... how am I gonna keep from drinking it? (I've decided I can have one glass but what about the rest of the bottle? Don't want to hurt his feelings dumping it out). Anyway I don't know how to deal with it tactfully either, if you come up with a solution let me know!

Also I used to use a chair in front of the fridge to put away groceries :D Very similar to you. I didn't even think about that I don't do that any more either. I used to usually sit down halfway through unloading the dishwasher, and then if I was going to reload it right away I'd have to sit down again before loading it up, and again before cleaning the counters, stove, etc. Now that I can do all that in one go it makes cleaning take so much longer, plus I usually get the dw unloaded right away now so I don't have to stand and load it all at once, dirty stuff just goes in as it can. It's made a big difference just in keeping the kitchen clean and I was so embarrased before about how hard it was to do such simple things. I still can't clean the whole house at a go but eventually maybe!!

Lavandel - Yay on the 2 lbs!! I've always been so jealous of people who can forget to eat! I used to have a hopelessly thin friend who forgot several times a week and I never got that. If you've been exercising you may have gained muscle and lost fat, and since muscle weighs more than fat you may have lost more inches than you think :) Which would explain everyone noticing

Katt - Congrats on the pound lost :D I used to do a lot of Richard Simmons but I have no idea what happened to the tapes.. that was back in the early 90s and I've moved six or seven times since then, I'm guessing they were lost somewhere along the way in a Uhaul or something! And yeah I feel a lot more comfortable with it too seeing other bigger people doing it, makes me say to myself well if they can do it I CAN TOO! We have an elliptical too that hubby got for himself with a work bonus a while ago but I think he's only used it once LOL. I can do about five minutes at a time, I try to do twice a day but I skip a lot, have to be more disciplined about that. And that five minutes has made a huge difference in other areas of my life, I feel like it's given me so much more stamina!

Pochita - We'll just have to be newbies together ;) It's always easier to start with someone else... that way no one is just looking at you by yourself, hehe.

NoLifeWithoutHorses - Congrats on the Job!!! That's awesome!!!

Also, I don't think I am going to buy candy for trick or treaters at all this year O.O Just turning off the lights and hiding in the back of the house. You ladies are stronger than I am!!

nonamesleft - Thank you :) I'm trying and today managed a little less, it's the hubby's day off so got him to go with me for a little walk with our little dog (though it was more of a stroll really). But every little bit does count! I'll have to look for some of the different Richard dvds on ebay and see what I can find. I remember when I did them before they were so much easier than other exercise videos to start with. I really want eventually to get the Bellydance Twins exercise tapes but I think that's a bit beyond me right now!!

wyllenn - that's amazing about not being recognized. I really hope for something like that some time soon!!! It must be so heartening to know you've made such an incredible change in your life and appearance.