I'm glad to read everyone is doing great and moving forward on their goals! (((HUGS))) to all that need it!

Hope you all had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Festivus/whatever you celebrate season!

Can you all believe that the new year is right around the corner?

I think we are all finally healthy in this household. Well, wait, the husband just said his throat is very sore.

I've been debating cutting down on my carbs.. I've never really done anything like that before. I'm a calorie counter but have noticed lately that the on the days I eat too many carbs I go out of control crazy person eating! Anyone have any input on that? Maybe I need to make sure I eat protein with every meal?

Marie, that just sucks, watching your DGS going off in a direction you don't like and having so little influence on the process... I'm sure that is very, very difficult...

Cassieroll, I have no input on carbs; that's not something I've ever watched, but I'm sure you'll get some great advice by people in the know! I'm glad to hear you're all feeling better. Hopefully DH's throat will feel better soon!

I'm working on cleaning the first floor of the house today. DH and the boys went to NC for the Pitt bowl game and are driving home today. I know it will make my DH really happy if the house is clean... So... the living room, kitchen, and dining room are done, the laundry is all folded, the oven is in the process of cleaning itself. I'm planning to have lunch, clean the bathroom and the mudroom. Then vacuum. We won't talk about the office; it's a mess. But the door closes really nicely :)

Marie-I'm confused. Isn't your dear daughter, your dear grandson's mother? Who are you referring to? I really view this whole weight loss/maintenance process much like staying sober since we are talking about addiction today-I will be in recovery the rest of my life. Like they say in AA-your always just 1 drink away or for us 1 cookie away or 1 meal away or whatever it takes to derail you.

Cassie-I low carbed for over a year and lost 65 lbs. I followed a program called protein power. It is actually the longest I have ever stayed on anything and the most successful I ever was at weight loss but it is difficult to low carb forever. I actually know quite a bit about it including details about several different programs if I can answer any specific questions. I do have my biases though and I'm not a big fan of Atkins. Not because its not a good diet plan but because people tend to approach it as "a quick way to lose weight" and not as a lifestyle and nothing will work unless you adopt it as a lifestyle. I started my regaining my 65 lbs after eating a chocolate chip cookie at the mall (see my comments above). I still remember eating that cookie. Wasn't worth it.

Heidi-you can come clean my house when your done :lol:

I'm enjoying my book but I don't think I will ever look at food quite the same way again. It will definately discourage me from eating fast food which I don't do now anyway.

I hope you'll all forgive me for not addressing each of you separately, and for not writing as much as you do!!

Let me just say, that low carb DOES WORK! It works for weight loss and it works for suppressing cravings. I was once on a plan where I had one "starchy carb" (i.e. baked potato, brown rice) every other day. That works really well because you still get your carbs, which keeps you from getting too tired and gets that seratonin (or whatever happy chemical) flowing in your brain. Just make sure they are not processed or white carbs. Also, keep in mind that veggies and fruits are carbs, and you need lots of those (though not fruit that is real sugary) regardless of the diet plan.

The plan I am on now calls for NO starches or grains for the first 2 weeks. I already went to the movies 2x and had popcorn (no butter). Since I rarely go to the movies, I figured it was okay, especially since the nutritionist said I could have 2 meals a week of whatever I wanted...so popcorn was it! BTW, I LOVED "It's Complicated"

Lamb, thank you so very much for the c25k info and for giving me the inspiration to go to the gym. I did not go to the 8:15 class, but I did get on the treadmill for 30 min for a walk/run. I was so proud of myself...so thank YOU!!! Since it was not so bad, I will aim to go for the next 5 days.

I'm looking forward to starting the New Year with all of you...I'm feeling so inspired and pumped up with all your positive energy. Thank you.

Marie, first off -- do you SEE how slim your face and neck are in your family picture??! You have made it, girl! Second off -- I love that the one dog (Kodiak?) is staring down the tiger... very cute! And third off -- I had filled in the blanks on your DD / DGS history on my own, and I had mentally put the pieces together wrong. Thanks for setting me straight! I hope 2010 is a year where everything gets back to normal for you all... :hug:

Hi Everyone -

Another newbie here (waves to Chubster). I'm 47 and my aim is to be fit and fab by 50. (I'll be 48 in April so I'm not THAT far ahead of myself! lol!)

looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Good evening everyone!

Marie, I understand exactly how you feel. MIL has been here since last Wed. She leaves in the AM and I am looking forward to having my house back to my own! We have had a nice visit but all good things must come to an end! Sorry to hear that the situation with your DGS is not good. What a shame.

chubster, sounds like you have a good plan. We're here to cheer you on!

Newleaf, I'm hoping to take your lead and get some major cleaning done this week. My closets need to be straightened, my laundry room is a disaster, hard to believe I'm looking forward to cleaning them! I just know I will feel so much better when it's done!

cassieroll, I can't give much advice on carbs either. I love breads and haven't been able to give them up completely. I just limit the amount of them that I eat. You have to find the plan that works for you.

Petra, hope you are enjoying your time at the beach! Your cookie story broke my heart. Really wish this whole weight loss thing was not so difficult. I don't think my problems with weight were an addiction thing, instead I think I kept the weight on because it was a good thing to blame things on. When things didn't go right in my life I could always blame it on my weight.

Lambchop, I am so proud of how well you are doing with your running! You are an inspiration! Congratulations on not caving in!

Presmaggie, Hope you are feeling better. Did your boys enjoy the holidays?

I'm looking forward to being off work this next week. We don't have big plans for New Years but that's OK. I'm having an Open House next Sat. for DH's 50th birthday. I go back to work next Monday. Tomorrow I need to go out and do some returning. DH bought me 2 sweaters for Christmas, both size XL, both too big!

I've adjusted my ticker to concentrate on the last 20 that I plan to lose. I'm ready to finish what I started!

Welcome Peanutsmom! You snuck in with a post while I was typing! This is a great group!

Ya, I decided I can't be that restrictive or I will be setting myself up for failure. I'll just make sure I don't eat carbs without a protein which has always helped me from getting that binge feeling. I love bread and pasta and rice way too much to give it up. :lol:

What I do need to stay away from, however, is crackers and cereal unless I can be absolutely certain I can eat ONE serving and no more. I have a tendency to want to eat way more than that. Again though, if I'm shoving my hand in and out of the cracker box repeatedly, I'm probably not eating a protein with it either. Huh. Light bulb moment.

First off - I'm meeting Petra for lunch today - will be nice to see her!

New Leaf- so great to hear you're doing so well on the stairmaster, and look how long you last now! I agree - this is great for your future hiking canyon trip.

Marie- neat to know...didn't know there were different types of snow shoes! Sorry to hear of the custody issues, and how they are affecting everyone. It's frustrating - and I know my boys went through 2 different sets of rules, one here and one there and that can be hard. I had to let go of control, and was very frustrating, but did what i could in the meanwhile...((I can totally relate)) - I can tell you, things get easier as time moves on. My boys were 4 and 8, they are now 15 and 19...just takes a few years for all those intense emotions/feelings..not an easy road...and one that will have ups/downs...i've learned to take a path of least resistance often times, because of my own sanity. Hope you have your peace back soon. Happy you get a wedding and skiing to brighten your days ahead.

Cassie -it's been like that here too..hopefully everyone will feel better soon - including hubby! Maybe choosing better carbs, less startchy may help you. I've found by dropping the white and processed carbs/things it's helped in the past, ex: change white bread to multi-grain, change things like corn/potatoes to green veggies, white pasta to whole wheat pasta -- and protein is a staple for me now (obviously), but always was in previous diets too...LEAN proteins though, over just "protein" -- chicken breast over chicken leg, lean cuts of steak vs. prime rib...etc. - when I did a low carb - the best thing i did was kick sugar, which totally killed my sweet cravings (takes about 2-3 days for that feeling to kick in) - like you said in your later post...portion control and learning to eat an ACTUAL serving size is really the most important lesson we can learn.

Chubster - getting moving is the key...congrats on taking that step.

Peanuts- welcome to our group! 50 is still awhile away, you've got plenty of time. :)

OnMyWay- congrats on the XL being too big! Enjoy the open house...I actually like quiet holidays, but maybe because i'm getting older...don't know, but a quiet new years sounds fabulous to me these days! You can do it..and I'll be watching that new ticker.

---
Lost another inch off my hips, but the scale is staying steady. That's fine...Glad to see my hips are making big changes. In fact, at the movie yesterday - quickly ran into the ladie's room, and caught myself surprised by what I saw in the mirror after washing my hands...were they my legs/hips? They looked almost "normal" and that sort of freaked me out. My huge hips have trimmed down 4-5 inches, and I'm getting smaller. Even my tummy, which usually looks pregnant (ha) is starting to tame down and well..it's weird. My body is changing - and I'm fascinated!

Marie - I feel for you and DD. Here in the state of California joint legal custody means nothing. I will say that it takes two to "fight" and it took us 10 years to back off and let mom control the destiny of the kids. It was one of the hardest and saddest things we have done.

Cassie - I'm not a low carber but I do keep them relatively low (@ 30%). I try to eat most of those in the form of fruits and veggies. I know for me I feel better when I eat a protein with each meal/snack and like Chub I try to eat every few hours. Here is a link that confirmed what I already knew about my metabolic type: http://www.natpro.net/metabolic-typing.html

I am one of those that sees my eating habits as more of a compulsion than an addition. I feel it is more important for me to figure out my "triggers" and work on those issues. I personally don't want to go thru life without certain yummy foods; do I still over indulge, sure but being self aware goes a long way in turning things around. It is said that with any addiction it is only a "symptom" and for me personally it is those symptoms I need to deal with or I will just bounce from one compulsion to the next.

Mack and I have finally found a house/pet sitter and are planning our first getaway. I am so excited that we will once again be able to vacation together, it's been almost two years. We have a small travel trailer and will be spending lots of long weekends hiking here in California and nearby states. We too are looking at doing the Grand Canyon, probably spring 2011.

No major damage for me on the scales; however, I continue to maintain a weight that is still about 20-25 lbs. higher than where I want to be. It will be interesting to see if once I get in the 130's if they are as easy to maintain. I remember years ago that 132 was a high weight for me and one that I couldn't seem to move off of. My guess this will be a more realistic goal.

Mack is back at work for three days and before he has another long break I have got to finish my end of year computer clean up (pictures & documents). I get very little done when Mack is home... lol

Hope you all have a GREAT week.

CAT - nice to see you :) glad you found a pet sitter...i know what you mean about that. it can cost a small fortune for us to kennel our dogs for a trip. Often times the kennel cost is the biggest piece of our trip because we add in walks/play time and baths...LOL - glad you found someone.

Cat - Good to see you again! That's great news about finding the pet sitter! I know how important your dog are to you and finding omeone to come to your home is terrific. We only have one dog and a friend's son watches her while we are away. It's a win win for everyone, dog is happy, friend's son earn some money, we save a little on kennel fees!

Lambchop and Petra, Enjoy your lunch meeting! Isn't it great to see changes in the mirror? I remeber doing a double take once because I was so used to the heavy me that I didn't recognize the thinner me!

Cassie, I find the trick to eating crackers is to look at the serving size, count out the number of crackers and put the box away. I'm a big fan of cheezits and this is the way I have been eating them since starting to lose.

A lazy day on tap for me today. MIL is on her way home. DD has a friend over. We'll head out to do some returns after lunch. Sometimes I just love doing nuthin!

Newleaf, thanks so much for the kind words. It is Kody that’s staring at DGS’s toy. I’ve never been specific about my DD’s lifestyle as there is so much bigotry in the world, I was hesitant. OK, more than hesitant as I’m still debating posting the story. She keeps a low profile and me posting her picture on my blog is iffy to her at best… She was ok with the skiing picture as she wasn’t visible. :o:D


Chubster, I plan to see It’s Complicated and Sherlock Holmes when released into video. I’m to cheap for the theater and I love pause for restroom breaks.

Peanuts, welcome!!! You found a great group I love.

OMW, here’s to quiet houses. Our serenity ends soon as the wedding hectic stuff starts on Wednesday. But for now it is enjoyable. And really have fun returning – there’s nothing better than going up to the counter and saying “It’s too big”.

Cassie, a great rule of thumb is to measure out your food, then put the box/bag away.

Lamb, how awesome about seeing the changes. :carrot: It’s amazing how others can compliment and notice but it takes a lot for us to see it in the mirror. I’m glad you’re seeing results of your hard work.

Cruise, letting go and letting the train wreck is difficult. Thanks for the insight. I very much appreciate it. Also, I’m compulsive, not addicted (except to chocolate perhaps). Mostly I turn that compulsion around and use it for losing weight. My doctor said, “I’m hearing a bit of compulsion about this” when we discussed how I was losing weight. I figure that’s okay. And isn’t it awesome to have a house/dog sitter? My dog behaviorist will be caring (and training – yeah) my pups Wed – Sat this week. It’s a little easier to leave my babies when I know they’re cared for. So your adventures will be a blast without a constant worry.

Marie

Peanuts - welcome! I've been here only a few days and I am finding inspiration from these wonderful women already! I am also 47, and hoping to be thin by 48 in October. I once had a hairdresser (male) who said that the most important way for a woman to keep looking young as she ages is to keep her weight down and not have too dark hair!!

CAT - thanks for the website...I will check it out as soon as I hit submit. I have to say that my new program of eating every few hours with a carb/protein/fat combo is easy! I hope it lasts. I am compulsive/addictive also, so I truly hope I can make this a real lifestyle change.

Lamb - congratulations on your lost inches!! Just because the scale has not moved, that does not matter...muscle weighs more than fat, and will also keep you burning more calories even when you are just sitting!! So while the scale is a good mental gauge, it does not always tell the real story of weight loss. You really are inspiring me.

FYI...I went back to the gym today! Again...hoping this will be a long term change. I used to exercise regularly, and like Marie, it kept me sane. So, I'm just hoping that I can get back into the groove.

Petra and Lamb...very cool that you are having lunch! Have you met before?

Have a great day ladies!

Hi everyone.
I just found this great site a few days ago and love it. I posted in another thread and was encouraged to come over to the 40's club (just turned 48) I am eager to get some weight off and avoid the heart disease and diabetes that runs in my family. I got serious the day after Christmas and am down 3 pounds already losing the initial water weight is always a great jump start motivator for me. Looking forward to getting to know everyone and hoping to inspire and be inspired! Jeanie

Hi Jean...I joined within the week, and am finding inspiration through everyone here. You and I are the same height and have the same goal! I do not know what I weigh. I was weighed last week by my nutritionist, but kept my eyes closed. At some point I'll learn the news and let you all know.

How are you getting the pounds off? Looks like you are off to a great start!

Just quickly popping on..had a chance to have lunch with Petra - was really nice to see her in person. Very sweet lady :)

LC & Petra.... very cool that you got to meet. I love the internet and have met MANY wonderful people, including my husband back in 1996.

Marie - For us letting go was all that was left. After years of court and bio-mom still doing what SHE wanted (EVEN against a court order) with NO consequences we didn't feel we had a choice. The one thing I will say from experience with my own, step, and foster kids is that no matter how messed up they are THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. For some I have been able to help them find that hope for others I have had to watch from a guarded distance.

Welcome to all the newcomers. It was about this time last year that I joined 3FC and began a new way of life...... I finally stopped dieting. One of my favorite keep it simple sayings is "eat less move more".

thanks so much for the welcomes! I am really looking forward to getting to know everyone and learn my way around. and of course, being a loser. :)

Welcome Peanustmom and Jeanie-great group of ladies

OMW-isn't fitting into smaller clothes great!

Marie-thanks for filling in the details. I would have never been able to put together that story on my own. Hope you are all able to work out an arrangement that works for everyone-most importantly DGS. Love the pictures. Your dogs are hysterical

CAT-I wish I had a dog/house sitter. I did when I lived in PA but I don't anymore so my babies now have to go to the kennel. I board them at my vet which is nice. Usually they don't seem to mind but this time when I took them, my Lab tried to leave with me. He knew what was going on. Made me sad.

Lamb-nice meeting you in person for lunch yesterday. We actually look like we could be related :lol:

I suppose I am probably more compulsive too-I make a joke about this being a requirement for medical school admission. Almost all doctors are obsessive/compulsive to some degree and I would have to say that is a good thing in general. I can get very obsessive when losing weight too which bothers me at times. I plan my meals weeks in advance but I have learned to do it on one or two saturdays and then I'm done. I just put the calendar away and look at it when its time to make/prepare those meals. I still think the sugar thing falls into the addiction category at least for me.

Chubster-portion control is huge. The diet I follow actually tries to teach portion control as part of the plan. They recommend using bowls and plates of particular sizes and learning to fill your plate with a certain portion of protein, veggie, grain, etc. Tries to get us to be less obsessive (weighing and measuring everything) and learn to eat like normal people. That is one aspect of the program I really like. Also helps when you are other places-you can look at the plate and kind of eyeball it.

Went to visit a friend yesterday in PA who has cancer. I was totally caught off guard when I called her on the phone yesterday to find out if she would be around so that I could see her while I was in the area and she told me she had been sick most of the last year. She looked really good when I saw her which was reassuring. I'm really glad I got to see her while I was home.

Time for me to get up and do something productive today.

Morning Gang,

Ran 2.5 miles last night - and I'm also down another pound. Otherwise, nothing new here....

---

OnMyWay - hope you enjoyed your lazy day. The mall we were at was MOBBED! The mall my aunt went to yesterday she said was quiet...crazy how they can be so different! Hope everything went smoothly for you

Marie- my compulsions come out in other ways (planning, travel, work related, details)...but yeah, it's a fine line with food. At least you've found a way to bottle it and use it towards something healthy like exercise.

Chubster - that's funny about the hairdresser, my aunt just said something a few weeks ago that cracked me up, she said at 60 - it's bangs or botox...to look younger, ROFL...I've had bangs since i was 12, and not a botox type of girl, so i'll just go with natural i guess. You are correct about things going on, i'm fortunate enough to get weekly readouts as to my body changes..it's really helped me see things happen inside, even when you don't see them. Congrats on getting moving again!

Jeanie - glad to have you with us, welcome and congrats on getting motivated

CAT - met my husband online also - we've been together 9.5 years, and married for almost 7 now. :) --- and for those reading this, CAT moves and takes pics of really cool places as she does! WTG on all your hard work

Petra - so glad we met. I'm chatty, so hope I wasn't overwhelming at all! My friends who've known me in person would probably say I'm "animated", LOL - really enjoyed talking with you - also Tosca Reno was the clean eating woman I was trying to think of -- I'm glad your visit went well yesterday with your friend. (hugs)

Hi everyone! I know I've been AWOL lately, but life has been plugged full of family stuff. I'm not the greatest at non-stop socializing, so for the few minutes I have had, I've been indulging a bad habit (video games).

I read through this week's thread, and want to offer a welcome to our "newbies" - hang around, share your experiences, and learn!

Sounds like all the "veterans" are sticking reasonably to the plans as made - that's a major victory in its own right! I've been "better than I expected but not as good as I'd like to be". The scale has not budged in either direction despite my deliberate choice not to journal or count. No swimming either, which is the one disappointment. The big realization of the week has been that "holiday" is NOT eqiuvalent to "vacation". :D I'm actually looking forward to getting back to work and the routine ... scary!

Chubster, you can get back in the exercise groove. To get me started, I logged what I did, gave the workout a $$$ value and aimed for a great reward. It worked. I still log it (I’m a database manager so I created a database) but I just now am amazed at the numbers. I bought my elliptical in March and yesterday I had 4550 minutes so far this year. Seeing that is so motivating to keep going.

Welcome jeanies! You’ve already lost 14 pounds and are inspirational. I’m glad you joined us.

Lamb, sounds like you and Petra had a nice time. I’ve met a 3FC friend several times in Portland and I just adore her and her husband.

Cruise, I will be passing on to my daughter your there is always hope because she was very depressed this weekend seeing her beloved child changing so radically and not for the good.

Petra, I’m glad you got to see your friend. My college friend has cancer and it’s not a good outlook. I’m hoping she’ll be around when I get back to Minnesota next summer. I’m pretty sure you’d never have put it together completely since I never gave complete details.

:carrot::carrot::carrot:YEAH lamb on another pound. You have so much to be excited about – running and losing weight. I’m so thrilled for you. BTW, I just put bangs back at Thanksgiving. I’m loving how it hides the wrinkles. ;):D


ICU, you made me smile with the vacation vs. holiday. I’ve learned I do way better over vacations than the holidays.

Only 6.5 more hours of my work week. Tomorrow we head to Tahoe. Fun, fun, fun. I ca’t believe my baby, DS is getting married! :o

Marie

Hiya! new member here...
 

Mid-40s and feeling it today! Who the heck stole my metabolism?!?! :dizzy: Give it back! Funny, I still see myself as that 20-something who could bend from the waist and root around in the bottom file drawer. Now I can't see past my waist, let alone bend it. <insert wistful lol here>

I like to see so many posts in this chat. I sure can use the reminder there are other folks out there with similar challenges, and some really amazing success stories. How are ya'll using this chat thread? General chat during the week, stop by to check in on folks...? There's a lot happening in the forums and I'm still trying to feel my way around. Thx!

Hi Girls...checking in! Needing a little inspiration, as I ate too much meatloaf last night, and again today.

What do I do about cravings??? Today I gave in...I had the meatloaf and then wanted something sweet...that's how it goes for me. So I had a greek fat-free yogurt with flax seed, pecans and carob chips. It did the trick, but also did some damage, I'm sure. I'm just lucky I did not have ice cream or cookies in the house. I tried to talk myself into a diet hot chocolate, but couldn't.

I did, however, hit the gym again, so that was good.

Welcome, Losing 80! I've been here a few days, but already feel at home. My metabolism went to the same place as yours!

Marie - what did you get yourself as your reward? Sounds like a great idea!

GTG...getting picked up for dinner, and have to dry my probably-now-too-dark-hair, since I just colored the roots!!

Hi chubster,
I am finding lots of inspiration here too. My diet has been all over the place but mostly low carbish. When I am working out regularly I do Leslie Sansone dvds and some resistance work. During the summer when I lost most of my weight I was doing brisk outdoor walking instead of Leslie. It is so cool to find someone my age and height here! We can do this!

Just a quick note to welcome all our newcomers, to say how envious I am re: Petra and LambChop getting to have lunch together, and to wish Marie's son a wonderful wedding!

Lots of newcomers! The more the merrier! This is a great group. I consider myself very lucky to be part of this thread! I know alot of my success this year has been because of the support and encouragement from this board!

Marie, Have a great time in Tahoe. Enjoy the wedding. Can't wait to see some pics, I'll bet you will look awesome as mother of the groom!

ICU, Glad to see you back, I'm with you, I've done better than expected but could have been better. I'm not going to stress, once I'm back in school and the routine is there, I'll be more focused. In the meantime I'm enjoying my time off!

Lambchop, Another pound down! Way to go! Glad you and Petra had a nice visit. I'm a little jealous too!

Petra, Planning meals for weeks in advance, we're lucky to know what's for dinner at 5:00 each night! LOL Glad you had a good visit with your friend.

Chubster, great effort getting to the gym 2 says in a row! You'll have a habit before you know it!

Losing80, We all are very different but do seem to have alot of challenges in common here. Welcome!

Jeanies, 3 pounds is a great start. I also have a family history of heart disease and diabetes. Last year I finally realized I was the only one that could change my future. Your name brought a smile to my face, Jeanie was my mom's name.

Peanutsmom, LOL, this is the only place where being a loser is cool!

I'm getting ready for DH's birthday party this weekend. I've made several appetizers and froze them to make things easier. Today I scanned a bunch of pics and put together a slide show. Just showed DH, he really liked it!

the Wii Fit logs the time you spend on it, and I totally agree with tracking that being a good motivator. For example, if I've done 27 minutes, then I am very motivated to go for that extra 3 minutes. I've only had it a little over a week so I can't wait to see what I can get to in a month, and 3 months, etc.

hi jeanies -

I'm a Leslie Sansone fan too! I have the videos somewhere, but it's also on my cable On Demand (for free) so I've been using it there.

Morning ladies.... I love that we have so many newcomers that are motivated to make changes. Helps bring me back to what worked for me when I first came around. Once again I'm excited about getting healthy.

Did a little GeoCaching yesterday with a friend and her two kids and had a blast. I love living in the desert and being able to be outdoors most days.

Petra - I found my house/pet sitter on CraigsList. I was VERY hesitant but was very surprised that I only had two weirdos respond. Most were young ladies that are students looking for a little income. I ran the ad for 36 hours and had about 15 respond. Out of those I personally interviewed and ran background checks on 6. Of those there was only a couple that I would not use; mainly because of immaturity. I really like the young lady that we hired and we also have a backup.

Marie - Congratulations to your son. Enjoy Tahoe!!!

OMW - Happy birthday to DH!!

LC - Thank you, I love sharing California with others. I know before I moved here all I knew about were the big cities.

PeanutesMom - Do you have a favorite Wii workout? I love doing the boxing and the aerobics.

Chubster - When I've eaten poorly for several days the cravings return. When I'm ready to get back to clean eating I have to eliminate my triggers for a minimum of five days. I'm one of the lucky ones that once I have cleared my system I am able to enjoy the occasional treat.

Heidi - When are you thinking about doing the Grand Canyon? Do you have a plan yet?

Mack and I have started our "To Hike List" and would love suggestions. With Mack having every other weekend as a three dayer we are looking at places that are within a days drive (less than 500 miles 300 is even better) from Southern California. We are also looking forward to doing some of the Pacific Crest Trail; getting dropped off at one location and being picked up 20-40 miles down the trail. It's been years since we did any back county camping and I am SOOOO excited.

Wow, so much going on it's hard to keep up! DS18 and I are both sick so it's off to the dr this afternoon : ( I think I have an ear infection and he's got a bad cold, was running a pretty high temp the other night. I haven't been sick since I had the whooping cough 2 years ago, think we caught it from the grandbabies.

Marie: I had my own interpretation of what was going on, and was fairly close : ) My best friend and I decided years ago that there's no longer such a thing as a "normal" family. We both have some Jerry Springer-ish stuff going on with ours. So welcome to the club! All we can do is love them, pray for them, and do what we can to support them.

Cat: I'l come puppy sit for you sometime, just so I can finally say I've been to California : ) I was supposed to go there after high school with a friend but got married instead : )

WeightlossWanted, I hope you and your son feel better soon!

CruiseCAT, your weekend hikes with Mack sound wonderful... Just today I asked my DH to please make time to exercise... I'm worried that if he isn't exercising now, by the time he retires he won't be in good physical shape to enjoy the kind of life we want to lead. My parents have a very active retirement, as does his mother. His father does not because he doesn't take care of his body. I don't want to see DH fall victim to that. Luckily he's in good health, reasonably fit, and thin -- but still, if you don't exercise, your body can seize up on you... As for the Grand Canyon, it's actually Copper Canyon in Mexico (fly in and out of Los Mochis). We're (my sister and I) mentally committed to the hike in October 2010 and plan to throw our money behind that commitment around the March timeframe. I'm focusing on the stairmaster as my primary form of exercise because it's 7,000 feet down into the canyon, and then 7,000 feet back out so I'm imagining it will be arduous. Today I upped it to 25 minutes, which was pretty difficult, so I think I'll stay there for a while. My goal is to get to 40 minutes on the stairmaster, and then start alternating between the stairmaster, elliptical, and treadmill.

I think I've finally let go of having an all-or-nothing mentality. December has been a good month for me where I've enjoyed things in moderation and lost a couple of pounds. If I were to lose a couple of pounds every month, I would be past my goal by this time next year. How hard can that be??? LOL

Newleaf,
Sounds like December was good to you! Having the trip to look forward to is a great motivator to continue to exercise regularly. You know what kind of shape you need to be in to enjoy yourself. Keep up the great work! Good luck with DH. Fortunately for me, my husband is an avid walker. We don't usually walk together because I can't keep up with him! The few times this summer that I tried to walk with him, I heard too often that I was slowing him down! Decided for the sake of our marriage I was better to exercise by myself!

WLW, hope you and DS are feeling better soon!

Cruise, Craigslist is a great resource! We sold a car a couple years ago, I was amazed at the number of replies we had in such a short time.

Peanutsmom, I love my Wii fit! It's alot of fun and you don't realize you are exercising!

Spent the day at the mall with DD and a friend. Found some great deals. Did splurge on a box of Godiva chocolates for only $1.87. Know that wasn't the best choice but am confident that I can make the box last a long time. They are not something I can eat more than one of at a time!

Wow, this has been a busy place the past couple days. I'm not even sure I can respond to everyone. Welcome to all the newcomers.

Marie-have a great time in Tahoe. That is one place I've never been and would love to visit. One of these days......

I just got home from my trip. Checked out my menu for the next few days. I will be eating wild boar this weekend so my interesting menu starts right away. I was reading The Omnivore's Dilemma on the plane-quite an eye opener. I also bought a book on Middle Eastern food during my trip-its kind of part anthropology, part cookbook. I like that part-learning about the culture and tradition behind the food.

I have recently found I like fencing on my Wii. That's on the Wii Resort sports if you have that. You can burn some calories doing that. I love to shoot things with my Wii which is my biggest vice. My favorite Wii game is called Link's cross bow training. I can play it for hours if I'm not careful-not particularly strenuous but takes some skill. I have gold medals on all but 2 levels.

There's a reason for my obsessive meal planning beyond pure obsessiveness. Because I am on call at least once a month-I need to have what I'm eating that week planned well in advance so I'm not caught off guard. That is notoriously the week that will trip me up if I'm not on top of it. I try to either have stuff in the freezer that I can just pull out or have some of my quick and easy stuff on the menu so I don't have to stress over food that week.

Welcome to the new members! :hug: This website has helped me in so many ways. All the success stories, recipes, healthy eating tips, feedback, etc has really made a difference in my weight loss journey.

My family and I had a nice holiday and I am looking forward to New Years Eve. I will be babysitting my granddaughter and watching movies with her and my bf. My parents are in town from Florida and will be visiting new years day.

With all the goodies and rich food around me this month, I feel like a did good job of staying on plan. Sure, I ate unhealthy food but just a tiny portion. Reading this thread I see that so many people are staying dedicated.

If I am being conscious about what I'm shoving in my mouth I put the box away. Otherwise... :rofl: I also love cheezits and will measure out a serving of those, 1/2 a serving of nuts and 1/2 a serving of craisins and make myself a little snack baggie to munch on. YUM!

CAT: Dh just asked me if I'd like to book another cruise for 2011. Ah, YES! We're thinking Caribbean this time! WOOHOO!!!

And welcome all the new peeps! :)

WOO HOO is right Cassie, any idea where you want to go or are you like me and it's all about the deals. What about Cruise line, personally I'm loyal to none.

Heidi - Copper Canyon looks very cool. Mack and I will have to put that one on our list; might have to wait until retirement and living in Mexico.

WLW - Sure hope you both feel better. If you ever make it out west let me know, I can show you around some of the non touristy areas.

OMW - I did good this season and didn't have to set foot in a mall. Most of my shopping was done online. I'm not much of a shopper and I really don't like crowds.

Hydra - hope you enjoy your visit with your parents. I think most of us indulged over the holidays, the good news is we are here and moving forward.

Petra - Planning makes a huge difference for me especially when I am traveling. It is one of those things I will have to really be mindful of when we start taking the trailer out. So Fencing for Wii??? I'll have to check it out.

Mack is still in bed so this will probably be the only time for me to get on today. We have a busy weekend planned; short hike today after getting the tires replaced on the trailer. No plans for tonight, we really do not like being out, way too many drunks on the roads that and the dogs don't do well with fire crackers and gun shots going off. For those with dogs..... New Year's Eve/Day is the second busiest day at the shelter for lost dogs, second to July 4th.

Well Mack is up and I still have not fed the dogs, hope you all have a good weekend. I'm sure I'll find a few minutes to check back in.