CruiseCat - Glad to see you.

Annie - Thanks for the update on Tootsie. I know how important all our critters are to us. Hope your root canal goes ok. Yeah for you for getting up and exercising anyway.

Petra- YEAH for bronze piggy banks!

WLW - WOW on your exercise. I love the farmer's market. I'm headed there this weekend myself. Since all I can really eat is veggies anyway.

Kitteh - LOL at going to the wrong thread. Sounds like something I would do for sure!

OMW - Great news only 9-10 pounds to go! That is so awesome. I know you are looking forward to that trip.

Ange - the headaches are short lived with caffeine withdrawal. I got off caffeine when I was pregnant. ( why did I go back??)

It's Day 3 of no soda and no dairy. It's crazy, but I already see differences. My ankles were always swollen. Well this morning I looked down and they were normal size for the first time and I can't tell you when. Also, I have pretty bad psoriasis on my hand and it is almost completely cleared up. Now that could be from the mega doses of Vitamin D but I'm happy no matter what it is. So I know in the long run I will be better off if I survive the changes.

wizzie - wow you've seen big improvements in your body after just 3 days! That's got to be motivating to continue on. I guess you got back on the caffine again after your pregnacy because it's good stuff!!! Can't imagine wanting to give it up myself - unless for medical reasons, obviously.

Annie - well done for doing your morning workout. I find the trick for me is not to give myself a choice! Then you don't have to decide whether to do it or not. It's going to be especially beneficial for you if you're stressed at the mo too. Keep going girl.

I must be slightly jetlagged still as its 5am here and i'm wide awake. DH has gone up to Hong Kong for his work (we don't get bored of each other with all our respective travelling!) so i can play on my computer whilst still in bed!

I'm going to try a pilates class at the gym today which will be my first visit back to the place after breaking my foot. There's probably some things that i won't be able to do but i thought that Pilates would be a gentle introduction back to some classes!

And i will do my 3rd ever day of counting calories. What an education that is proving to be...............

Yikes, I think I am nowhere near gonna get caught up. Did a bike ride this morning and the weather is nice and I'm bored, so I will go hike the dam road and see if I cna do the 3 miles. Solo since Robert just left for work.

Wizzie-sounds like you are doing well without dairy and sodas. Congrats!

Ange-you'll probably like the calorie couting...lots of choices and all of them doable as long as you plan for htem.

Off i go for more exercise while I feel like it and before I chicken out.

Barb

I am in my spirit, in mind, cheerleader to myself, while what feels like an imposter's physical embodyment will Not listen. Head in the sand? Get my head out of the sand ! I'm leaning off a precipice, feeling for the shift in the wind, the small lift beneath my wings, so to speak, so I can jump off the precipice and start gliding. I guess I must be really scared to do it? Help !

Hermitgirl: is that a poem?

Wizzie: I know we would all like to blame the evil soda but more than likely, it's actually the dairy products that are causing you the problem. Other than gluten, dairy is probably the second most common food intolerances. I'm glad you are starting to figure some things out.

I really wish I could be a morning exerciser. I wonder if I tried to get in the habit of doing something at home in the morning if that would work better for me than going out somewhere in the morning. Going out in the morning never worked for me for sure.

Hi everyone -

Too tired and cranky to try to do personals, but wanted to say hello. I'm still working on finishing up getting rid of the extra weight I put back on in April, and almost back to my low. I'm doing well at staying on plan this month, so hopefully, soon for the low and then I get to start losing "new weight" again.

looks like a few of you are dealing with some tough times, and please know you are in my thoughts even when I don't post personals, and I'm also cheering for those who are staying on plan and being rewarded!

what are you plucking up courage to do hermitgirl? You don't have to wait for the wind - you are the controller of yourself....

Wizzie-you asked about my fitbit the other day and I never responded. I had problems with my original one a couple weeks ago and the company sent me a new one for free. That was nice. I still use it and I like it. Very convenient and inconspicuous. They have upgraded the website with some new features too. I've found that it gives me better information when I only put in my "extra" activities like exercise or yard work. If I try to enter every activity I do during the day, it tends to over-estimate my calories burned.

I am sooooo glad it is Friday. This is my 12th day of work in a row. That happens every time I have to work the weekend and it sure does wear you out. I've been invited to a party at one of the casinos tonight but I don't know if I'm going to go. I really just want to stay home and work in my yard. Happy Friday everyone!

Hi everyone! Whew! So glad to have the dental work over with. I was in the chair for 4 hours solid. Had the root canal on the right and a crown prep (read: no root canal, but the same DRILLING/GRINDING!) on the left. I was/am completely exhausted. I tense up when at the dentist, even with the nitrous, and my body literally feels like I got run over by a Mack truck. Just so glad to have it over with. Only have to go back once more for the crowns to be placed (and to fill another cavity they didn't find the first time), then it will be over with for a while. It ended up costing $2200 (AFTER insurance), but I got it worked out. So I am feeling less stressed, but tired and wrung out.

I have been up a pound this week. Not surprising after what I ate last weekend. Been doing pretty well this week and have continued my exercise, so I hope to see the # back down (maybe even a loss??) by next week. TOM still hasn't come (I've been getting more irregular, used to be every 28-30 days like clockwork, must be the old ovaries slowing down), so I may be carrying some fluid around. Not panicking, just going with the flow. (Play on words NOT intended!).


OMW-WOOT! for saggy butt pants!

CAT- Good to see you pop in!

Wizzie-Keep up the great work! No dairy OR soda? That's awesome. Glad you are feeling the fruits of your labor.

Ange-Wow, what a globe-trotting couple you and DH are! Enjoy the Pilates class but take it easy. Calorie counting is definitely an eye-opener! Once I got alot of it in my head it was easier. I still look things up all the time.


Angelskeep-Good job keeping up with the exercise while you can. Enjoy the fresh air.

HermitGirl-I say, "Jump right off!" Good luck!

Petra-Morning exercise works best for me. I know I would never get it done if I waited until the evenings. Too many other things to do, plus I'm pretty tired in the evenings. I also know that having to leave the house, come back, shower, etc. would not work for me. Hope you can work it out, too!

Go Peanut's! You can get back in the swing!!


Oh... P.S. MY SON GRADUATES FROM HIGH SCHOOL TONIGHT!!:D:c b:

Petra - Thanks so much for your insight on my saga. I really do appreciate it. Glad the fitbit is working out for you. I'm still interested in getting one of those or the GoWear Fit when I get back to exercising regularly. I'm ready for that. Sorry you've had so many days of work in a row. That stinks. Hope you have fun in your yard.

Hermit Girl - If it's not a poem, it should be.

Angelskeep - Yeah for bike rides.

Ange - How did your pilates class go? I love pilates myself.

It's day 4. This has been the longest week of my life I kid you not! I'm happy to report the headaches seem to be subsiding. Still have some major brain fog. Thanks for all your support. I couldn't do this if I didn't have ya'll!

My walk yesterday was most excellent, except my feet hurt a bit today. We did some yardwork earlier, and now I guess I will chill out for a bit, r maybe sit and stuff some fabric bits just for something to do. We are really still just a hair before tourist season and fginally almost caught up with projects, so there are days where I feel like I'm twiddling my thumbs, just waiting for somethign to happen. There's still plenty to do, but only a bit at a time. I put my baby veg plants outside yesterday, and forgot to bring them in. They now look like semi-frozen crispy critters. I hope some of them at least perk up. Sheesh. Too late to start seeds over, so I may have to go buy plants in a couple of weeks.

Hermit_Girl-I hope you will check back in and let us know you're okay. Your last post sounded a little "off" or something. I can't quite put my finger on it, but you know we support you here.

Petra-Have fun on your yardwork over the weekend. Do you have magnolias in your yard? The weather is so much better for growing things in the South! And surely you will not have to respond to any patient emergencies this weekend?

Annie-CONGRATS to you and your son! I feel your anxiety with the dentist! I need to go have some prep work done and I'm avoiding it like the plague.

Wizzie-the caffeine withdrawal should start to subside shortly I would think. Keep up the good work!

Barb

Annie - well done to have 'tackled' the dentist, it's one of those things that you just have to face! A bit late now, but, do you think your dentist is good? I had a great one 15 years ago, never hurt, really gentle, then moved to sydney and got another one who was really rough and just generally careless. Stuck with her for a couple of years, but then changed because i was fed up of cringing that she might hurt me all the time i was sat in the chair. My current dentist is great, doesn't hurt at all, and SUCH a difference from the middle one.

Yes i am getting a lot out of calorie counting although it takes a fair bit of effort because at this stage i have to look everything up. Have lost 0.1kg each of the last 4 days i've been doing it (which is still 'nothing' but seemingly a bit more controlled than my usual bigger fluctuations).

I'm hoping to eat a bit under target so i leave room for a treat or lapse. It's going to take a long time to figure out exactly what that target should be though, especially since i'm hoping to start ramping up the exercise once my foot starts to heal properly.

I'd better shut up about myself, or get myself a blog......!!!!

Wizzie - good work on sticking it out with your diet the last 4 days and i'm sending you positive thoughts to stay strong over the weekend! (always my weak point of the week). Do you think it's both the dairy and the soda that's giving you problems? Why cut them both out together if cutting out only one would do the trick?

Pilates was good. The teacher was a last minute substitute though. She was good, but it was a much easier class than it would have been with the original instructor. On the other hand i managed fine so i'm really happy that my foot allows me to do that and i can get back to the gym at last. Hurray!!!I've spotted a 'sculpt' class for sunday that's new. Whatever that might be. Never heard of it before but will go give that a try i think.

Saturday morning here and time to go walk the dog then go to a local $1 book sale (i'm a sucker for cheap books!!!)

where is everyone?

So i got 19 books at the book sale and don't have room for them in the bookcase.

I went to Pump at the gym on Sat (weights class) and i went to Sculpt on Sun, which was a bit similar to Pump really, all of which means i'm feeling wobbly today and tomorrow everywhere will ache x lots.

Calorie counting is taking a bit of time still, but making my choices so easy. I'm a convert!

And today i dropped to 122 for the firs time!! Yeah. Will follow Petra's lead and wait to see it a couple more times before i change my numbers.

Also i'm expecting to be a Ticker graduate very shortly. Today? Tomorrow?

In the food and exercise world, I've had a lousy couple of days. Friday and Saturday were no exercise and too much food. I was going to check in tonight with a "now for a better week" but I decided to do it this morning so I can turn this back around today. I am going back to listing the four things I want to accomplish each day: take my vitamins, eat well, exercise, and drink plenty of water.

Ugh. I was hoping for a loss on the scale soon. Now all I'm hoping for is not to have gained. Such a rollercoaster.

Sue

Good morning! Today was weigh in. And for the first time, it shows 2 lbs. up. GRRRR! I put it back on my ticker, will ignore it other than that for now and keep on going with my plan. I was a little off on my exercise this week, even though I did longer tiimes, I did fewer days.

Ange-nice work on the books and the gym! And your weight loss. Yaaay! It's usually quieter on the weekend than during the week.

slroth-hang in there and get back on plan. Sometimes, life happens. The key is not to let it cause you to derail completely.

I am off for geocaching which is my exercise for the day. Should have a couple of decent hikes in the works.

Barb