Another day without straying off my plan. I ate really well, kept my calorie intake at target but alas i did not get on my spin bike today. I will ride tomorrow before work but after walking the dog. There now that I've said it I know it is doable.

todays cals-2345, ex-step class at the Y. Three days out of four-almost there. My Y classes are a bit difficult these days-that's what happens when I do not go to the gym on a regular schedule. However, I am looking forward to getting better at it soon. I find myself hungry all the time. I do not know what that is about but it is not that I am not getting enough food-see above calories!

Okay Lucinda-what say you-did you spin today? Of course, it is okay if you didn't-I am just checking in with you. Hopefully yes.

Hi Gayle, Hi Marie, Hi Darcy. Hope you are all doing well.

Good evening,

Well, I made it out for a bike ride today. I started out with the walker in my driveway, but it felt a little too warm, so I put that away and got out the bike. With the bike, you get a little breeze as you go along ~ so it doesn't feel quite so warm. It wasn't that it was so warm, just too warm for walking.

The eating is ok ~ weight is holding its own. Hopefully I will be more disciplined with the exercise and get to go down some more.

Tera ~ way to go with the exercise 3 days in a row.

Lucinda ~ good for you ~ keeping on track with the eating.

Marie ~ glad you got to enjoy the skiing at Tahoe.

Darcy ~ you are so busy ~ I don't know how you keep up.

cals-2540, ex-body sculpt a the Y. WooHoo-four days in a row at the Y. Just like the old days. I realize the calories are ridiculous but .......no good reason-I need to work on this.

Hi everyone! Thanks for the warm "welcome back." It's definitely good to BE back in many ways. :-)

Marie - so glad you had such a wonderful ski weekend in Tahoe. I've only been there in the summer but it's such a gorgeous place to be. Good for the psyche!

Tera -- Your exercise levels amaze me. You and Marie are lightyears ahead of where I am. LOL Glad things are going well for you and you're in "the zone." That's always such a great place to be!

Lucinda -- Sounds like you're in a zone of your own. Nice!

Gayle -- Yay on getting back on the bike! Glad the weather is getting nicer so you can be outside again (but hopefully will stay "not too hot" for a while longer). BTW - I know I read in the past that you were diagnosed with RA. Are you still on prednisone alone? I'm curious because it seems like you're having flares from time to time and aren't being covered by one of the RA drugs to help prevent joint damage. I know that more drugs aren't the end all-be all and that progression can still happen, but for me, being on methotrexate has been really worth it and has given me some peace of mind. It's really kept mine in check (knocking on cyberwood!).

I've been doing well calorie wise, at 1200 a day...though I feel like I'm in the honeymoon phase still and that it will get harder as I get farther into this. I feel ready, though, and I knowing that I have people I can lean on when those tough days come will make it even better. Exercise is hit or miss with my crazy work/kid schedule. I've walked a few days but have had a break a few days too. So far, I'm being patient and just taking it as it comes instead of getting down about it - it's helping!

Last Sunday I had a reality check about planning ahead. LOL My oldest son is doing drum corps again this summer, and he had rehearsal out of town Sunday. We ended up taking the train up there for the day, so I sliced an apple to bring with me for a morning snack. We got up so early and had such a short night that I grabbed string cheese for breakfast on the way out the door. I wore workout clothes so I could get a walk in there during his all-day rehearsal. That part was great. Did 2.5 miles, partly around the track, mostly around the neighborhood (found out I get really bored really fast doing laps on a track. I need scenery LOL). Had the apple before the walk, and then when I got back realized there were still a couple of hours before lunch. Made it through....with another 3/4 mile walk to and from food sources...and decided to be healthy and have a Subway salad. Devoured that and was hungry again not long after since it was less than 200 calories total. Being healthy has its downside. Hahaha! That's when reality hit that I need to remember snacks! Thought about walking back to buy something at the store but didn't feel like making the walk, so toughed it out. Long day, felt good with the activity, and lesson learned. :-)

Long work weekend this weekend, so not sure about exercise possibilities. Hopefully the opportunity will present itself!

Take care, everyone, and keep up the great work and accomplishments!

Darcy ~ I do take Methotrexate (and folic acid) for my RA. The prednisone is just for flare ups. I have had to use it a couple times since being diagnosed. The flare up didn't get real bad, as I know now what is happening to me and the prednisone for just a few days helps calm down the inflamation. At my last rheumatologist visit, when talking about these flare ups, she was considering adding more meds ~ I sort of got the feeling that she feels like with enough meds I wouldn't have flare ups. I really don't want to take more meds. And I think my flare ups are not because of not enough meds, but because of stress being caused by a couple family members. If these horrible people would knock off the crap, I think I would be ok. I think the stress they caused is what triggered my body to go into RA in the first place.

Even with the methotrexate ~ do you still have some aches and pains? Or with it are you supposed to have none? She asks me, and I do have some aches and pains, but because I feel way better than I did before the diagnosis and being on these meds, I guess is why I am thinking that if possible I'd rather not have to take more meds.

cals-2775 (my usual ridiculous cals plus two beers!), ex-walk with my neighbor. Really-I do not know why I keep eating so much except I still have goodies in my house from the snowstorm over a week ago. This week I will work on this. I have not decided on the goal yet but it will definitely be below the 2400 calories a day I have been averaging.

Gayle-Your breezy bike ride sounds refreshing. Glad to here you are back out there hitting the pavement.

Darcy-You are on a roll! Planning snacks and walking-way to go! I am envious of your awesome calorie total.

todays cals-1955 so far, ex-step class at the Y. My goal this week is 4x to the Y and to stay under 2000 calories in a day. HOWEVER, I already hit 2000 and I have not had dinner. I am debating whether I should go without or try again tomorrow. I have got to get a grip on this problem.

todays cals-2250, ex-body sculpt at the Y. A big zero on the calories goal this week, I have three out of four done on the exercise (I went on Sunday because I need to miss tomorrow.) I am glad I am least getting part of it right.

If you have consumed more calories than you wanted, but exercised that is SUPER! because exercise primes the body to be more efficient and it gets oxygen all over your nooks and crannies! So don't despair. I have gotten my flabby sore tuchas on the spin bike 3 times/ week. I still have not worked up to sweating I think I am a week away from pushing myself. But i know I feel more zing in my step the day after spinning. I like to watch HSN while spinning. It is one long infomercial so I don't have to pay close attention and HSN is non controversial. So I don't have to think just watch folks hawking their cr*ppola on TV.

Lucinda-thanks for the laugh, you are too funny. I need some of your zing. I have just had a blechy week so you are breath of fresh air. And your are right-I will not despair.

Hi everyone! Just a quick stop to say hello, and make sure you don't think I'm bailing again. Just really busy. Every other weekend is a long work weekend, with bedtimes anywhere from 4 to 7 am (having been up since 10 or 11 am) and I'm exhausted and just trying to power through. I feel like I've been playing catch up ever since. Still doing well on the calorie front - went over once a couple of days ago but have been hovering just under 1200 otherwise. Exercise is elusive with the long nights, but did go for a 2 mile walk with the kids yesterday along the river before dinner (admittedly, I succumbed to one of the amazing breadsticks where we eat Tuesday night, but the walk negated that -- that's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL).

Finished calories tonight at 1190....hopefully one of these days the scale will reward me, as I'm getting tired of waiting. :-)

Will be back as soon as I can to catch up with all of you!

Hello all,

Sorry I haven't kept up very well lately. So much stuff going on here. Helping DS Jason get packed to move then helping with the move. Watching Maddie extra while Sara had a friend from high school visiting ~ so they could do some stuff together. Sara trying to sell her house and find another place to live. I offered to help her with the packing when the time comes. New grandbaby due on the 16th.

I haven't been doing very well with the exercise. So - so with the eating. I kind of did a bad thing and gave myself a little retirement party (it is official now) ~ similar to my little New Years Eve celebration. Paid the price ~ I guess even though it didn't seem like much ~ I ate enough sugary stuff to have to go through the withdrawal headaches again. Grrrr ~ when will I stop being so stupid. Oh well ~ what is done is done. Gained a little back, but then lost it again thankfully ~ helping DS Jason move. Kept going all day long and didn't eat much.

Every day is a new day, so another chance to do better.

Hope you all have had a good weekend.

I think I am overeating these days because I am unhappy with my job. Nothing horrible, just unpleasant and frustrating and simply no fun at all. I am getting tired of it. In the six short months since I started there I have gained ten pounds. I do not want to keep going this direction. I will not let this stupid job defeat me. I am obviously settling for too little here. It is time for me to put in the effort and find some true happiness.