I feel you.. It's DRAGGING!!! I'm glad I get to work from home on Friday - so tomorrow is going to suck!

I had a great day today. Stayed on plan - exercised - drank water...I'm feeling good. I'm going to go crochet for a bit and wait for BF to come home from work.

Thanks for letting me come home.

I hear that! 3rd day in a row doing exercise! Haven't met my 60 minute goal yet, but I'm getting there. Bellydancing video is killing me! But my new philosophy is suffer for an hour each day, or die of an early heart attack. I have quite a few things I'd like to do that require me living, so I'm doing the work to reap the rewards. Pretty much the 3FC mantra, no?

This week is not going by fast enough! I'm moving out on Friday, and going nuts being shut up in this house all day!

I love the 30's group, but am happy to have found this one as well. You all sound so amazing.

Regarding the tatoos, I am going to get one soon, and it may be this weekend. It would be my first. All it is going to take is my first day "unsupervised". My son races motocross and I want something that symbolizes that. But I am so undecided.

motomom2- Awesome! I just got my first one last month! It's an awesome experience, even if the healing time can be a drag. Look up tattoos, see if you find something in motocross that looks cool. Or, have the artist create something custom (that's what I did). Its worth it, and no one else has that exact tattoo. Good luck!

Thanks. I posted on a site for suggestions, and only got a message from someone offering to design for me...for a fee! I may not jump the gun, as I want to be sure, but I have waited so long, and am feeling the impulse to make a decision!!

Anyway, today was great. I went for a long walk and it feels great. Good Friday to you all!

I've only had one tattoo, but my artist didn't charge me any fee. I am in no way an authority on tattoos, but I wouldn't go for the online guy with the fee. Talking face to face worked for me, and he explained stuff I didn't understand and worked with me. But I would totally ask someone who has more than one tattoo, lol. I might've just been lucky my first time.

Generally tattoo artists do not charge a fee if they know for sure that you're going to go with them to get it done. (Gaia - I have 3. LOL ) There are a lot of places online that will design for you for a fee - but that's because that is how they are making their additional income Obviously if I got a design done by someone in Texas - I'm not flying there for a tattoo.

Another thing that you want to look for is someone who has an established portfolio - not just pictures of things that s/he "can do" but ones that s/he's actually done!

There's my 2 cents for what it's worth moto - GOOD LUCK!

Actually my Wings tattoo is my Ultimate Present for myself when I hit goal!

Thanks gaia and Eny. I knew that the guy was looking for cash. And yeah, if I was looking for something big, it may be a prudent way to go. I am just thinking about something small. And I am familiar with a very reputable shop here.

I love piercings, and had several, but this da*n suburban life acted like a drawing salve for them! My son was teased because his mom had "a buncha' earrings, and "something" in her nose and tongue.

So, my tat will be simple. I really want it to be just (or a tad more than) his racing number. Yeah, his number may change one day. But the number he has now, and has had since 2004, is symbolic of me and his dad getting our stuff together, as it is also symbolic of my son's racing excellence. We have become so much greater since our son began racing. We were rather a mess before 2004.

Can't attribute it all to racing, it is just the whole package, if you know what I mean. His dad used to race, and I ride, and we were a moto family long before we were a wholesome family. The Lord smiled upon us when he smacked us in the butt and helped us become both.

So, I want a cool way to display the number, on my ankle. If anyone has any cool thoughts, I would love to hear them! I am not sure what tomorrow has in store for us, but if I am alone for part of the day, I am going to go to the shop and talk to them about it. I don't want the family to know. Until it is done.

Moto - I think that is Completely AWESOME! When I got my DD's name W/ a Child fairy on my back right before her 4th b-day - it was to represent her and I making it on our own... that she is my conscience and that every thing I do is for her now, and for her future.

What is the number? I sideline as a graphic artist - and would be more then happy to design some stuff for you if you'd like (free of course ) When are you thinking of getting it?

OK - As for diet crap - I'm doing really good today - and did really good yesterday too! I think I'm back in my groove - and I pray I'll be out off this plateau by Earth Day! - I really want to be in the #170's by then!!!

For some reason I've had a hard time contributing to the forums, but this particular forum feels right at home! Hello!!

I keep thinking about getting another tattoo (I have a pair of faery wings on my back) and I too am using it as a "goal" of sorts... I want to feel better about showing it off after I am closer to my goal!

I'm REALLY struggling with frustration over a plateau that I've hit with my weight loss, and I feel like it's too SOON to be hitting a plateau! I know for a fact I need to work on not going out to eat as often... but I'm proud of my workout habits recently... I can't find a happy medium where I'm good with eating and exercising.

Anyway, hope to come out of my shell and contribute more... you gals are great!

pinupgirl - loving the avatar, and your tat sounds awesome too!

I tend to use sunflower seeds as a happy alternative to croutons in a salad - or even crunchy dry anchovies (but I suspect that's more of a Thailand thing, right?).

Thanks Broadabroad!

Hmm... I think the dried anchovies are maybe an acquired taste?

Sometimes at the grocery store I see these crunchy won-ton strips that have different flavors to them... they are in bags near the fancy salad dressings and bags of lettuce. They are pretty good (imho, nothing beats delicious croutons but you can come close!)

So I did a lot of thinking last night about what to do to be PROACTIVE about my plateau... I've read a lot about just switching something up in your diet/exercise regime so over the next couple of weeks I decided to up my water intake (something I definitely needed to do) and try to eat six smaller meals during the day instead of my usual eating little bits and pieces then eating a big meal at night.

Hopefully this can push me out of this rut!!

Good luck pin. Be sure to share with us how the water plan and more smaller meals works in dealing with the plateau. I am too new to have plateau issues, but a big part of my new lifestyle is thinking about how to handle plateaus...gosh, I love this site, otherwise, I would not have considered much of what I learn here!

Also, Pin, I have to tell you that the first (and only) girl I met with wings on her back was a bar owner here in my town. She showed me and I thought to myself that I had never seen a more beautiful tatoo. That is so cool that you have that!

Eny, his number is #155, but I am going to PM you as well, to make sure that you read my thanks of such a generous offering to give me tips on how to design it. You certainly did not have to offer something so generous.

Good luck to everyone in meeting goals. You all rock!!!!!!!

hi all --
More water would probably be good for all of us.

I just came from working out (and drinking a bottle of water) and weighing myself. After about two weeks of carefully eating low-fat, walking the dog lots, etc etc.... I had gained a pound! When I got to the car I called my girlfriend from college and we just laughed about it. I really do FEEL good, so I'm sure it was time of day/water weight/time of month/ or something. (I'm sorta menopausal, but still "alterna.") Anyway, I wanted to share my Plus One Pound story with you guys too and let you know that I'm not discouraged -- I'm still committed (and should be, my friends say!).

Good luck with YOUR goals, and hope the scales go DOWN soon!
anita

I LOVE that you said you laughed at your gain, guynna. It's hard when you've been working so hard and you have a "set back" (which of course, isn't a set back it's just a circumstantial happenstance). But really, you have to have a sense of humor about it or you'll go crazy!!

I love my tattoo but sometimes people say, "what goes in the middle?" because there's just two wings... they don't understand that they are MY wings!!