ollie - I'm so sorry to hear your kitty isn't doing well!!! I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed and hope it's a good case situation and that the only lasting damage is to your wallet.

It is so hard to stick to a healthy lifestyle when you're stressed about something like this! I don't get it - generally we feel better when we eat well and get exercise, so why do we lose it and fall off the wagon just when we need it the most? Sigh - I suppose if I am ever able to answer this question, I'll be the most famous person in existence.

As to what helps me beat the winter blahs? Hmmm... I think it really comes down to finding out what you love, and living for it. Besides my DH and my cats, I have two loves - gardening and dancing. I can do either for hours and not notice the time passing. I can't garden in the winter (Canada - 'nuff said...), and my dance classes had finished and didn't start up again until recently. So I was just muddling through in my rather not so good way. Now my dance classes are back (seriously back - I'm practicing for a show, six classes a week for the next two weeks), and I am starting to get my garden planning underway. For you - figure out what in your life you love doing almost more than breathing, and really get into it (this might mean you finally try something you have longed to try for years, but you were afraid to start for whatever reason). Books, movies, dance, painting, volunteering... Whatever it is that sets your blood on fire.

Wormwood - city living does have it's advantages! I must admit that when I finally win the lottery (yeah right), I'll probably move out of the city and live on some serious land, but for the time being, with the way I like to live my life, I love being in a city with good public transport (and good food! Ahem. )

K8-EEE - I'm glad you liked Montreal! I do love it here, but I can see why it's not for everyone! And you're right about making pots out of newspaper. I do it every year (slightly different than how you mentioned though)- they're actually way better than peat pots - the peat pots are too dense for many plants to push their roots through. If you want some instructions on how to make some, PM me. They're super easy, free, and better for the environment (peat bog mining is *very* destructive).

BP

ollie i am so sorry about kitty..i hope everything works out! got my psychic friend to send you some serious serious good spirit vibes (she calls 'em angels)
missed you around here& yeah, i hear you on how rough patches just seem to scramble it all up....it just takes more energy to uphold new healthy patterns and it seems so easy to slide back into those nicely worn grooves of our comfort zones. don't give up!!! git ur toosh in gear..we're all here for each other, right???!!! to quote random adam sandler flicks "choo can do eet!!"

Bopeep -- I loved loved loved Montreal but my husband laughed at me when I said I would move there, he is from Buffalo NY and convinced I am too big of a wimp for any kind of climate challenges, LOL. I dream of going there again! I even started taking French after going there, I SUCK at pronounciation but I can get along OK. In fact there are these daily French podcasts (free!) that get me through a lot of dreary exercise bike time!

I just posted a picture of my winter veggie garden on another thread -- yes I am even doing tomatoes this winter, they are Alaskan tomatoes though. I love being able to garden all year but the one not good thing is, you get a break from weeding! Usually my garden gets neglected during the holidays and I spend all Jan. weeding. It's never done!

thanks jan, k8eee, and bopeep for the good advice, sympathy, and good vibe angels

also, this is my first new england winter and i think it's getting to me. in the south i could still do all the things i loved, but i've got to reformat them to make them fit here. and of course there is time, energy, and money, which grad school depletes them all. maybe i need to find a good indoor hobby like knitting or something. what i really need to do is start taking my arse to the gym on campus. yep, that's it.

so i weighed and i'm at 136 which is up three pounds from where i was, but more than those three pounds i can just tell it in the way i feel. booger has her surgery tuesday and we'll both be in recovery and come out for the better.

k8ee, nice maters. and are those green onions? yum. i miss my garden. we don't have a yard anymore. perhaps we should look into container gardening?

off to do some reading...

cheers.

Yes, green onions! Those are the only kind I have any luck with, a little dry here to sustain growing big onions, they dry out too easy.

Ollie, if you have a balcony you can have an herb garden!! I'm nuts for herbs. Even if I don't eat them, just to crush them up and smell them sometimes, I truly believe in Aromatherapy! Or maybe you have a little side yard or courtyard where you could have some mint, basil, orgegano this summer?

I've never tried it but have you ever heard that smelling fresh crushed mint will take away food cravings? I'm gonna try that one! I guess you could always stick it up your nose which would ruin the taste of anything else, LOL....my husband had this sinus infection once and he couldn't smell anything and he was totally uninterested in food. Smell and taste go together apparently.

Hi everyone,

Today was my birthday but I was busy all day with work, then a class I take every Thursday, so I didn't get to do anything fun, but that also means I didn't have to worry about eating too much or eating the wrong things. It's this weekend I'm worried about because I am going to two family gatherings and having one night out with my hubby. Wish me luck! I think I have the mindset to get through it fine and stick to my calories and have just one piece of birthday cake and a couple of chocolates for Valentine's Day. But I just never know how I'll do when the moment comes....

jandaman - I teach high school. I have all seniors this year but have taught ninth through twelfth over the past eight years.

Ollie - I am so sorry about your kitty! I completely understand. One of my cats was very sick two years ago. It was actually exactly two years ago, because I remember she was sick on my birthday. She was in the hospital for two weeks!!! There were a few times we almost gave up, but you know what? She got better!!! I think your kitty will get better too!

Everyone else, have a great Friday and a great weekend! I know I say this at the end of all my posts, but I really mean it - it's so nice to be here! Thanks for your support!

So interesting week so far. Played the censorship game when my conservative grandmother and uncle came over while I was here at my parents' house for the weekend when they asked me what I did at school. I gave a very bland presentation, didn't even want to think what the reaction would have been if I had said, "Learning Latin, trying to get into a limited access English program, treasurer of a new organization on campus, and volunteering every week at the local LGBTQ center on campus." Yes, that would have gone over really well.

Besides that, I ordered 6 pairs of cute workout pants from Wal*Mart and 4 sports bras from Just My Size. I went to work out on Wednesday and I felt SO disgusting afterwards and the night before when I went bellydancing, I was just dripping. I can't WAIT for these pants to come in!

ollie- I'm sorry to hear about your cat! I remember when mine was sick, I was so stressed out! I'm sure she'll get better soon.

Gypsy I think it sounds like you're doing great at school...my oldest daughter is a college freshman and volunteered at the LGTBQ during the Prop 8 campaign, unfortunately for CA, the measure prevailed but I was proud of her good work -- and yours!

I hate my scale. It read 220.9 a couple of times, then it hit 223.1.

WHY? I think it is time to buy a new one. I got my WW one cheap at T.J Maxx....so who knows how old it really is.

ollie Sending good healthy kitty vibes your way *hugs* it's always really hard when you have a sick pet. I am taking my little baby to the vet March 16 to get her spayed which although I know it's good for them, I am terrified.
Sunrose Happy belated birthday!!!
Gypsy Dont you just LOVE having to play the censorship game with relatives? My parents really don't care but I have to be VERY careful what I say around my grandmother UGH!

I am starting to track my food and exercise on SparkPeople. I have done it for 4 days straight now! Go me! Lets hope I can keep that up.
Saturday and sunday were "uh oh" days for me. I ended up eating 1,000 calories more than I should have due to working around the house and then sunday going out with friends. Stupid vodka and after club McD's run!!!
But I did dance my butt off last night. The legs are pretty sore.
I plan on checking out a couple of exercise dvds this week to see which I like. I have to find ones that don't require a lot of jumping since my parents house is old, on a foundation and they have breakable crap everywhere that I may shake off the shelves from jumping.

Figured I'd check in and see how you ladies are doing.


I'm at 217! WOOHOO! I broke out of the 220s, FINALLY.

Hi everyone! I am proud of myself for getting back on track with both my eating and exercising this week. Even if I don't see much of a loss, I am proud of myself for continuing after a few iffy meals and treats over the weekend. Even though they were mostly planned, in the past I would have just given up anyway, figuring why bother trying if I can't be perfect ALL THE TIME!

GypseySeverina - Did you get your new exercise clothes yet? I'm thinking about ordering some myself, I am definitely in need.

GlitterQueenRayne - I've been thinking about trying sparkpeople, are you still enjoying it?

WormwoodDoll - on making into the teens. I am soooo wanting to be in the teens right now! You are awesome and an inspiration to me! I am hopefully going to be right behind you!

Sunrose - you will get there in NO TIME. It took me, literally, months to get away from 225. But I strayed from what was most important - me and my health. But I am back and I am seeing the bright side. Onderland, here we come!!

wormwood- Congrats! I'm hoping to break 290 this week. *hope hope hope*

congrats wormwood. awesommmmeeeeee

happy belated bday from me to sunrose..i had written a lengthy post--guess it got lost in the ether??!! good on ya for staying op

howdy gypsy and glitterqueen..haven't metcha yet..i have been a sporadic presence here for about a year (thought it was more??) and hope to be a wee bit more consistent--anyways...howya!! good to meetcha good to be here (am i lame--oh, yes i am...sheesh)