Woohoo! My DH is sending me to FLA for two nights for my birthday! Free time and uninterrupted sleep! Aaaaah.

I used to travel alone a lot when I was single.

He mapped several running routes for me through Tampa and gave me google maps from my hotel to beaches. The hotel has a full gym. He gave me a ticket to a haunted tour (we do those in whatever city we are in) and a guide book for the area.

I will be out of pocket for the next few days, but I will post all my solitary miles when I get back!!

Not really a counter . . . just changing my wol/woe for what's worked and is working for me and on how I feel, ya know? Not scale obsessed - have definitely wrapped my mind around the root of the problem which is this: Come from a long line of women who I believe all suffered clinical depression - various ways of dealing wth it down the line . . . mainly self medicating with food OR alcohol OR both. In my family from great gran on down FOOD = EVERYTHING and EVERY mood - happy/sad/bored/celebrations/funerals - you get the idea. Good food too . . . & LOTS of it. Feeling down? Let's BAKE! Advent of processed food/white flour/cane sugar makes that way of coping even more disastrous for someone with my emotional make up.

So yeah, I see your point about root causes . . . but also have this mid-life perspective of ok - but now what? I'm determined to chalk it all up to a lifelong bad cycle and poor coping mechanism - having fewer and fewer episodes and have totally lost the GUILT & self loathing from them - just suck it up & carry on, ya know?

Late nite ramble officially over!

Have a super time onthetee - sounds PERFECT!

ITA with catsgh entire Post btw! WTG for walking in the chill Girl!

Are ya hanging in there practiceliving? Hope you check in over the weekend.

I'm passing out & gonna try to have a REAL morning for a change . . . tty BLUES later . . .

On my way to the airport, but I wanted to let you all know I posted a small loss for the week despite hardly getting any chances to hit the road. After this mini-vaca, I expect a big loss!

Bon FLA Voyage ottee!

Welpers . . . no "morning" for me - afternoon & late night it is again . . . oh well - headed out to burn it up!

How's everyone else's weekend going?

I'm determined to keep up my water intake - seems like I "forget" about water once the weekend gets here. Kept glugging last weekend and gonna try to do the same this one - hope it shakes me lose from this 213 mini-plateau. Lately, when I get the late night munchies catsgh, I promise myself I can have a OP snack IF I still want it after getting my water down. 9/10 I usually don't even WANT the snack after the water, ya know?

Azure - great week 7 loss, congrats!!!

Chelle - good for you for getting in that exercise! Really, just 20 min. a day will make a difference!

NoVa - My scale does the same thing. Sometimes I have to tell DH to hide it for a week at a time because it drives me so crazy! Hang in there though, your goals sound realilistic and attainable, you will be where you want for your wedding date in 08' I'm sure

Catsgetnhealthy - Yes! you're my hero for exercising outside in the cold weather. If I'm going to exercise, its almost without fail gotta be outside because thats pretty much all that I enjoy, but I'm a summer gal living in a winter world You are great for getting out there in the 30 degree weather!

Onthetee - Florida vacation, Nice! I hope you have a great time and come back all refreshed! It sounds like you have some cool stuff planned

Aud - Coming from a long line of women who medicate with food, I hear ya! Its a difficult thing to overcome mentally, but I'm not going to let their habits rule me either. Also, congrats on that great loss!


Well gals, I'm not going to pretend I've been a good team member these last couple of weeks. I've been really struggling alot, to be honest. About 2 weeks ago I fell of the wagon and haven't found my way back yet. Within that time I've hade a birthday and Halloween to get through so It could have been worse but I completly stopped counting WW points and havent gone to a meeting for 2 weeks. I don't know what my problem is, but reading all of your successes always helps motivate me, thanks for always being a positive source, ladies. I'm going to kick my own butt back into the game here and please feel free to give me a kick too...could sure use it.

C'MON denice! We're all COUNTING on you dangit! Saturday Nite is as good a time as any to get right back on plan and GET 'ER DONE!


How was that?

Seriously tho' - hope you find your way back to your plan . . . I think I've been almost going OffPlan the last few times - just to see if I could . . . or just to see if I could right back on, ya know?

Sick.

evening ladies!

I feel like I've been in a coma all day. If I haven't been sleeping I've been driving. I've only had broccoli & rice today so I'm hungry now. Looks like I need to head to the store and get something.

Thankfully even though Daniel ordered pizza last night when I wasn't home its a disgusting one I refuse to eat so that was a real life saver!

Ever since I gave myself "permission" to eat all the toppings off pizza - I almost immediately quit being temtped by it. ()

Totally mental?

Had an AWEsome work out yesterday. Just awesome. NEVAH thought I'd become an "exerciser!"

Tx Blue-Buds!

Kind of screwy - thought it was 11 and time for Terry/Howie & the Fox NFL Boys . . . it's Fall Back 10am instead so kind of psyched I can get even more things done b4 heading out to WORK IT again @ the Y!

What kind of Sunday Plans do the rest of you Blues have?

There's healthy groceries in my house! woot! woot!

I went grocery shopping without the hubby and got stuff the both of us are going to eat.... whether he likes it or not!

1 point for the wife team!

thats my exciting sunday plan also. gotta prepare for the week if I stand a chance of getting back OP.

Thanks Aud, just the kick in the pants I needed! keep um coming if you see me slacking off!

I'll probably show a gain for tomorrows weigh in, but at least I'll be going back in the right direction. I don't think i want to use my last freebie, just in case i cant get to the computer to check in for one of the weeks or something.

Boy, have I missed alot!!! My fault totally! Between hockey, basketball, house cleaning and shopping for winter clothes, I haven't sat down to the computer in ages!!
Lots of interesting discussions going on blue ladies. I have to say that I have really gotten alot out of reading everyones posts about weight loss issues, and root causes...some real soul searching going on. In addition to all of the reasons already posted, I have to add procrastination. I got in the condition I'm in by thinking "tomorrow I will do better", " I will start exercising next week", "this is the last time I will go to McDonalds".....that all started years ago, and to be honest (thanks for the encouragment ladies), that is still my major problem. I have also thought about my reasons for wanting to lose this exess weight. I will never have the body of a 20 year old 'hottie'...I didn't have one then, and I won't have one in my 40's. I just want to be healthier, have friends notice that I have gotten thinner, fit into clothes from regular stores, be able to play with my kids, and not be embarrassed about how my body looks for my dh. Is that too much to ask????
I can't tell all of you how much I really appreciate your encouragement, honesty, acheivements and set backs, because you are my weight loss team.
With the exeption of one lady from church, I am pretty much on my own with this...no group meetings/weigh-ins, no one to 'report to'...so thanks!

AURGH! No Loss this week No gain, either, but no loss. I guess this is what happens when you think solving the pre-test grogginess at 7 AM means loading up on sugar and caffeine, then following the rest of the day eating the crap to stay energized. The funny (or not so funny) part was, that by the time I got to the testing site and testing had commenced, my sugar/caffeine rush was OVER and I couldn't eat/drink anything during the 3-hour exam...so it didn't help me mentally, anyway! So, I drown my groggy frustration in a crappy movie (30 Days of Night) and some popcorn...and...and...and...you know the drill.

Regardless, I'm going to take my maintenance this week! And I'm going to lose next week...Pre-cooking some meals tonight, to keep me on the straight and narrow

I'm planning on stepping it up a notch with sticking to exercise and my meal plan this week. My GRE subject exam is done, my Midterms are behind me, and though I still have Grad School applications to get together, papers to write and all the usual day-to-day University student stuff...I'm going to make my diet/exercise a priority again...because I deserve it.

Until tomorrow!

Well, I sit here writing after a quick 30 minute cardio workout and with my yellow lab sitting next to me looking at me like "will you please get off the computer and play with me?" not yet . . .

Michelle - yay for you buying healthy groceries!! I did that today also with my fiance and I have to say it is becoming my Sunday tradition (with and without him, he doesn't always have time to come, and I seem to get more shopping done more quickly on my own.) I used to go to the store on my way home from work on Monday, but I hated having to go after working all day and then getting home and having to eat late. I love being able to plan my meals on Sunday and get the shopping done. Each monday is a new week and it feels great to wake up knowing I have healthy meals planned for the rest of the week. We bought 2 new "healthy/diet" cookbooks today because we are tired of the same old WW cookbook we have been using since April. I have 5 yummy new recipes I'm trying out this week. After 7 months of dieting I definitely have to mix it up every one in a while to keep me on track.

Azure - I think it's great that you are maintaining and not gaining! I too get frustrated when I don't lose any and just maintain, but I have to sit for a second and tell myself it's better than gaining. I'm glad your tests are over and you can concentrate on yourself - you deserve it after all the hard work you've put in! Good luck with your week!

I think I've lately been having a change of attitude towards how I feel about my body. I have lost 40 pounds since April and it has not been easy for me to see or feel the difference. even though I see the scale going down and see my clothes sizes getting smaller and smaller, I still haven't been able to see ANY difference for months and months when I look at myself in the mirror. I hear it from other people, especially my fiance, but it was still hard to really believe. The past couple of weeks my thinking has changed. I notice less back rolls (gross I know but I think a lot of us have experience the back fat rolls from HE**), my butt and thighs are smaller, and my face is much thinner. I still have the nasty tummy fat (I think all of the weight I gained settled there) but overall I feel smaller and finally see myself as smaller. today I bought a fleece that was a medium- I haven't bought a medium in forever. And, just for kicks and giggles, I tried on formal dresses at Macys today. At my last job we always have a formal holiday dinner, and I hated buying a dress for it each year because nothing fit and it was just an awful shopping experience. this year I have a new job where there isn't a formal dinner, but just for fun I went to try on some dresses. I was able to find some great size 12 Petite dresses that fit me and I looked pretty good. My fiance got to see me in a few and he liked them a lot. I didn't buy anything because I can't really afford a dress and don't have anywhere to wear to it, but it was just fun to try them on and know I could fit into a smaller size. It took 7 months, but I think I can finally say I look smaller and be happ(ier) about the way I look. I still have a ways to go, but I'm finally getting my mind straight.

I hope everyone has a good night! I am hoping the scale will be nice tomorrow morning for weigh-in . .. I was pretty much on plan all week and exercised 5 days, and I hope the numbers reflect it!

Hi all - just wanted to check in quick. I have read everything since my last post, and I am so impressed with all of your thoughts on weight loss, motivations, challenges, etc. You're a smart bunch of women, and I'm really grateful to be among you!

Aud - thanks for thinking of me!

My big event for work is done, and I am SO relieved. This was the first event I've ever run all on my own, and I was in waaaay over my head. It's done now, and at least semi-successful, so I can breathe again and start turning my focus back on my goals and our team!

I'm going to take my 2nd freebie this week, and then I am really hoping that I can turn over a new leaf this coming week. My boyfriend will be away for a week on a work trip, so I'm hoping to get the house organised again, and get back on my feet in terms of my weight loss efforts.

I'm off to finish an assignment for school tomorrow, but I'll be back tomorrow with more personal attention for all of you. THANK YOU for sticking by me, I'm so stoked to get back in with you all.