When will you know how you did on the GRE's, az? What's that stand for BTW . . . I'm more brain dead than usual . . . took a Tylenol PM so I can sleep - taking Tess to some kind of psychiatric/pediatric dentist - has such anxiety that we're trying this method - if not will just have to go back to gassing her for the simplest procedures.

Going ahead and Posting -1lb loss - won't have time to go to the gym and weigh b4 we leave for the apptment - about an hour away -

Let's have a Great Week BLUES!

I just attempted the Turbo Jam Cardio Party for the first time....I lasted 20 minutes (of the 45). She goes from one move to the next fairly quickly, so I got a little frustrated with having to stop and catch up constantly. I will persevere, and try again either this afternoon or tomorrow morning. I am going to use a freebie today....not even thinking twice about it. Last week started out really well, but kind of went down hill from there.
Azure...good for you for maintaining that 7 lb loss from last week. Particularly while going thru exams....if anything is stressfull...that is!
novavtfan...getting into smaller sizes feels so good! Have fun shopping for that new dress!
Rhonda...a lady from my church started the First Place program with a small group of ladies from her neighborhood....she has lost 38 lbs since starting in the early spring.
Practiceliving....you and me both...posting losses for next week!

Good morning Bluezers!!!!! Having my coffee, been missing you all so much!

I am on day 72 now. Sorta weird, but u realize that this is how it's done, usually with some days where we all splurge. I just think I've done that so many times and gained back.. why not try it with no splurge days at all? They say to find someone who has done what you want to do and do what they did. Well, Rockinrobin is my inspiration, along with many others on this site and in my real life. I am going to do what they did and decide that the few sweets I would eat that would delay my loss aren't worth slowing me down. I eat a bite or two and that's how it needs to be for me, from now on. I had to really sit and think about that. Unless it reallllly tastes good, I won't even have the second bite. Why? Use my calories up on something that is mediocre? I think not! LOL. I know what she meant about that, being realllllly stingy about using them on stupid stuff. Makes alot of sense, and we all get that way, esp. when we've lost lots of weight. You have to or u won't lose. I know. But I realized in the last couple of months how if you take it verrrrry seriously, no matter who is visiting, what others cook, what holiday it is, what is being shoved at you by others, you have to take a stand finally... and say No. It's working like a charm for me and sometimes I want to go over so bad I can't stand it and I have to go to bed early. But isn't that the key? Finding another way to fix things? I want to eat when I'm up late just bc I'm so tired. Durh!! I should be sleeping. Fix? Get sleep! Not food. It's so simple it makes me mad.

I know I used food my whole life to cope. I love what you all were talking about, Aud, I think it was? About generations using it to cope. Mine too! On both sides, the women and the men at certain times. How do we stop the cycle? Learn new ways and therefore our kids will too. I am determined that mine don't have these issues. I don't freak when they want more candy or whatever (bc it's not all the time every day), we have them in sports, etc, and they are very conscious of healthy foods, we eat tons of diff. fruits and veggies and my 5 yr old will even say sometimes, well, is that good for you? If he's offered something. One time he asked why I stopped getting on the tmill.. I realized that since he was a baby (when I lost alot and kept the bulk off since) I was always on that thing. It was natural to him that I use it every day. LOL. That was cool! He does think it is normal to exercise every day. I changed the pattern already in a sense. I'm so happy.

Ok, babies are waking. Wish I could chat more with you all.

Az, Congrats on the great loss last week and maintaining this one!

Rhonda, I bet you will like the First Place stuff. Sounds interesting and helpful.

Aud, Hope it goes well with Tess at the dentist, and congrats on your loss this week!

Chelle, yay! Doesn't it feel good when you know you have those good foods waiting at home. I hate it when I run out of all my fruits and veggies, etc. It's depressing!

Onthetee, oooooh, have fun girlie!!!!

Hiya to practice, Dea, Nova, Sara, fit, Cat, Charity, Lindsey, Tina, Denice, and everyone here!! So glad to be back at least a little bit. I am swamped today too, 50s day at the kids' school, gonna go to the sock hop! LOL. Had my cousin and my friends here this weekend, was crazy, couldn't get online. So far, should be able to a bit this week. I am down to 214.5. Yay! 1.5 lb loss this week.

Hafta come back and post that! Hope I remember!!

Big hugs girls, Selina

Good morning ladies~ Sorry I haven't been here as much as normal, but things have been insane over here! I am happy to report a little loss this week. only 1/2 lb. but it's something. I made it to the gym yesterday, and I have to tell ya it felt really good. That is my goal for this week to hit the gym at least 5 days, so 1 down 4 more to go! I have to get my butt back into the groove of exercise, especially before the holidays hit...I need to stay on top of it, so I don't get totally de-railed per-usual and then Jan. comes around and I've gained 10lbs and have to start all over. So that is going to be my main focus....exercise! It really has proven to be the key to my weight-loss, and overall happiness This weekend I'm going to the outlet mall with my SIL and MIL so that is something that is motivating me this week to stay on track....I don't want to feel like a big old frump trying clothes on This weekend we did some yardwork, grocery shopped, and chilled at home Well I am off to start my day ladies...Have a great day everyone

Good morning, Blue Ladies!

I leave for Minnesota on business today and won't return until late Thursday evening. I'm not sure if I'll have access to the internet, so I may not get to post until Thursday or Friday. I plan on staying on-plan no matter how difficult it might get. I've been told that they give us free vouchers for breakfast and lunch at the cafeteria and that there are healthy options. However, I've also been told that the bring in pastries with coffee and juice at mid-morning and fresh baked cookies in the afternoon. Yikes! Plus, we'll be eating out every evening. My plan is to stick with oatmeal in the morning and grilled meats with veggies......no bread, pasta or rice...and no dessert!

I have to say....I really have enjoyed reading the posts from the last few days. It really helps to hear that I'm not all alone in my struggles. I fight depression constantly and have since I was a pre-teen. Depression runs in my family. I really think that the problem with my knees threw me off track this time. I was feeling so motivated and confident and I got knocked off my feet and I haven't been able to pick myself back up yet. And, I've been forgetting to take my hormones, eating sugar and not getting enough sleep. To someone who fights depression, these are major triggers! But, I'm not giving up. I will get my head together. Until then, I'll just fake it.

I'm going to miss you guys...and, I can't wait to get back and catch up on your week. Hope everyone has a great on-plan week.
GO BLUE!

Morning ladies!

I haven't had since my confession. (I'm too lazy to look back!) I got some exercise in over the weekend even if it was just 15 mins. I didn't exercise yesterday so I need to move it today. I'll probably bump it up to 30 mins today just to see how it goes.

So I woke up this morning an hour earlier than I was supposed to because I had attempted to set my clock in the dark last night. I was ready for bed by 10 cause I had stayed up all night Saturday for no particular reason. I'm a little tired today but I think I'll be ok.

My big project for today is catching up on 5 chapters of homework and 2 papers. I was really bad and didn't feel like going to school all last week so now I'm really paying the price. I got all of my survey answers though so I'm glad that you ladies could help out. I had 85 people respond so I made the minimum of 80 surveys thankfully. I would have like to had more but I understand not everyone is in that sort of thing.

Today my menu is yummy and left over from yesterday

B: bowl of regular cheerios and 2% milk
S: Special K bar (only cause I ate breakfast at 6:30! )
L: Turkey burger with 2% milk cheese and tsp of bbq sauce on a whole wheat bun & whole grain brown rice on the side with a small salad with 2 sprays of honey mustard vinegrette lite & 1/2 cup of sugar free fat free pudding ( I love lunch!)
S: 100 calorie oreo granola bar
D: Probably the other turkey burger with rice in my fridge since my hubby doesn't like turkey burgers
S: 1/2 No sugar added double churned vanilla ice cream (this depends on what time I get home!)

I weighed in at home and I had gained a bit earlier this week cause of my TOM. I'll probably be all drained out this afternoon when I weigh in at the WW meeting. Lets hope so!

Well I need to hop on that homework Any volunteers to take a chapter for me?

I've been so busy and my mind has been elsewhere (a friend died, we had the fires in CA, there has just been so much going on). I lost 4 pounds this week, (just posted int the W/in thread) and our team is so small! I hope we regain our victory this week, we had an unbeatable streak for a while! We have 5 weeks left, so let's actually bump it up and WIN BIG by LOSING BIG!!!

Oh, and Chellez, congrats on being the Mod for this forum.

Hi Blue Chicks,

I’m celebrating my 50lbs lost today. Feels so good, I thought I’d never get here. Next goal is to get under 200. My plan is to reach it by my birthday which is the end of February. Then I have the rest of the year to get Fit in 2008.

Soon to be fit- I’ve been so inspired by RockinRobin too. I copied her whole story to a file that I keep. Every time I read something inspiring or helpful about weight loss I add it to my file. When I have a bad day I go back and read that file and it is so motivating. Anyway, I think it’s amazing how RockinRobin stayed on plan even on days she had planned to go off. It just wasn’t worth it to her to eat extra calories. It definitely paid off and her weight loss was super quick -162lbs in 10 months! Soon to be fit, at 72 days OP, you are an inspiration to me too! I’m definitely not there yet, especially with the holidays coming up, but I am thinking of doing this at the start of the New Year (staying OP until I reach my Goal). In the meantime I'm trying to get in as many Op days in as I can and I am making lots of progress. I’ve turned down so many yummy things that I really wanted. In my head I say “It sucks that I can’t have this but being fat sucks more”. That little saying has gotten me through so many temptations.

Soul Bliss- Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Hope your big weight loss this week is the start to happier times. You’ve done amazing this whole challenge and with all the exercise you do we just might make it to the moon.

Chellez- You may want to try this when you have your next mac craving. I have it quite often for lunch: I cook the egg and turkey bacon in the microwave so it’s super quick and yummo!
Whole Wheat English Muffin (toasted), 1 wedge of Reduced Fat Laughing Cow Cheese (either the onion or garlic flavored one), cooked egg (I use Christopher's Pride from Walmart 660 mgs of Omega- 3 per egg), turkey bacon (I try and buy uncured from Trader Joes), big slice of tomato.
Keep up the exercise. I know you can get in 30 minutes today.

Girly girl - good luck on your trip. Lots of temptations but you have a good plan.

Dea- I did two new fitness videos last week. I’ve been doing the same ones for 5 months now. It was a fun change to try something new but definitely a challenge to learn new steps and to keep up. I am going to order a new video as a reward for my 50lb loss. Everything I own now is pretty old school. I've been thinking about getting one of the Biggest Loser Ones. Anyone tried these and can make a recommendation? I'm a little worried that they might be too high impact.

To everyone that struggled last week aren't you glad it's a brand new week. It's such a beautiful day here. Just perfect for a brand new start. Lets all make the most of it.

Thanks!

Well I just got through my big lunch! I'm full but think I have a bottomless pit in my tummy cause I still want that "something else" and I know its not coming. I still have my oreo granola bar but I'm determined to save it for snack at 3!

I've gotten 1 out of 5 chapters done. I seriously doubt I'll have them all done by class tonight so I'm just going to do as many as I can.

Other than that I'm getting 4 books in the mail the next week or so. I'm getting the biggest loser diet plan book, the new biggest loser fitness book and the biggest loser cookbook. I'm also getting Jillian's book but I think thats next week sometime. So I'll be a wealth of information being a moderator. (And it may just convince me to kick weight watchers to the curb since I'm a hit and miss meeting attender.)

Daniel asked me last night what I want for Christmas if I could have anything.... I couldn't think of anything last night but I'm thinking I realllllly want a treadmill. That or money! I will except nothing else! Either I'm gonna lose weight or get out of debt I know no one will give me money because they know I'll use it to pay off bills. Since when was bettering myself such a crime. My family (and extended family) is weird.

Well I need to get back to working on this boring homework. This book is so boring it makes me want to fall asleep, this paired with a full tummy is not going to be good.... zzz

I have to wait 6 weeks! It's going to be nuts. I'm going to go ahead with my applications to all the Universities I want to get into, and hope for the best (only 2 of the 6 require the Subject Test).

The GREs are Graduate Record Examinations (think the SAT for those hoping to go from Undergraduate college to Graduate school). There is a General Exam that tests knowledge in Mathematics, Verbal and Logic and there are Subject Exams, that some University programs require. I took the Literature in English Subject Exam over the weekend. I still need to take the General exam sometime between now and the 1st week of December. It's crazy!

I hope your dentist appointment with your little girl goes well! I really need to go see the dentist myself... I never had a dentist phobia, though--I went to really awesome pediatric dentists as a kid. Let us know how it goes!

Just about to give Turbo Jam another try!
No more 'putting things off for later".
Fitin2008...congrats on 50lbs!!! what an accomplishment! I have the first Biggest Loser workout DVD. I find it a good workout. There is a low intensity and a high intensity cardio, weight training, bootcamp (kind of tough) warm-up and cool-down. The only complaint I have is that the workouts (cardio) don't follow any music. I like that the participants are "biggest losers", and not size 2 models. All-in-all, I'm glad I bought it, and I use it all the time
Soon2Bfit...72 days!! That is some amazing focus!
Girlygirl...Have fun in Minnisota...we are all here rooting for you to stay away from those temptations
Chellez....I am hinting at a treadmill for Christmas this year. I would actually like one for my B-day (turning the big 4-0 in a couple of weeks), so I can get using one! Good luck!

Well, I have a set amount of time to get this work-out, and a couple of other things done before picking the kids up from school.
Have a great week Blues!!

Morning Ladies!

Well I did it! I officially kicked WW to the curb this morning. So now I will have 40 extra dollars in my pocket every month. Which is always a good thing. I'm not suggesting that you not try WW or that you need to quit. I just know I could never make the meetings and when I did go to the Saturday meetings, the leader was sub-par compared to the Tuesday nights that I loved but couldn't attend because of school. Not to mention it was like they had a different leader filling in for someone on Saturday every time I went. Anyway that's over now so I'm glad I made the right decision.

I've been on plan for almost 3 days now and I'm feeling pretty good. I think I only slipped once when I had garlic bread pizza last night but I'd gotten home late and it was there and I wanted to save my other turkey burger for lunch today. One slip up won't kill me and I haven't quit so I'm good.

Today's menu kinda looks a lot like yesterday's because its still leftovers I'm not wasting a good turkey burger!

B: bowl of regular cheerios with 2% milk & glass of natural OJ
S: Special K bar
L: Turkey burger on whole wheat bun with bbq sauce and brown rice, small salad with 2 sprays of lite honey mustard vinaigrette, 1/2 cup chocolate pudding
S: Oreo granola bar
S: Cranberries and Snowpeas Weird combo I know!
D: Hopefully I have enough time to make steak with green beans and squash if I get out of class early enough tonight!
D: Maybe.... 1/2 cup no sugar added vanilla ice cream

Well I got 2 of my books in the mail yesterday! I'm reading the Biggest Loser Cookbook this morning and some of it is doable... I have to find some of this crazy stuff they want like oat flour.... but I'm sure I can find it at the organic store I go to sometimes. The Biggest Loser Fitness Program is sitting on my kitchen table cause I'm waiting to get the Biggest Loser Diet Plan before I start their fitness program.

I was doing the math this morning and at my current weight I should be eating 1350 calories a day.... looks like I need to fire up the old FitDay again!

I'm hoping if I jump on the actual diet plan (minus joining their website!) that it'll help me understand more about the actual diet plan and help me as a moderator of the forum. At least that's what my overall goal is.

Other things to do today.... hmmm. I know I have to finish chapters 10-13 by tomorrow. Thankfully 10 is very short and I plan on knocking out a few today before I head into my lab class tonight. I have to enter in my results from the survey tonight so it will be interesting to see how everyone answered! I probably will jump on month end accounting work for the business tomorrow or Thursday when I don't have so much homework to do. Thankfully that doesn't have a deadline so I'm safe.... for now!

I still need to figure out what I'm doing for Thanksgiving. My mom wants to eat early so she can leave for Myrtle Beach since thats her home away from home. I guess I better call Daniel and talk to him about that. I still need to find out if my mom talked to her friend last night. Her friend was telling her at the Oyster Festival over the weekend that she knows of a house that has a rent to buy option on the other side of the water (ie. the river) that I might be able to get into. She also mentioned something about hiring me as a clerk making $30 K a year starting and then moving up to a staff accountant making anywhere from $35 K to $48 K a year. Oh I'd be thrilled if I got that job! I think they may offer me $5 K next year towards school too! Oh the possibilities...

I think I'm pretty set on that I want a treadmill for Christmas. I had a dream last night that I had a fold up one that slides under the bed and I was putting it away. Actually I think I was dreaming about where I would put it if I did have one. Wow I have some weird dreams I know.

Jeez... I've been typing so long it's time for 10 o clock snack.

So anywho... just out of curiosity... where has everyone gone to? I think like half the team has left or doesn't really get a chance to chat anymore. I know I'm not one to be the pot calling the kettle black but we need more team support around here from those that have been fading off! Get your butts in gear and start chatting! Or else!

Well the boss is back and I have to run. I'll be back later to check on chatting and stuff.

Hey Gals!

I posted a preview of some of our big losers in the week 8 results thread!

Just remember.... the final biggest loser is determined by weight loss percentage not by weight loss.

Well its almost time for lunch! Gotta head over to the mod forums then gear up to go..

Is the rain making everyone sleepy today? Normally I'm never the first one to post!

Congrats to ALL our Bluezers, but I appreciate the hardwork of those Michelle recognized in the other post! Thanks for you dedication to the team. There have been a few weeks when I was NOT helpful, but you picked up the slack. Excellent work!