Jen - I would love a copy of the crochet bracelet pattern if you'd like to share.

Hun.e.B - I like Mt.Dew, but I'm pretty sure that Code Red has twice as much caffeine as the regular kind and I just can't take that much caffeine at once. Has any of you tried Diet Mt. Dew mixed with Crystal Lite fruit punch? Delicious! I also agree that a new thread each week would be benficial. I know that if I get behind a couple of pages I start feeling uncomfortable jumping back in, so I'm sure other people must have that problem as well.

I'm on plan so far, including my goal of drinking 100oz of water, which I believe I inadvertantly left off my goal post. I do have a question. Did the challenge start Sunday or Monday? It isn't really that important I guess, I was just wondering.

Good Morning everyone!!! I hope you are all ready to have a fantastic OP day!!! Be good to you!!

When people get their bracelets made or bought we should share them!

I hope your day has some sunshine!

Monte....(love the name btw, monte is my university's mascot he is very beloved around here!) The challenge officially started on Sunday. I wasnt aware of the red mtn dew having more caffeine, I'll have to keep that in mind! I'm not a soda drinker, if I had soda I'd prefer it had a little southern comfort in it LOL, but since I dont do that anymore either!!!!

We will definetly start a new thread on Sundays now so people arent overwhelmed! But, seriously dont feel like you've gotta read it all! Just jump in where you can! We wont leave anyone behind I promise!!! And for the first couple of weeks if its something you really need help with or want us to pat ya on the back for...try making it bigger or in bold! Just to be sure noone glosses past

Anyone else having loading troubles with 3FC? It's taken me 25 minutes just to get this page up. I have a pm I can't even get to. :(

Jen - I'd be curious to see the crochet pattern as well.

I only see one in stock now....we're going to buy her out!

Before I go back and catch up on all the posts since I was last here, allow me to vent....I was just out looking at a forum on a personal trainer website and a person looking into the certification process introduced themselves like this:

...I love to work one on one with people and I would like to particularly work with the extreme overweight who basically need their hand held in order to lose the weight and change their lives for the positive.... I am truly interested in helping out those that cannot seem to help themselves due to lack of interest, self esteem, motivation or whatever the case may be...

Am I just being overly sensitive today, or is that offensive? I could rant on, but I'm going to go back and catch up on the thread.

Offensive! Sounds like an :censored: to me!

Tina - you seem to go through the same rough patch everytime your TOM is around the corner. Hang in there sweetie, this will soon pass.

bjeweled - I am not a morning person either. REALLY not a morning person! I work 2 jobs and found it incredibly difficult to find a time to fit exercise into my schedule. I would plan to exercise one evening and then remember at 10 pm that night that I hadn't done it yet. Late last November or early December, I hit that wall where I knew I had to do whatever it takes to lose weight. No more excuses! (I was the queen of excuses) I sat down with my schedule and figured that the only time I could commit to exercising was the first thing in the morning. I started with getting up just 15-20 minutes early every morning and did a 1 mile WATP video. I have my socks and shoes handy when I get up and I exercise in my pj's (I started out not doing anything too intense so I didn't need a sports bra -I'm not well-endowed so that makes a difference. I do put one on when I'm doing higher impact workouts). I get up and go to the bathroom first thing. Then in the living room I turn on the tv and vcr and put my dvd in. I have the remote next to me so that I can select the workout I want to do while I'm putting on my shoes. I put on my shoes and socks while the dvd player is going through all of the FBI warnings,etc. By the time I am done with that, the workout is usually starting.

I started with 15-20 minutes early and now do 30 minutes early. I am usually hopping in the shower at the same time I would have been if I'd stayed in bed. On days that I have time, I do an additional workout in the evenings. Sometimes it's my hour long Zumba class and sometimes it's only 15 minutes extra to make up some time. I try to do an hour on Saturdays and/or Sundays. I can usually get in 4-6 hours a week this way. I have decided that for me, anything more than 1/2 hour early will not work for me - I just can't do it. Occasionally I will skip one morning but not usually more than once a week. I try to view it as a part of my schedule rather than a choice. I want to be healthy and subsequently thin. I have no choice but to eat healthy and exercise to get to that goal. And I find that by doing it in the morning, it's out of the way and if I don't want to do any additional workouts in the evening I don't feel guilty. I start the day feeling as if I've already accomplished something. Sometimes it's still a struggle to get up in the mornings (usually Mondays), but I do it anyway.

Best of luck finding something that works for you! I ditto the sentiment to find something you enjoy.

I would love a push-up challenge! I can't even do one on my toes although I can do them all day on my knees.

Hello everyone! It's a crummy day outside because of all the rain we had yesterday, so I'm probably going to stay inside.

Anyway, I had a NSV yesterday. For the first time in a long time, I drank 8 glasses of water! Usually, I can get myself to drink 2 glasses tops for the day, because I'm just not a big water person, but I did it. It may not seem like a big deal, but it's huge to me. Not to mention I stayed OP and didn't even think about eating junk food.

Melissa, I love the idea for a new thread every Sunday. I think it'll definitely help more people post. I also found an old red bracelet I had from when I was in high school (I used to wear bracelets and bangles all the time). It's really cute. It has tiny beads and butterflies on it. I'll be wearing that everyday to remind me of our team.

About the Caffeine Free Mt. Dew thing - I didn't mean to offend anyone, I was just rambling at the end of a long boring day. I personally have a thing for Diet Mt. Dew...fully loaded with caffeine. It would probably do me a world of good to try the caffeine free.

Howdy to Everyone......

cakses - google recipe analyzer, that can help with the calorie count.

Bjeweled - A little story, a little drama, and a bit of pop phsycology...I hope I can make my point here without sounding too pathetic...2 1/2 yrs ago my dad died of a heart attack (6 mos before my parents 50th Anniversary), my mom has had a series of health problems which I doubt I will ever understand. I live 3000 miles away, my sister (and her family) lives 2 miles away. There are only two things that have helped me "deal" with this...1) a good cell phone plan with unlimited text
and long distance, & 2) getting myself back in shape. The first I use to stay in daily touch with my mom and frequent touch with my sister, niece, and nephew. The second I use to keep me healthy, positive, and focused. I was very fortunate to have had a nice long phone conversation with my dad the night before he died, and now I make a point of calling my mom each morning on my way to work (hands free cell phone so no issues with driving). My sister tells me that those phone calls help my mom, but some days she is just so down. Which brings me to my point (did you think I would ever get there?)....before I started losing this weight, each call home was painful. I was lathargic, depressed, and feeling like the worst daughter any parent could ever have...my mom didn't need that, she was trying to deal with losing someone who had been right next to her for 50 years. I finally figured out that the only way I could help my mom was to get myself straightened out. I had to do this....and if I can do it, anybody can do it. Be there for your folks as they were there for you.
Does that make any sense?

Hun. E. - I was thinking of making a Red (for the Red team) and Pink (for Ali and the inspiration she can be) friendship bracelet. I, of course, have no idea how to make a friendship bracelet, but I know how to google. Maybe a Red Berndana.

Uggggg, I have read through all the posts and I am tired. Have a great day everyone, I think I will try to earn some of this money they give
me twice a month.