Zenor, what a shock to see your pictures posted somewhere else. I never saw your pictures but they must have looked good. And good luck with the job hunt.

Coolmom, why don't you try the 3FC 5k challenge to get you in gear. See my signature to go to the sign up page and learn all about it. I started with 1k in April and now I do 5K 3x a week.

dgramie, you'll look fit and trim at the wedding. Just don't get too excited and forget to eat at all.

Hi Chemgirl. Calorie cycling sounds good if you don't go hungry on the days you cut back. I tend to do that now and then if something special is coming up and I know there'll be food I won't resist.

Shannon I feel the same way about a chip here or there, etc. Silly thoughts that come into our heads sometimes. My dad wouldn't eat black pepper either. Said it wasn't fit to put inside your body. I know cheese is full of saturated fats and that'll contribute to "killing" you.

Tinky, hope you get all your work done before your vacation. Just try and eat clean when you're rushing about trying to get everything done. I tend to grab junk or nothing at all and end up overeating or starving.

We have a nice sunny day and I've got a line of clothes out just ready to be taken in. All the rain is gone from Hannah and no damage was done as it was downgraded to a post tropical storm. Sort of petered out by the time it got to us.

ok ladies..i think i am overwhelmed today with all the changes going on in my life!!My son got married on dec 31 now they are expecting a baby girl in 6 weeks. Now my middle child is engaged and my baby started college.Life sure moves fast at this age. Everyone who has small kids or young teens give them an extra tight few hugs..enjoy your time with them. They grow up to fast!!!
Im craving protien today ..figure its from cutting to low yesterday. I will be careful and make sure i get enough calories. Thanks for all the well wishes!
hugs

Dgramie, we can't control what happens with our grown children. One minute you're tucking them in a cradle and the next you're wondering who that bearded adult is down in the nursery. Twenty years fly by in a blink. I, too have felt that overwhelmed feeling. I guess the only thing you can control is how you handle the changes. Sometimes I handled them well and other times...well, let's just say I've used up more than one box of tissues. It's hard to let go at times, even when the kids are doing good things in their lives. My DS and DIL are expecting their first baby in March. This is our first grandchild and we're all excited. Here's a hug from one old chick to another.

retiredone_ thank you so much for the hug! I am very excited about all the changes..I love my dil dearly. I love the my future sil and knew for a long time he was the one for my daughter!!Basically it has just been waiting for them to finish college to get married. I am so excited about my new granddaughter i can hardly stand it. I cant wait to hold her in my arms. Her mom has another ultrasound today(34 wks). I pray for one more month before she comes!
I think what overwhelmed me yesterday was just how fast things change. That and TOM is here ...cant wait for tom to go away and stay away!!
I guess the reason i was so hungry yesterday was Toms fault as well.LOL I made good choices though!
Better go and drink my coffee and get my 20 min on the minitramp in before the little kids i keep get here

We love our DIL too. She's a real sweetie and DS#2's GF is a girl we've known for years and I even taught her in school. She a lovely girl and we're hoping they will eventually get married too.

What's TOM? (sorry) I had a partial hysterectomy in my late 30s so I haven't had a visit for years. It seems so unfair that nature keeps sending it along when you know you don't want any more children. Should be a button to press or a key to turn to fix that problem.

I've kept to my caloric goal all week so far and have done all my exercises so I feel good about myself. I just made chocolate cupcakes for a church potluck this weekend and the cakes don't tempt me but the frosting does. I'm a pot/bowl licker and the frosting is just there waiting to be licked. I'll have to plunge the bowl in soapy water immediately upon frosting the cupcakes. The cupcakes will go in the freezer when they are frosted.

Good morning everybody... I'm finding myself more and more freaked out this week about the maintenance calories thing - I still weighed a pound more than Friday when I weighed this morning and typically my water retention from the weekend clears out by Wednesday... I do still feel a little puffy and have a little first two weeks of new pack of Seasonale spotting, so again, rationally I know what is going on, but it is still grating at me... Then, to add to it, I've worried myself into a headache so didn't work out this morning and now I feel worse than I did when I got up...

Blah, blah, blah... I need to quit fussing, get up, dust myself off and I'll be fine...

dgramie - you do have a lot going on all at one time! Even good things cause stress and can overwhelm a little, I know! It will all be beautiful, though, I'm sure.

Thank you for all of the welcomes.

If nobody minds i would like to ask, what is calorie cycling.
I mean i just try to stay with in my calorie range and try to pick the healthiest food s for my calories. And excersise to get at least a 300-500 calorie defecit for the day. But i just started reading somethings about calorie cyccling and i am not sure what that is.

well i on my Weigh in theis morning i was at 198!!! WOoooooo HOOOOOO!!! that is 3 lbs down!!

Zenor - I hated looking for a job too. It was hard decision for me to make to leave my last job. I do not like starting over!

Well i will not get to excersise tonight but my league is tonight so i will be gettting some good excersise there.

Hey, everyone. It has been a rough few days, in Rain Dancer country. I had a blow out binge day on the eighth, major yuk, then on the ninth, (my wedding anniversary, wouldn't you know?) I got the news that my Daddy had died. He had prostrate cancer and we have known for a year that we were going to lose him, but it was a painful shock, all the same.

I am doing all right, staying on track. I am determined not to let this throw me. I must admit, the idea of just drowning myself in food is rather appealing, right now. But, it won't do me any good. And it won't make the ache in my heart any better. It will just make me sick and mad at myself.

Dgramie, that is wonderful news, about your new grand baby. You must be so excited!

Zenor, I am sorry that your pics got pilfered. I belong to another website that is a magnet for photo stealing weirdos. What is wrong with people?

I hope that you are all having a good one. Talk to you all, soon.

Tinky
No one buys me anything I don't want in the house but I have seen my sisters husband do that to her over the years.

Shannon
Do you know one of the first things I did was stop making candy. Everyone hates that they no longer get it on holidays but I just couldn't keep making it and not having a taste here and there. It isn't the huge amounts of food that got me this way. I never ate huge amounts of food. I am sure the taste here and there sure helped to get me where I am lol.

Rain
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. We knew my father didn't have long but it was still a shock the day it happened. You are very right. Eating isn't going to make you feel better. Only time lets wonderful memories replace the pain you are feeling. Will keep you in my prayers.

I'm so sorry about your loss, Rain.

Rain Dancer, so sorry about your Dad. It's always painful when death steals a loved one. Will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

Rain, I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time. Imagine lots of big virtual hugs from all of us.

Rain - sorry for your loss... I know that food seems like the best option now but you have to stay strong and get through... staying on track will be the best feeling that you could have right now.

Rain - I would like to offer my condolences. loosing someone close to you is always heartbreaking. And like you have already said the food will just make you more miserable and i am sure that is not how your dad would want you to be. Keep your head up and on track and let time heal your heart. Our prayers are with you.

Good morning everyone...

Rain - I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. My thoughts are with you - even when you expect it it is never any easier. I also believe your dad wouldn't want you to fall off track with something so important to you - he would want you to take care of yourself as best you can.

dlp - calorie cycling is what is sounds like - varying your calories to keep your body from getting accustomed to one level. The articles about the calorie cycling talk about chemicals that your body produces when you change your levels, I don't really remember all those details, just that there are different schools of thought on the actual cycling. I've seen people who change their intake my 100-150 calories every day, some who go a few days at one level, then go down 100-200, then go up above starting level, then back down, some who keep one reasonably low level M-F then go up on weekends, there are a lot of variations. if you search for calorie cycling in the other forums you will see a lot of discussion on it.

I've been on plan with my 1450-1500 calorie target. I did go to Sonic last night with DH (he had a bad bad day) and had a Jr. Banana split - according to the website it was only 180 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. It was the cutest little thing I've ever seen, and the perfect snack size to satisfy the ice cream craving without going overboard.