Good morning girls! The weekend was crazy busy - but I still managed to get my workouts in! 30DS is a god send!!!

Pat :hug: i'm sorry to hear of your sister - please keep us updated as to what's going on.

I'm staying off the scale until Thursday's weigh in. I've become too scale obsessed again. I'm also weaning myself off of calorie counting, and just making better choices and eating when hungry - until full - not stuffed. My own little Intuitive Eating transition. I don't want to be a little old bitty weighing foods and asking for caloire counts at restaurants. I CAN do this! I have to stay away from emotional eating and stay strong!!! I'm sure that initially it's going to be really hard, and I'll probably gain a little bit - but I need to do this for me!!!

Hi All,
Still here... just been CRAZY with life. I am excited - only 3 lbs to go to meet my Christmas goal!! YAY!! I think I am going to (unofficially) go for an additional 5 lbs (that means total of 8 lbs to go), but not going to officially change my goal so that I don't feel like a failure if I don't make it. :)
I hope all are well. Happy Holidays!

LadyinFlux, that's great that you are almost at your first goal! That sounds exactly like something I would do (and am kind of doing). I believe my origional goal was to be 180 by Christmas and right now I am hovering around 181.5-182.

In other news I completly binged last night again. It was, again, the night before a major school assessment. It is unbelievable how there is such a direct connection between me over eating and stress. And at the time I knew that I was doing it because I was stressed out, but the nutella kept calling my name. I didn't even enjoy it while I was eating it.

Oh well, today's another day.

Morning girls! Ok - it's not so much morning...but whatever ;)

I am proud of myself - I have completed 10 days of level 2 on the 30 day shred. :yay: I've revamped my Christmas goal (see signature) I'm DETERMINED to hit the #170's!!! I've stayed on plan this long, and I have 20 more days of 30 DS... and I'm going to be amazed when I'm done.. I can feel it! I wish I would've taken measurements when I started... oh well. I know my waist- and I'm looking forward to losing more inches of it. :D

Eny, great job, those 30 day shred videos are tough!!

I am with ya, you wanna get to the 170's, I want to get to the 130's, we can do it!!

Yes we can!!!!!!!

:wave: Hey Dixie, did you go shopping yet for your dress? Only one more week to your 5k too!

MM~Not yet. I am going to. I want black Friday to get behind first. Then the first of the week I will hit the mall. I won't come home without the perfect black dress. I think for this challenge I am going to buy it skin tight, and challenge myself with the idea to make it fit better. I am off to a decent start. My YMCA membership is up on the 19th. I am going to make the most of the next 20 days. That will almost end this challenge. I am sad that it will be over soon. MM What are your plans for our next challenge?? Catch ya after I do my mm crunches!!! Pat

OK--so far a fairly successful week-end. I am also determined to get OUT of the 180's THIS YEAR! (i.e., before Christmas!) I have been yo-yoing still between 183-185. Today after my swim, 183.8. Thank goodness most of the leftovers are gone, just healthy turkey left now.....

Let's finish out this week-end STRONG! :elf:

What is it with the #180's???? Mod, Dixie - WE ARE GOING TO ESCAPE THEM BEFORE THE NEW YEAR STARTS!!!! I'm going CRAZY about it! *ugh*

I finished day one of level 3 - and let me tell you - it was TOUGH! On;y 19 more days though - I can do it! I have to do it! I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE #180S!!!!!!!

Eny~Me too! I could scream, cry, and shoot the scale goddess. I got Christmas off to a much better start. I am really on the exercise trail. I ate one more piece of pumpkin pie than I planned to, but everything else was GOOD. I got in some exercise on Thanksgiving. Been exercising since. I hope to be 180 for wi. I plan to bust this butt of mine for the next 3 weeks. I am drooling, panting, slobbering, and working extra hard to get to 170 something for Christmas. I hope and pray some one has a new years challenge, maybe even a Valentines challenge. I plan to be at goal for Valentines.~~You are on an exercise roll, and determined. I like to see that. Lets rock Christmas!! Pat

I think we should ace Eny's decades challenge for a bit along with this and then after Christmas we can continue with that and maybe start an Easter challenge. My family leaves on vacation on Good Friday and I would love to be to goal by then. We could certainly do a Valentine's challenge too but I like the long ones (they have room for my slip ups)

JCP had some sharp dresses here, so does Bon Ton. You better take a picture for us, Dixie! It's funny because when I saw them Dixie, I thought of you!

You must be getting psyched for your 5k!! Make sure and let us know when you are done. I will not be on next Saturday as DS has a wrestling tourney, but I will check first thing Sunday cause I can't wait to hear what you thought!

Eny, what does your daughter want for Christmas? Does she believe? I miss that.

Modcat, LIF, KT, tell us more about y'all, what makes you tick?

I took YS shopping yesterday with his girl, didn't buy anything but they did so mission accomplished I guess, at least I walked a lot and started getting some on the Turkey Day tonnage off.

OK have to go to church, BBL!

MM~We have a big JCP at the Mall with a Sears and Kholes. We don't have a Bon Ton here. You are so sweet to think of me in my black dress. I am getting excited about the 5k. I walked 3 miles Friday. Was okay with it, the body didn't rebel or get sore. I know I can do it, ready, set, go!!!!!! We have 1 maybe 2 inches of snow on the ground and supposed to have 5 by Monday Morning. This should be interesting!!! I need to get DD ready to go back home. DS is driving:-))))) it will be okay. I will catch ya all later! Pat

MM--tell you what makes me tick? I think if I knew that, I wouldn't be so chaotic with my weight and my emotions, etc. hehe! Suffice to say I've hit what is probably a mid-life crisis, well, hit it about a year ago and still trying to work it all out, but losing this excess weight (which just kept going UP year after year for the last 10 or so) is a BIG part of me trying to successfully come out the other end of this journey much happier, and with the added bonus of healthier and higher self-esteem, more confident, and of course, HOTTER! (lol!)

I've had a disorganized last 3 years, moving a lot to help DH achieve his dream of relocating from the midwest to CA after his career change, but in the process, not realizing how much this would throw me off-balance, with my career, the connections and relationships I left, the new financial considerations, everything. So, I am still trying to figure it all out--if you have any answers or insight to share--PLEASE DO! :)

Yesterday (last night) everyone was sick of turkey so DH and bil wanted to order pizza!! :devil: So even though I was very good and only had 2 slices, today, weight back up to 185!! (Was 183.8!) I am keeping my :crossed:
that this is just a temporary blip, and tomorrow it will be back down. But oh man, it did hit the spot! That is truly one of my weak-willed foods--I just love pizza, could probably eat it every day! Oh well, I won't have such a strong craving for it now for awhile......

Have a good football Sunday, everyone!

Modcat, I hope DH appreciates the confidence & support, but I bet he does.

It's hard to leave things behind and start over. Kind of like how we all get into this overweight thing, easier to continue with the bad habits than to forge new ones sometimes. I had that type of issue with family. My sister and mother are poison people. My Dad is a drunk. I can't have a healthy relationship with any of them, it took me 40 years to get that thru my head and a counselor even now would not be a bad idea, but who has time for that? Maybe eventually I will have to, but not now.

I am getting my head and body hopefully in the right place at the right time.

Dixie, I love Kohl's, did not get there this weekend as ours is not in the mall, but I love that store. Happy shopping! We got snow yesterday too, so pretty but hate to drive in it.

I got my Christmas tree up and decorated with my boys yesterday while we watched football. It looks beautiful, but I think I am skipping the outside lights this year. I can't afford the power to run them!! Oh well.

OK- got to get ready for work, have a great day all!!

MM - We don't "celebrate" :santa: in our house. We do however wakeup Christmas morning and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. When she was 23 months old she asked me if I was santa, and I swore to myself that I'd never lie to her. She's always been much wiser then her years - so she completely got it. I swear she's a very old soul. Coolest child in the world.

Mod - Pizza is my BIGGEST downfall too! that and Chinese food. :hun: And when I eat them - I do immediately put on #1+ due to all that sodium. It usually does go away quickly for me, unless I follow it up with more bad food choices.

Oh - I've made another break through.. I'm only eating food that TASTES GOOD! I came to this decision yesterday when i was eating burger King... a chicken sandwhich, and it just tasted AWFUL! Why waste all those calories on something that I don't even enjoy???

Everything else is going good. I've done 13 days in a row of exercise - which is a record for me! I'm 1/3 of the way through 30DS - and I'm definately seeing some improvement in my physique - even if the scale isn't reflecting it yet... it'll catch up - hopefully by Thursday! :lol3:

alright - off to work for me! BBL!

MM--Thank You for the kind words of encouragement. I realize what I am going through isn't unique even if the details are, and in fact, lots of people here have lots of issues in their lives they are working hard at overcoming/changing. I think we all have had some sort of rocky road we've traveled to have arrived at this point in our lives where we all now find ourselves here at 3FC. This is why this site is so good for us--no matter what our background or history, we all GET IT. We all understand that losing weight/getting into shape is just one aspect of what we are trying and needing to do here. I don't know if I am expressing what I'm trying to convey, but the great thing is--I don't have to exactly, b/c I know everyone here understands!!

Eny--Yeah, I figured that out a couple of weeks ago!! What a lightbulb moment--if I ordered something and it just doesn't taste that good, well, no one's holding a gun to my head, I don't have to eat it just because I spent money on it. I don't care about the starving kids in Africa (well, I do, but......) I am just going to throw it away. Leave it, push it away from me, or feed it to my dogs if I am at home! I do not want to waste any calories on any food that isn't tasting great or isn't satisfying me!!! That is so hard to do, to change that mindset, especially when $ is so much tighter now. But I have to think MY health and happiness is worth so much more than a few dollars--isn't it??

Dixie--I hope you made it home ok--I heard Chicago and Indiana got some more messy weather and 0ver 50 flights at O'Hare were cancelled yesterday.

LIF, kt, others---:wave:

Off to work!

I agree - my health and happiness is worth more then food... and honestly, I do care about starving kids in Africa, but if I send them food it'll make them even sicker by the time it gets there!

I'm having an unmotivated work day. i'm excited about tomorrow. i took the day off to go to a Christmas Card making class thingy w/ my mom and sis. I'm excited. i haven't done card making or scrapbooking in FOREVER! I miss it, but I just never can find enough time!!! Maybe if I'd put some of my sewing and crocheting projects on the back bruner I would.. but then I'd also have to go and print the bazillion pictures that I have saved to disk! :lol:

I think i'm going to plan a day to scrapbook soon. go and print everything out. Maybe a New Year's resolution - to print everything and catch up in 2009 - so that at the end of it I'm not behind starting 2010! Right now I think I'm about 3 years behind! :eek:

Alright - off for now. Only 3 more hours of work - i should do something

Eny~~RIGHT SAID GIRL!! Our health is worth more than food!!! I also care about all the starving people in this world...but we can not help them if we are sick, out of shape, and malnurished ourselves. Let us eat for our health, well being, and weight loss. scrapbookking sounds like fun!!

Modcat~It is messy weather wise here. There were delays at Indy and Chicago airports yesterday. We had several schools systems on 2 hour delay also. Bless the snow bunny, we are forecasted to get more Wednesday!! The kids love it. Grandson went out to throw snowballs, even put one in the freezer!! He played in the snow for the longest time~~I wanted to make hot chocolate for them but Dad said no. He had to come in because he was in trouble at school. I have had to stop walking outside the last few days b/c of snow and ice. I can not wait until I can take a long walk outside again. I loved the 3 mile walk I had Friday night. It was awesome.

MM~I like to shop at kohles too. Face it I like to shop, window shop, browse, all that stuff. OHHHHH Guess what!!! I have had several seed catalogs come in the mail the past couple of weeks!! Guess who is drooling over them?? One even came with a $25.00 off coupon!!!! Can't wait til Spring, gotta keep my hands dirty! Been exercising, burning lots of calories--6 days in a row!! Got 2 hours in today. I am on a roll. MM lets rock it we have 3 weeks to get errrrr done. Lets do it!!~~~Catch ya all later Pat

:wave: My sister went to the doctor yesterday. Good news all around. She has lost 8 pounds. Her doctor signed papers so she can be approved by Medicade for stomach staple weight loss surgery. Her hernia is healed for the time being, infection is gone for the time being. Both can happen again at any time. Her iron is up, her sugar is down. She is healthy enough for the surgery. She can go home!!!! She has lived with her daughter for the last 6 months because the doctor didn't want her to be by herself at home. I am very proud of her, she has worked VERY hard to get to this point. She is 428 pounds and ready mentally for the surgery. Of course I will be right there for her every step of the way. She came over last night and we talked for some time about it. I will keep you updated. Pat

Dixie--awesome news about your sis! Hopefully the approval process doesn't take too long and she can get it done!

Stay safe in the snow and ice (and warm!) I have to say I don't really miss that part of it too much.....It is nice to look at from inside the house, though! lol.....

Eny--I haven't ever gotten into the latest scrapbooking craze. I kept one from college and first year of marriage, but it was just ticket stubs and programs and old flowers and stuff stuck in a book, not the really pretty, detailed and creative ways they have now of showcasing important moments of our lives. If I had children, I would probably be all over that......

It's fun - but time consuming. definately something that you have to plan a whole day doing - and still I wouldn't be caught up!

The scale godess was nice today. I'm down to #185.8! I'm hoping that this is the first step to the downward spiral and that the trend will continue! :D

Morning all!!

I am taking a few days off the scale and focusing on food!!! I am eating oatmeal as we speak.

DixieMae, have a wonderful time tomorrow at your 5k! Relax and enjoy, just think, you'll have fun, cross a goal off your list and get your exercise in all at once! SO happy for your Sis too. I saw my Aunt last night at DS wrestling match, she had gastric bypass surgery this spring and she's lost a person!

Eny, I love to read about your crafty ventures. I know I've told you before, definitely not one of my talents though I wish it was.

Modcat, I am with you, that's how I scrapbook too and I have children.

I will be away from the 'puter this weekend. Today I have the day off to help with the Christmas Bazaar set up at church, tomorrow will be at wrestling all day. Will check in maybe Sunday to hear how everyone does!!

MM~We have snow, snow and more snow. Still coming down by the inches. I opted not to try the 5k. I am disappointed, but don't want to hurt myself and ruin the rest of the challenge. I don't want to disappoint my weight loss sisters, but the looks of things out there it isn't fit for walking or running. Even the die hards will have a problem out there today. I will do a 5k, it will happen!!! Catch ya all later Pat

mm~It is still lightly snowing out there! It is freezing cold!

Its Snowing Alot Here!!!
Ohio

princess~I am in Indiana~yup it is snowing~tis the season I guess!!

MM~I am sitting here with happy tears rolling down my cheeks. I found the perfect black dress. It is at Penneys in the catalog that you told me about. It is on sale, in stock at our local store. They have it in a 14w-one size smaller than I am wearing now it is Bisou Bisou beaded dress on page 4. Check it out and tell me what you thinK. I just cant believe it. Who said you can't make your dreams come true. Thank you!!!!!!!! Pat

Dixie Mae, I can't find the catalog so I checked it out on line. Did you order it yet??? I hope so, it looks perfect! You should be so proud of yourself. Think of all the new things you have accomplished on this journey, and we are still going!

I think that was a smart move to skip the 5k in the snow. It's too easy to fall and then it's months getting everything back together. (I fell on the ice 2 winters ago & messed up my knee) so I can speak of that from experience!

I think we got the cold from you, it is SO cold here today!!

OK my Christmas friends, I am having trouble with my focus, please remind me that I can get back on track and start losing again. I would like to get to 139 for Christmas but would settle for 145 at this point. Then I want to refocus toward Black Friday as we leave on vacation that week. I want to hit 120 by April 10. I need to lose less than 2 pounds a week to do that. I can manage that if I just focus and stay on plan.

MM~Eny~~I went to Penneys to order my dream black dress. I got to the catalog department. We looked and looked for the dress on screen. Couldn't find it. I thought maybe I had dreamed the whole thing and it wasn't to be. On the very last page there it was!!!!! MY BLACK DRESS!!!! i started to cry right there in front of all those people. I couldn't order the dress!!!!! Only one in stock!!! Now you all know your Dixiemae. When she gets something in her head it doesn't leave easily. The lady smiled at me and said follow me. We went to the dress department, searched and searched the racks for the dress. On the very last rack there was my dream dress. Live and in person. A sight to behold. The picture doesn't do it justice. It is far more beautiful in person than on the page of the catalog. OMG!!! It is gorgous!!! No I didn't order it MM I bought it and brought it home. The bestest part?? It FITS!!!!!!! IT IS a size 14w. I have dropped a dress size. I am so excited I can't stand myself. Now the perfect ending for this Cinderella story would be---having some place special to wear my gown. I have lived the dream to this point, took a big step in faith to this moment. Now I need a knight in shinning armor to take me to a ball. Since I am not looking for one---HELP!!!!! I am so excited I don't know weather to laugh or cry for joy. YES OH YES I will have my son take a picture just for you!!!!! Catch ya all later, but I jusst had to tell ya I couldn't wait til tomorrow :-))))))))))) Pat

CONGRATS ON THE DRESS dixiemae AND THE WAY IT FITS SO GOOD ON YOU!!!! CANT WAIT TO SEE PICS---

DixieMae, I can't wait to see it. I am so, so, so happy for you!!!! Live, in person and it fits! :carrot: :carrot:

Merry Christmas to you! You've gifted you with a brand new Dixie Mae!

Girls - I'm back.. i took a few days off, was in a slump - not good at all - then I didn't feel good yesterday. I'm BACK NOW!!! :grouphug:

Hi there. I have been MIA for a while - hope all are well. Life has been a bit hectic here, but things are back in a regular pattern. At least I have managed to stay (mostly) on track! Only a few pounds to go for my Christmas goal!!! YIPPIE! Hang in there ladies! We can do it!!

Welcome back LIF! Look how close you are! That is awesome.

I have been trying to focus, one choice at a time!

Have to stay on track, I find one OP choice throws me into a tailspin, then I just continue making crappy choices. Trying to figure out a maintenance plan for that, have to work through that on.

Eny, we have missed you!!

Dixie, I am with Princess, pictures please!!!!

Hopefully tonight I can get my son to take pictures. It is an awesome dress. I still can not believe it is mine. I am trying to get the last stocking stuffers bought so I can sit back and enjoy the rest of the season while every one else is scurring around doing their last minute things. I love the season and can't wait until Its a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol comes on.

Lady in~I was missing you. Glad to hear that you are doing good.

Divie, I love It's a Wonderful Life & the older version of Miracle on 34th Street. Maybe I will watch that tonight. In the meantime, can't wait to see the pictures, but have to go shovel snow and get to work!

Just a fly by to say good morning!! :carrot: Less than 2 weeks to Christmas. Need to start thinking of a new long term challenge goal!

MM - I and Mel (I'm not sure if you've net) are starting a G2009 challenge that will last all of next year. The sign up is going to be from Christmas day to New Years Eve. We're breaking the whole challenge into smaller chunks - and you can participate in any that you'd like. I know you tend to like longer (few month) challenges, so you could sign up and then have your first goal be for the the St. Patrick's day one or something. Mel is AMAZING at coming up with mini-challenges too... we keep them focused on 3 main things, exercise - food focus - and mind/soul. It's really awesome. i honestly think that it's the only thread I'm going to participate in after the New Year. :D

I'll watch for that, sounds fun.
Thanks Eny. Good luck with the Baby Dust!!