Morning ladies!

MsRD, you're absolutely right--I am addicted to the scale. And the funny part is that I have done exactly what you suggest and stuck a post-it over the readout telling me not to weight until whatever day it was. It was the only time I've gone without weighing and not gone insane about it. Honestly, I'm a lot better about not letting it dictate my mood than I used to be, but I still know you're right. Perhaps I will try not weighing again.

On the plus side, I am down a little today--209.4, which is still high, but it's lower than yesterday so I'm counting it as a positive thing. Calories came in right around 1800, and I'm ok with that too, because again, it's lower than the day before. And I actually exercised for an entire hour last night--25 minutes on the elliptical, 20 on the stairclimber, and 15 on the weight machine. I felt so good! I'm skipping exercise tonight in favor of mowing the lawn. My best friend is coming over this weekend and we're going to splash around in the pool, but the grass is so high right now we'd have to wade through a jungle to get there! It's been kind of drizzley (is that a word? drizzle-y) all week, so we haven't had much of a chance to get it done, but Mom says she'll work on it today, and we can finish it this evening.

I'm set on getting my calories below 1800 today, if only by 3 or 4 calories!

Anyway, there's work to do before the weekend. Have a great day, chicks!
~Elisha

Happy Saturday!

Last night, I was feeling kinda overwhelmed......tough week at work, too much not getting done at home ....and no time or energy to get anything done. So, like anyone with too much to do......DH & I took the day off. We started off early and went to the flea market and thrift shops and then on to find some antique shops. We bought stuff we didn't need (at pretty good prices!) and then then went out to lunch. We just had to take some time off to clear our minds........and now the responsibilities around here aren't so insurmountable.

Weighed in this morning......same as last week. Since my eating has been borderline indulgent, the fact that I exercised saved me! Now, if I could just get the eating and exercise together, I could accomplish something!

The garden is starting to produce.......tomatoes and zucchini and broccoli and onions and cucumbers, thur far. Green beans should be on in about a week. I am going to be looking for new fresh veggies recipes......will post the ones that look the most promising!

Well.....off to the grocery store to find all the things that DON'T grow in my garden!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Super quick check in...we've been just nuts lately. We finally did buy a new car! I am so excited- its a Ford Expedition. I love it. It is finally a big enough car for my 3 kids. We got the DVD player in this morning.

Food has been just o.k. I am maintaining, and not losing. Well, actually the scale says I am up a pound. I am weighing too much. This is what happens when I have a scale in the house. I want to lose that last 5. I am getting in a bunch of water, but sweets are creeping into my life again..gotta stop that! Moderation is the key-deep down I think I know that.

Exercise has been slow. My back is still feeling "touchy". I don't want to irritate it.

I need to go- Today is Dh's birthday..we are leaving to go out to eat.

Blessings to all of you!!!!!!!!!

Evening all...

First a few comments since I have been so negligent lately!

MsRD...I saw your comment about your Mom not recognizing you. I'm sorry! That's such a hard place to be, but I do understand. Remember the person she used to be, not who she is now and that might help the whole process to be a little less painful. Maybe you already do that! You have to deal with that loss...just as a loss, because that is what it is. Greive the loss! Also, thank you for your sweet words about helping the residents. I feel blessed to be able to do that job, truly! They are such a blessing in my life!

Lisa...So excited for you, girl! A new car! Woo Hoo! Don't you start worrying about that little gain. You will surely lose it soon as well as you have been doing. Just a few more pounds and you are there! I hope you have been healthy about how you got there! If not, I may have to make a trip down there to shake you up a bit!

Elisha...Remember how good it feels to exercise next time you don't want to do it! Good for you. Just keep working at it!

Jessica...2 more pounds! Girl! You are gonna melt away!!! Be healthy. Don't cheat yourself! It sounds like you are doing all right, though! Good girl!

OK, well here's my saga of the day! We went to the Air Show last night (it was just enough planes and such for me) and again today! We were there for about 5 hours. Lots of bad food, but I tried to control myself. They had some really awesome brownies which I ate several! Did lots of walking...and then when we got ready to leave...the parking lot was just a log jam! So since we only live a few miles away, I decided I would walk. Surely I thought DH would eventually catch up to me! I got home in about 40 minutes. Called him several times on the cell phone. We left there about 5pm and he didn't arrive home until after 7pm. He was just fit to be tied!!!! OMG!!! I had dinner made and everything, but he was not kind to me at all! I just wanted to slap him back into reality! Grrrrrrrrrr!

OK, so the good thing about today is that I walked probably 4 miles...and the not so good thing is that I ate poorly and my foot is killing me! Oweeee! Too much walking, for sure! Ah well....if I didn't have something to complain about, you would think something was really wrong!!!! Right?

Have a good weekend everyone!

Hugs,

Good afternoon everyone! It is hot as the blazes here, but a nice day nonetheless. We went to church today, and then to a family reunion, and we are just now getting home.

Julie - How's the foot feeling today? I hope o.k. Thank you for your concern about my health. You can join DH and the rest of our family..they have all pulled me aside "privately" to discuss my weight loss, and the fact that I don't need to lose more. Even my silent FIL talked to me very seriously the other day. He is never serious about anything...he was so upset. I think I look fine, and my BMI is still way up there. I think I was gone on vacation for so long that everybody forgot what I looked like anyway. They are used to me being heavy, and I guess they can't get used to me..I don't know. Anyway...sorry for the ramble. I miss you Julie!!

MsRD - Your day off with your DH sounded like just what the Dr. ordered!! I need a day like that myself. Hope you are having a good day today!!

Well, I need to run. I've got a million and one things to do today. I'm thinking of you all, and sending you lotsa good vibes.

Hi!

Just checking in....kids were out today, so I made a big Sunday dinner.......pot roast, mashed potatoes & gravy, fresh corn and cukes and tomatoes from the garden, applesauce and butterflake rolls. Dessert was pecan bars and brownies. And, yes, I overate......and drank too much diet coke.......but tomorrow is another day and I will be back on track again.

Lisa.....glad to hear you got your new car......and I bet you look good in it too! Instead of worrying about your family's reaction to your weight loss.......ask your doctor if what you are doing is ok. Families are just 'too close' for any objectivity.

Julie......Thank you for the kind words about my Mom. She sometimes knows me, sometimes not.....I don't press it, just enjoy our visits as much as possible. Since I knew the day would come that she would not know me, I guess I was kinda braced for it. The unexpected things are the ones that come like a kick in the gut......."What do you mean my Mother can't dress herself anymore?" Just gotta take it one day at a time......

Gotta go unload the dishwasher......and then load it again!.....and then 'paper plates' on the grocery list.......

Hi everyone...
Kind of quiet here today, but glad to see some faces! I wonder what happened to Joy and Jennifer and Donna....and the rest of them???????
Must be summer, eh? Well, I gotta admit that I almost took off the rest of the summer but here I am!! Not doing much about the weight issue (except gaining) but at least I'm here, huh?

I didn't do much today...church, grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, dishes, more laundry, more dishes...I guess when you put it all down in black and white, it's more than I thought! My foot doesn't hurt as bad today, but I've been sitting a lot today. Working on a church directory project! Woo Hoo! I'll be glad when this one is done...then on to something else...always!

I didn't eat much today. It's really hot here! Temps in the 90's and humidity at 70%. I am craving some ice cream, though! I made a wonderful pasta salad, but it's not low fat or I would share the recipe with you! I used a whole bottle of Ceasar's Garlic dressing...a few veggies (onion, gr. pepper, celery), some pepperoni, black olives and a bunch of parmesan cheese! Yummy! But that's all I've eaten today, along with the creamy cucumbers I made! Not much in the line of protein! Tsk, tsk!!! I will be paying tomorrow for that! Gotta drink some more water tonight!

I am taking tomorrow off (for my birthday) and have PT in the morning, but mostly a free day. I tried to get most of the housework done today, so I would have all day to do what I want. DD and I may go to the beach...depends! Maybe some blueberry picking...get my hair cut, go tot he mall!!! You know...mother/daughter stuff!!!

I am thinking a lot about my upcoming trip and how disappointed I am in myself! I keep wondering if I hadn't hurt my heel and my back if I would actually be getting in shape for it! I wonder! I'm trying to think that I would, but that's just the optimist in me!! Afterall, I have really been a slacker this summer! And it just sucks! I think I will be able to do at least one hike on the first day. It's 4 miles round trip, so that shouldn't be too bad. I really need to get going on that bike and get some conditioning in, though so I am not huffing and puffing all the way up the mountain! After the first day, who knows! Maybe I will just sit around and read a good book (or two) and do some shopping and local sight seeing! At any rate, I am glad I am going...whether I hike or not!

Well, I am just rambling now.

MsRD...your time with your family sounds wonderful. I have always longed to have that connection for a Sunday family dinner. My ex husband's family did that every Sunday. My Mom lives 3.5 hours away, so it's a pretty long drive for just a day...that and I probably wouldn't even go there if I lived in the same town! Sad, but true.

Lisa...hope the cool air hits both of us soon! I plan to get on that bike in the morning before PT. You gonna join me for some exercise tomorrow??

Hugs to all.

Hi everyone! I know there is only 6 days left of July... but I need to CHALLENGE myself to do something really important! I CHALLENGE myself to not eat out, get takeout, get pizza or get fast food for 6 days!!! You see, this is a big problem for me. I just wrote out a declaration for myself to not give into the apparent convenience of eating out, which can't be really all that convenient because it takes more time to go drive, park, sit and wait for a waiter, order, sit and wait for the food, then finally eat and still have to drive back home. I mean, there are people out there who don't eat out, maybe a few times a year, or once a month but not everyday! I know there are places that don't have Red Lobster's, and Sushi Bars, and fast food drive throughs! Those people do just fine eating at home! I know I can do it!

But anyway, hi y'all! Hopefully I'll be able to focus on other things for August then!!!

Morning chicks!

Welcome SunFlower! We're glad to have you! We all need to challenge ourselves from time to time. Come to think of it.... I need to challenge myself to quit eating so much junk!

I hope you all had a good weekend! Mine was busy busy, too much bad food, but I did manage to exercise some. I didn't weigh this morning (can you believe I forgot?!?!), but I know I'm up. Yesterday morning I was around 211. Ridiculous. This has got to stop. I know, I say that every Monday morning. Seriously though, today I just feel... sad about it. I can't believe I am doing this to myself. I know better than this.

I want to be in shape for my wedding, and even though I don't know when that will be, I do know that I need to start working on it NOW. I don't want that little bulge above the top of my dress and the flab hanging from my arms. I have to start now. I have to do this now.

Someone get out the tazer.

Now that that's said, today will be Pizza Hut day (probably), if not Pizza Hut then eating out somewhere else. And tomorrow I told my dad I would take him out for wings. But the rest of the week I am eating as healthily as possible. I'm going to the store after work to get the rest of the ingredients for my lettuce-less salad--tomatoes, cucumbers, black beans, corn, green pepper, chick peas, onion, avocado, a little mozzarella, drizzled with red wine vinegar, a splash of olive oil, and whatever seasonings I feel like throwing in (it's also good with light Italian dressing). I'm planning on bringing that and a boiled egg for lunch for the rest of the week.

Steve and I are definitely exercising tonight. We're getting better about that, and having him exercise with me makes it a lot easier. I didn't really expect that, but it does. I'm glad that I have him to exercise with. When we move though, I want to get up in the mornings and do some additional exercise--walking, jogging, or using the bike--whether Steve does that with me or not, even though he says he will.

I read somewhere over the weekend (I think it was on Discovery Health) that your body burns more calories if you take no more than 2 days off from exercise. After that it's like starting all over, theoretically. And I say once again that I want to work out a schedule where I work out 2 days, then take 1 day off. That worked for me before, it can work for me again. Steve says that sounds decent.

Anyway, I have a bunch of work to do. I'm working on a major project that we're launching on August 1st, so I'm going to be busy this week. Ugh. Better get to it. Have a good one, chicks.
~Elisha

Evening all!

I started out the week by bumping up the WATP to 2 miles.......it feels great! Now, if I just have enough strength to do it two nights in a row

Julie.....Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day! Of course, you would have been in shape had it not been for the back/heel thingy......you can do anything you put your mind to! A 4-mile hike the first day should be a snap for you......don't lose the faith!

SunFlower.....Welcome! We always love to see new faces! This is a great place to come to challenge yourself in whatever manner you yourself need! No eating out and no fast food.....that is a great goal! I have been working on the same thing......and have it down to 1 lunch per week.....sometimes 1 dinner also (Yeah, I let DH spoil me a little!) Even though it is the end of a month, someone will most probably set up a new challenge for August.....keep your eyes open!

Elisha.....That lettuce-less salad sounds soooo good! I think I will go out and raid the garden patch and make one!

Jennifer, Donna, Joy, Mary.....how you are having a great summer! We miss you!

Morning chicks!

OK, so yesterday was not good. There was the aforementioned Pizza Hut, then there was a run-in with my old friends Ben & Jerry, then Mom made banana nut bread (which you have to smother with the Amish butter my mom keeps on hand). Not pretty. And there's wings tonight. But I did eat an ok breakfast, and my salad, a boiled egg, and a plum for lunch. I'm not going to worry too much about dinner, because if I do I'll just beat myself up about it, and that's not good either.

I don't know. I feel like I'm in some kind of holding pattern right now, and that's not where I want to be. I sure hope I snap out of it soon. The scale said 211.6 this morning. Eesh. Up and down and up and down and up. I'm not weighing again until Monday. Honest. I'm putting a post-it on my scale when I get home tonight.

Someone tazer me already.

OK, work work work. Have a good day, chicks.
~Elisha

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.......HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JULIE--HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just in a slump! I weighed myself today...after lunch which is NEVER good and it says I am up to 176!!!!!!!!!!!!! UGH!!!!! I am livid!!! What the heck am I going to do? I need a trainer, a chef and a cattle prod to get my *** moving!!!!!!!!!!! Grrrrrrr! That scale had better not hit 180 EVER again! And I mean it! I can feel the clothes starting to get tight on me. Some of the ones I bought last summer don't even fit anymore, so I know the FAT is back and I am soooo out of shape!

Yep...yesterday was my birthday. I'm still a bit sad. DH did NOT even get me a card...told me he was sorry about a gazillion times, but it doesn't change how I feel! He's just on my **** list right now and I can help it! He said "It's not like I didn't ACKNOWLDEGE your birthday" The rest of the day was ok. I did have the day off and spent it running errands, basically. Met DH for lunch at a Chinese place. He did cook me steak for dinner. Oh well...maybe I'm just too ungrateful!

I keep thinking that I need to do something about gettting off a few pounds before I leave for vacation, but I probably won't hike anyway, so maybe I should just go and enjoy and be what I am and who I am!!! I'll worry about it when I get home and maybe it will be just what I need to get me focused again! Someone please send me some prayers, quick!!!

My plan for the rest of this week is to do my PT exercises, eat sensibly and drink more water than I have been (which won't be hard to do!) I may even ride the exercise bike a couple of times!

Well, I've got work to do...end of the month, so I always bring it home!

Hugs to all!

Julie, dear, the prayers are going up for you. I am so sorry you are feeling yucky. I think you are just wonderful, and I know you're going to be just fine. I honestly thought today was your birthday- I don't know how I got that all confused- please forgive me for being such a flake! Goodness, I am losing my memory (seriously!).

I can't sit here long. My back is just hurting something awful. I have a history of back problems...it is just an on and off thing. I had to go today and get a shot- that's how bad it is hurting. I got Decadron..I'll probably not sleep a wink tonight! I could just howl at the moon- I am soooo frustrated!!!! I don't have time to be injured!

Hope you all are well..I'm thinking of you!

Lisa...I'm sorry you are in pain, too! It's just no fun! I have lost not only 2 months of training, but also my dream of hiking the Adirondacks because of my "injuries", so I totally understand your frustration! It's totally frustrating! Sounds like we both need lots of prayers. I'm just thankful for friends who pray! And don't worry about my birthday date. It was just nice that you thought of me!

And be careful with that back!

Hugs!!!!!