Here it is our last weekly chat thread.

I think we should post our results at the end of the week (or beginning of next week) Start of the challenge weight, and final weight!!

Well if you can believe it this is the last weekly thread for this challenge. I am sad that this challenge is so close to being over. This has been the greatest support system. So THANK YOU to everyone doing this challenge for being there and going through the same thing I am. So are we going to do a Christmas challenge or make it a new years challenge? (Assuming everyone wants to?) Since they are what a week from each other?

I am actually looking forward to Thanksgiving. I will watch my portions, but I am going to eat and have a good time. I am going to keep my calories low this week to try and make up for that small sliver of pumpkin pie that I plan on eating!!
Normally Thanksgiving Day is spent with DH's Family (13 of us) at his grandmothers house. This year his aunt uncle and their kids are going to the other grandma's house, and DH's Dad and his family have made yet another excuse not to come down (they live 3 hours away). They have broken Nana's heart. She does understand that things change, but Thanksgiving is her day. She doesn't do Christmas because DH's aunt and uncle do it, but it will be a sad day for her. I hope the kids, DH, and I will be enough to make her happy. We also usually do a dinner at my house the weekend after Thanksgiving, but I think I am going to skip it this year (unless my dad asks me to do it. We all got together yesterday for a b-day party I hope that is going to be good enough.

I did great with my eating this weekend!! I also went for a long walk on Saturday with the family!! Yesterday I didn't get any extra workout but I did vigorously clean my house!! Today I am planning to get in atleast 90 min of a workout.

Hi girls. I am sad to see this challenge end. It was really great getting to know everyone. And the degree of support given was just stupendous. I sure hope we could duplicate it in our next challenge. I would prefer a New Year's Challenge, just because it's an extra week and it will help get us through Christmas week, but whatever everyone else decides is fine by me.

This weekend was so- so. Calories wise I think I did fine, but.... Saturday night went out with some friends and I had a vegetable sushi roll. My husband order gnocchi and pesto cream sauce. I had 3 pieces of gnocchi, that is the best stuff on earth in my opinion. He was being good and took 1/2 of it home. So then I had 3 more pieces. But I still think I did okay calorie wise for the day as a whole.

Now Sunday and I wake up to a big fat greeting from TOM. So, I was really munched all day long. I think I ate about 1/4 box of Special K and 6 more pieces of gnocchi. I had about 15 pistachios, but I decided to forgo dinner, so I think I still stayed within my calories.

So I get on the scale this morning, and it says 234, which it has been saying steadily since last Tuesday (Which is 2 lbs less then I recorded last week), so I'm getting a bit frustrated. I have really been phenomenal this week even with the weird weekend. So I go on the scale again, it says 232, 5 mins later it says 231, 5 mins later it says 230, 5 mins later it says 229, 5 mins later it says 234, 5 mins later it says 233. So yeah you get the picture. So within a half an hour I gain/lose 5 lbs. - that's it, it's time to get that scale the heck out of my life. So I'm officially recording 234 lbs as my Monday morning weigh - in. Is it correct - I haven't a freaking clue.

My baby girl, my oldest, 19 years old is coming home from college on Tuesday night, probably more like Wednesday early in the morning. I'm very excited. I absolutely can't wait to see her/kiss her/hug her and see her reaction to me. She hasn't seen me since I lost about 44 pounds.

Just spoke to my mom, where we are going for Turkey day, she's got quite the menu planned and I'm bringing some veggies and a salad. I plan on tasting a little, little being the operative word here, of everything. We gotta live and enjoy and that's what I decided I'm going to do. I just hope that I can indeed keep it to a little. Although I can just hear one of my big mouth Uncle's saying "umm is that sweet potatoes/ stuffing/ pecan pie on your diet plan"? I hate people like that who watch everything that you put in your mouth and then actually comment on it and he is definitely the type to do it. I'm sure he's gonna go on and on about my weightloss and then the food will be served and then's he's gonna go on and on about what I'm eating.

Have a great day everyone.

Fed: I am so excited to hear about your daughters visit!!! I am sure she will be so proud of you!!!

About the scale< I know mine is off poundage wise, but it doesn't change each time I get on it. (I do get on it 3 times just to make sure, especially if I have lost!) I almost bought a digital scale this weekend, but I am afraid if it shows a huge increase I may get a little discouraged so I didn't<Ignorance is bliss!!>

As for the comments, just tell him that yes it is on your diet!! Yesterday I had a piece of cake and my sister asked me that question: I said yes it is as long as I don't eat the whole cake! I hate it when people do that.

So you see my scale dilema, do you think I should get a new one? I think I read here somewhere about a Tanita scale from Target, it's about $50.00. I mean do you agree that it's time to get a new one? I just hate spending money on something I already have, but this is something I rely on.

Yeah, people and their comments - absolutely hate em. But I think I'll give what you said a try! Hopefully that'll shut him up, nah I doubt it, nothing ever does. I'll let you know what happens.

Hi girls, yes it's me again. That's right 3rd time today. I got a question for you. I want to change my user name. "fed"up just doesn't adequately describe me anymore. I was thinking of a few new ones - wanted your opinion or if you have any suggestions.

(1) shrinkingmom
(2) shrinkingmama
(3) I'mmelting
(4) fitforthefuture
(5) trickyvicki
(6) shrinkingvicki
(7) justvicki
(8) fatnomore
(9) fatbegone
(10) I'maloserbaby

I'm not sure if I want my real name in there. I don't love any of these. Any ideas? I'm open.

Do you get weighed anywhere but your own scale?? I know I rely only on what my scale says. I don't know if you should get a new one, I am so afraid of getting discouraged by reading a different scale. Yours does seem to be a little whacko. HMMMM. It may be time for a new one, just remember that the numbers might be different.

I am not imaginitve. But I like shrinkingmama, fitforthefuture, and trickyvicky

Good morning, girls! Sorry for the long silence, but it has been a busy weekend, and yesterday was crazy, too. I had a decent weekend, food and exercise-wise, but my workout was kind of sucky on Saturday because I don't think I'm giving myself enough rest between hard workouts. I took Sunday and yesterday off, and I'm ready to go back to the gym for a good, hard workout tonight.

Last week of the challenge, and I concur with you all that I'm going to miss this challenge, too. It's largely responsible for giving me the kick in the pants that I needed to get myself back on track, and coming here daily has really helped me stay focused and dedicated. You girls are terrific! I am hereby casting my vote for a New Year's Challenge - but has one already been started..? Maybe we should come up with a different name for ours to distinguish ourselves from the other one, so people don't get confused?

I agree with the both of you re: how to best handle Thanksgiving... tiny bits of everything, which will be plenty of food and will allow us to enjoy all the wonderful things on the holiday. After all, we are doing ourselves no good whatsoever if we live in constant denial; if we make ourselves miserable, we're setting ourselves up to get derailed, big time!

Jeni - families are funny sometimes, aren't they? I just learned yesterday that some argument ensued and that my brother and his wife will not be coming to the Thanksgiving dinner that my dad and his girlfriend are making (there will be 12 of us) in favor of going to my Mom's boyfriend's Thanksgiving dinner. It's so weird and complicated. I'm thankful that I'm not involved, for once!

"Fed"Up - you suund so psyched about your daughter's visit! I really hope it goes well... her eyes are going to pop when she sees how much her mama's shrunk! And forget about your Uncle... if he makes a smart remark, tell him that even the Food Police take a day off for Thanksgiving! Your scale sounds wacky... is it a digital one? I guess they're all digital anymore, aren't they? The most consistent scale I have used has been the clunky old bathroom scale - the old kind, with the wheel inside that spins - which they have in the ladies' locker room in the gym. I don't know why they don't have a real medical scale in there... but yeah, it's been most consistent. Do they even sell those things anymore?

I considered getting a body fat scale, but I decided against it because I don't want another set of numbers to obsess over and freak out about. Stupid numbers will rule me if I'm not careful.

Time to hop in the shower and get myself to the office - have a great, happy, healthy day today, everyone!

P.S. FedUp - if you don't want to use your real name, you could use a variation on it... my friend Victoria went by Tori for short, so maybe you could come up with something using Tori instead? It'd be your name, but not really... just a thought!

HI everyone!!! I just wrote a really long post that said absolutely nothing, So I deleted it! Tuesday is a good day! My scale still won't budge, but I have high hopes that by Thursday it will go down 2 pounds!! I weigh myself in the mornings before I get in the shower, but lately I have been so swollen in the mornings that I can't wear my rings to bed. I drink plenty of water (usually 64-80 oz per day). Some days my sodium is better than others, but I never add salt to anything. Got any ideas??

Jeni... that is some pretty intense swelling, if you can't wear your rings. Might you be pregnant? I know that can cause a lot of water retention... or maybe it's a medication you are on? Maybe it might be a good idea to go to the doctor - it seems like swelling that is beyond ordinary water retention. Take good care of yourself!

Good afternoon.

I get occasional swelling, like a few days ago my rings were super tight, whereas they're usually swimming on me. This doesn't happen to me very often though. I'm a big water drinker. I never wear my rings to bed or any other jewelry for that matter. Why don't you take your rings off before you go to bed? I don't really have any other ideas, although Suz may have a point - perhaps you're with child? Hmmm.

Okay, so who's gonna take the ball and run with it and start our next challenge, umm New Year's Challenge? And I love the idea of a cute name. New Year/New You Challenge?, The Choosy Chicks New Years Challenge?, I don't know I've got enough difficulties changing my own name. So go for it girls.

Yeah, my scale is a digital and I guess I'll have to replace it but since it would be with another digital, I'm not sure what the point would be. Whatever we shall see.

Yes my daughter will be here in approximately 11 hours, she gets in to the bus depot at around 12:20 this morning and hubby and I will pick her up from there, about 40 mins from our house. I've been cleaning the house like crazy. I want everything to be perfect. And I went shopping and bought her some sweaters and a real cool pair of boots. I hope everything fits her.

So I am gonna change my name, I have to PM Suzanne3fc and she takes care of it. I'll let you know what I've decided, haven't decided just yet.

With Thanksgiving and all my original plan was to just eat the healthy stuff, but I decided that's crazy. Everything in moderation. Something I have not done well with in the past, moderation that is. I think a few days a year to have a few extra calories is actually a good thing. I'm just glad I'm not hosting, because me + leftovers = DISASTER.

Have a great day everybody, stay well.

Oh and Suz, by the way I love the quote in your signature. Especially, the if not now then when part! Right on the money.

Thanks for the concern ladies. I had my tubes tied for my b-day present. Really, I love my kids, 2 is more than enough (and I had terrible pregnancies.) So I shouldn't be pregnant. I'm not on any medication, except the occasional ibprophen, but the swelling subsides by noon. I'll have to watch it, maybe I'll call the doctor if its not better by monday. Of course he may just tell me to take a diuretic. He told me that before when I complained about bloating/swelling.

fed-might it be the batteries in your scale???

I would vote for the New Year/New You challenge.

Just a thought about my swelling: I drink the most of my water after 5pm, could it be caused from that???? I don't know maybe I'll drink most of my water before 5 today and see what happens tomorrow.

I'm not a doctor (obviously!), but I'm not sure that when you drink the water really matters... because when you drink the water, your body should then expel it through sweating, peeing, etc. and not hang onto it in the form of water retention.

I'm not sure if it's dangerous or not, but just take good care of yourself, okay? I know I've never really met you, but I do worry.

"Fed"Up, I hope your daughter has arrived safely and that you're having a wonderful time catching up with her! She's going to be so proud of her mom... And the quote? Always been one of my favorites... and so very appropriate in our lifetimes, isn't it?

Well, it's Thanksgiving Eve... and I'm all prepared for tomorrow. The plan is that I'm going to enjoy tiny bits of the really unhealthy stuff and eat lots of the healthy stuff. Thankfully, my Dad's girlfriend (who puts on a HUGE spread) is also a nutritionist, and so she is mindful of these things and makes sure to have plenty of lean goodies to counterbalance the fatty, calorie-ridden stuff. Dad's GF is also aware that I am trying to lose weight and has been very supportive of my new lease on life... and I really am thankful for that. So I will allow myself a little extra calories tomorrow... and I will be okay with that.

I'm also going to bring my knitting so I'm not tempted to delve into the leftovers while sitting and chatting with my family!

Have a very happy, healthy day today - and if I don't hear from you all, have a blessed Thanksgiving.