Tonight for dinner I ate baked fish (prob about 4 oz - a healthy portion), brussel sprouts (yum - just started getting into those and now I love them)... and then about 3 cups of whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce. WAY too much to really be healthy. To make things worse, I was then all carb-crazy so I ate a ton of these little mini-soy crackers I get from Trader Joe's and usually eat 1/2 servings of when I have soup. Tonight, I ate half a bag, which is about 4 servings and 400 calories. Yuck. I then made the mistake of powering up my work laptop before going to the gym... and then got so caught up in e-mails and various things that I didn't go at all. Definitely just not a good night for me, diet-wise; tomorrow I want to try to double my workout to make up for it. While it's good that eating too much pasta and crackers and skipping my workout for ONE night is what constitutes a big slip up for me, it's frustrating that I know I am going to see the evidence of this on the scale this week.

Just before I posted the above, I realized, you know what? I am awake right now, and my gym is open until 11. So I went and did a quick 2 miles on the treadmill, then 20 mins of an abs DVD, and I feel a THOUSAND times better. Hurray for this board inspiring me to not be lazy

I've tried that in the past, but they can see we're home (it's a small house, there's really only one room we can be in where you won't see light from the street) and will ring the doorbell anyway. I remember one year handing out coins after the candy ran out and then cowering in the back bedroom in desperation. So now I make sure I always have enough goodies. And unless I handed out expensive chocolate, my SO absolutely will not eat the leftover candy. He's just not interested in low quality candy (his relationship with food is very different than mine-I'll eat almost anything with sugar in it), but he also would be loath to have me throw it out (I know--it's a conundrum--he won't eat it but makes me feel horribly guilty if I throw it out). So the toys were definitely a better solution this year. They seemed to go over well; one kid came back and asked for more. He said they were "tight" which I think is a good thing.

Scenestealer--We all have those days. It's great that you fit in some time at the gym after all--I find that always makes me feel more in control. My guess is that it won't make that much difference on the scale. Remember, it takes 3,500 calories above your maintenance calorie level to gain just one pound and I don't think you ate anywhere near that much.

Halloween is over. I didn't keep track of just how much candy I ate but I've never had a stomach ache after Halloween the next day.

I have one now. And such a sugar hangover it's unbelievable.

So that particular binge is out of my system and I'm almost caught up with household/work stuff left over from my holiday absence. No more doggie sits until Christmas. So no more excuses.

This is my public declaration that I'm back OP until Christmas. There may be a day or two when I fall off the wagon but not like this. This day will be a reminder every time I reach for something sweet.

My body is saying NOOO and I'm going to get my darn brain to listen to that. Lots and lots of internal conversation in the next two months.

Dagmar

It's Thursday right? What a weird discombobulated week!

As if working evenings doesn't remove you from the human race enough ... I did a twelve hour yesterday. Accompanied by awful cramps, I'm having a weird little perimenopausal period. Max tells me we're out of catfood and sardines are just not gonna cut it.
Bleh! I'm just out of it! I think I have a hair appt this morning. I'd better call.
Coffee will help ... and I'd better make a list.

I know logically that 3500 calories is one pound... but I would SWEAR that my body acquires and loses weight easier than that. It's just the kind of thing where when I have a big meal (though not 3500 calories), I can see it on my stomach the next day, and my pants are tighter. I know that makes no rational sense, and I certainly don't obsess over it, but I do notice it.

Good luck with the coffee to get through the day, Susan!

My Halloween went reasonably well, all things considered. The fambly had pizza for a pre-T&Ting dinner; I ate leftovers (1/3 a baked potato w/chutney, a slice of tofu, leftover salad, and sauerkraut). While trick-or-treating I had one of the regular size Reeses PB cups and 5-6 malted milk balls, but otherwise avoided the candy. Did have a couple of beers, though, at a friends' house as we were handing out candy.

Now the trick is to get TB's haul of candy out of the house. I don't want either of us to eat it, but I don't want to just take it away from him, either. The "oh, it's just once a year" thing doesn't work for me, both because of the volume of candy we're talking about and because I don't want him to get in the habit of eating junk like that, even as a "special treat" dessert.

Any of you with 5 year olds or former 5-year olds have tips for how to deal with the Halloween loot?

Kim

Kim~I don't know if I have weird kids or what....I can usually stay away from their haul, so it's not a problem for me, but what's weird is that they stay away from it, too! I usually have to throw it out at Thanksgiving because they won't eat it and it's taking up too much room in my pantry (I won't let them keep it in their rooms). Same with all the other holidays--they get candy, it sits, I throw it out. Sorry, I don't have any suggestions for you.

We ended up having two trick or treaters! Sisters, about 3 and 5. The older one asked for "seconds" and she got 3 candy bars (full sized, remember?). We just laughed. My DS when T&Ting with the neighbors and none of them even bothered coming to our house! When I was a kid, we'd hit our own houses at the beginning AND at the end! LOL

Mmmm ... I honestly think I would pay just to have someone wash my hair for me. It was fabulous! And I feel so much lighter. It really had been a long time since I'd had some weight cut out.
This new gal I tried was great. She talked my ear off for almost two hours and it was $65 but my hair looks and feels great.
Now I'll sock it up in a ponytail and go to work

I don't doubt it but I suspect that it is water weight. When I eat off plan, my body immediately starts retaining water. So it seems like I've gained more weight than is possible, but it usually disappears pretty quickly once I'm back on plan again. For example, when I got back on plan after my Conference/Joshua Tree trip last month, I dropped 3 lbs in just a couple of days. Now I know I couldn't create a 10,000 calorie deficit in three days, so clearly that was just water. Also, eating off plan, particularly foods that are high in fat, will make me constipated (sorry if this is TMI), which also makes it seem like I've gained more weight than possible.

But we all already know that.

I went on two Halloween chocolate binges this week and I was dreading getting on the scale this morning.

134.4 lbs .

I was expecting to be up around 138. I will try to lose this weekend, instead of maintaining. Christmas is just 55 days away (someone on the beach told me that yesterday) so I figure I better get going to make goal.

Dagmar (chocolate is evil , well for this week anyway)

Hi all

I've been lurking but not posting the last few weeks. I'm almost back down to my 143 which is what I weighed before I fell off the wagon in July. I wanted to wait a few weeks to make sure that I was re-commited to this weight loss thing and I believe I am. Also, I was embarassed that I fell off the wagon

Where is everyone lately? This used to be such a busy thread. Maybe everyone else is lurking too

Join back in the conversation guys, we have work to do

Yes sir Abbyin sir!

Good morning everyone! We have been quiet.

We're on the road today. As soon as we get a few things done around here, we're off to visit DD and her husband. She'll be 24 on Friday and I've got a little something for her.
Oh and we'll probably shop a little along the way

You're right abbyin - we've got a lot of work to do.

My DH went and bought ice cream and cookies last night. I can't figure out what's up with him. He's given notice (kinda) at his job and should be happier.

But he's still sitting in front of the TV and stuffing his face. It seems like he wants to be like the rest of his family - 300lbs +.

And he's insisting I join him. I'm finding it really hard to say no. And I'm getting really fed up with living like this. Every time I make suggestions for a healthier lifestyle he jumps on me for criticizing and nagging him. He wants me to compliment him but I'm finding it hard to come up with anything positive 'cause he's so negative.

I'm starting to dread the time DH comes home every night because I already know he'll be angry/anxious/ upset or just plain cranky. I'm really happy during the day and that all ends when he gets home.

I really don't want to sit in front of the TV and eat every night but I'm so tired after walking from 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. that I don't want to go out and walk some more.

I've been with this man for 12 years. I'm really starting to think seriously about leaving because I can't seem to find any way to get through to him.

Dagmar

I'm still here--busy as ever.

I got my run in this morning and came back and bathed the dog. Now he wants to lie on the bed and he's still wet!

Tomorrow is our annual Mother-Daughter Tea. But first DD has a parade that ends at 11:30. I just found out she is supposed to be at the tea at 12:30 for photos. Yeah, right--all hot and sweaty! NOT. She will have to find a friend's home to go to and shower and get ready for the tea as she won't have time to drive home, shower, get dressed and get back to the tea even close to 'on time' let alone 1.5 hours EARLY for the photos. So if she misses the group photo, oh, well.

My weight has been climbing but I've got it in my head to really concentrate on getting back to goal. I've got to get my grocery list going and head to the store.

Have a great weekend!

Weighed in this morning, and I'm up a pound from last week. I know exactly why ("cheated" on three meals this week, skipped one workout, and did two that were easier/shorter than they should have been). Because there were a couple slip-ups compared to my awesome week last week, I think it's a legitimate pound gained and not just water weight. However, as I posted earlier it's frustrating that I gain a pound just from the relatively minor slip-ups I had.