Tina....sounds like another great weekend. I love hearing about your weekends....you do so much!!!

Susan...WOW..3 workouts done already? YOU ROCK!!! Sorry to hear about your allergies, I can relate. Enjoy your time away at the wedding.

Well my weekend was FAB-U-LOUS!!! Yesterday was my 18th wedding anniversary and although the food was to die for....I was successful in limiting my portions to enjoy and 'taste' the food but not an all out free for all. For breakfast I made, whole wheat blueberry pancakes. Lunch was deep fried brie (to which I shared a smaller portion and gave half to ds) and then dinner was a specialty of mine.....rack of lamb. Again smaller portions than normal and fresh green beans. Dessert, well.....okay, a little crazy.....fried banana's with a sugar sauce and a small scoop of icecream. Anyone watch the "take home chef"? , he did a similar banana dessert a few weeks ago.
We had a great day!!! and now its off to the gym!!!

Hi everyone! I wasn't even going to post, and then I figured what the heck, if I can't be honest here...This weekend was not a great one eating wise. It started on Friday. We ran to several stores looking for a 5-drawer dresser. Believe it or not, very hard to find. By the time we dragged around town for hours it was after 7 and dinner time. We ended up at White Castle. So needless to say I blew my calorie count for that day. Saturday, breakfast and lunch were good, but then after working downstairs for several hours (we're finishing up a 2 month remodel project in two bedrooms) We ordered pizza for dinner. Then to wrap up the weekend on Sunday we had a big breakfst, I had 2 eggs, whole wheat english muffin, 1 brown and serve sausage and four 3 inch pancakes. Then we had no lunch and dinner was a bowl of low fat broccoli soup(Tina's recipie) and left over pizza. Now, this is not the way I usually eat and I know better, but when I'm tired and busy I tend to cave. Anyone have any suggestions? I will get back on track starting today. Wish me luck and good luck to you guys!

Well yesterday was a bust but onwards and upwards right? I need to get some cardio in tonight. Too cold to run outside I think I will give my home treadmill a try. I have some work, and some house work to do so I will be busy busy busy. 20 days till my new job man I need to get on the ball!

susan - 20 lbs now that is a great accomplishment! I know you can do it!

luvvegas - Now that is a bio done proper. I love vegas as well, I feel like all my vacations are there. You know tired, stressed and busy make it hard to stick to a plan. You just gotta put it behind you and start fresh.

tina - Oooh exploring a cave sounds fun. You always have the best family outings it sounds like.

Angel - Happy Anniversary!

Good morning ladies! Today the sky is dark and stormy which is okay with me after it being almost 90 yesterday. 90 degress and my fall decorations don't go together so well. Yesterday was good food and exercise wise. I managed to stay really close to my calories and got in a good walk and some crunches and lower body work. Today I have weights, cardio and laundry but, on the plus side not a lot of laundry. Cindy (Vegas) and I were talking last night on our walk about how we are kinda getting to the end of our ropes with this last bit of weight. We both have been at this forever it seems and just want to get to the point were we can look and say okay this is where I feel comfortable and maintain that. I mean from where we came from we look and feel 100 times better but it still is not enough for either of us and I just worry sometimes when is it going to be enough. I see how close I am though and just try and focus on that. I guess for me though this part of the journey seems to obsess me almost and I can't wait to get to my goal and just maintain a healthy life. I was asking my husband last night if I lost 20 more pounds if he thought that would be to much and he said no. I was not trying to test him but I was really shocked that he looks at me and sees 20 more pounds that could go. I mean to be 120 sounds nuts to me but I am wondering if that is what it is going to take and it is still in the healthy weight range for me. I don't know my goal right now is to get to 130 and go from there. I don't think I have weighed 130 since heck junior high maybe. I do love the way I feel and my energy is so much better and endurance wise I can do things now I could not even do when I was thinner so on all those fronts I am thrilled. Okay enough babble I just get wound up sometimes about this.

Susan you are doing great. 20lbs gone is fantastic keep up your hard work.

Angel Happy Anniversary!!!! Your dinner and dessert sounded delish. You are quite the little cook aren't you??? I will have to get some recipes from you.

Steph I will send our hot weather your way if you want it. Are you going to be moving in 20 days also??? Your head must be spinning...

Cindy I will just say hi to you since we talk almost everyday... Have a good day and I bet you are putting up those decorations today... See you for our walk later..

Jen I hope you are feeling well. Keep us updated on what is going on.

Well ladies you all have a great day!!!

okay.....I need some advice. I'm quite knowledgeable on lots of weight loss articles but something my MIL said this morning by phone has got me confused with a contradiction. She was telling me that my SIL (going through a divorce) is now a size 1 from a 12, has lost close to 50 lbs and now weighs 105 lbs. When I asked how's she's doing, MIL says....well she's just not eating. My questions or discussion is....if you stop eating, your body goes into starvation mode. At least thats what all the articles say, well at what point does it then just kick up and start losing weight again AND keep losing weight? I know she eats, but she has stopped the "eating while stressed, and fast food eating" she used to do all the time so that has contributed to her weight loss and she recently found out she has certain allergies to beef and beef byproducts, to which she has cut out of her diet. The conversation made me feel like....if I just stopped eating, then I could be like SIL. Not a good feeling I had after the phone call. Any comments?

Ok ladies, well I am stressed. If you care to know it is detailed in my blog. And what do I do when I am stressed? Well it used to be eat but not it is stick it to my workouts! Got everything done and more yesterday as far as eating and working out goes. Trying to stay positive in the midst of my "situation". Here is something fun I have been working on...maybe it will cheer up some of you ladies! I have been dressing my mother in laws dog up in theme costumes for a calendar that I am working on for xmas...

Tina - that is the plan, but the plan may have been shifted *sigh* Husbands don't think before they speak sometimes...I wonder if he even knows what 20 more lbs shaved off ya would look like. You just go until you feel good, until you feel like everything fits. I know you will get there girl!

Angel - Your body does go into starvation mode but it can effect people differently. Your SIL may be a skinny fat girl...meaning her body is eating the muscle she has for fuel and storing excess fat in its place. However it may also be eating that fat to keep going as well. Definitely not a healthy situation...your body can snack on internal organs if it needs to...yummm that make you feel better?

hehe...too cute Stephie!! My son was away taking a summer course and I took a pic of our dog dressed in one of his tshirts, sunglasses and baseball hat. It was so cute I had it enlarged and sent it to him in a care pkg!! What a cute dog you MIL has. Great idea!

As for my SIL, she is small, 5'2" and now with her weight loss is actually quite toned. I guess you see it now that its not bulked up with the 'fat'. Amazing with her weightloss how much she looks like the rest of her slim family. It doesn't make me feel any better to know what and how she got slim, but it doesn't make me feel any better when 'innocently' a suggestion is made to me that all I need to lose weight is to stop eating either!!

I have hit a snag in the surrogacy. One of my blood test came back inconclusive so now I have to be retested and if I am not immune I cannot go any further for obvious reasons. It is a little stessful to know thwese people are counting on me we have already started meds. They have spent quite a bit of money so far and if this comes back not in our favor . well I think we will all be disappointed.

Morning!
Last night I was thinking how wonderful it would be for my GF to come for another visit. She came last year at this time. Then I got to thinking....I'm at the same @%*#& WEIGHT as I was last year when she visited. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!!! That really hit home.....all the excercise, food, nutrition, challenges, and I'm exactly the same weight. What would it have been if I wasn't really watching what I was doing? I don't think of it as a whole year was wasted, but that I haven't had any visible improvement other than an improvement in my good HDL levels (re cholesterol) Its the whole up 3 lbs, down 2 lbs, up 5 lbs, down 4 lbs or motivation gung ho for 3 months and then off for a month or two . As I said last night, today is another day......so this morning I got up early and went for a FANTASTIC walk/run. I just need to do more. I also got a reminder notice about the 5K race (that dh and I did last year) and am thinking of participating again, race isn't until April though. There is no way I'm going to stay the same for a whole other YEAR!!! I am losing this last 20-25 lbs!!!!!

Sorry Canadianmom......hopefully the second blood tests will come back with no discrepancies. Hang in there!!
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Had a good day yesterday. Eating was not 100 percent on target but not atrocious. Made it to the gym put in 45 hard hitting minutes on the cross trainer before I started to get a pain in my shin...decided not to push it. Came home and stretched, got my 50 crunches and 100 jacks in. Adding my 10 flights to today.

Have to work the at home job today, followed by having to shoot a softball game at 5:30. Greys is on tonight so no going out to the gym for me. I am going to do my glute workout in front of the tv then ofcourse jacks/crunches and maybe even stairs on every commercial.

Working out is really helping me keep my mind off what is going on...

angel - Thanks I really hope she will love it. That is too cute about your son and dog. Think of it this way you have managed to not gain any weight and maintain for a whole year...had you not been participating in challenges, watching what you were eating etc...things could be a lot worse. You could be posting in the Lose that last 45 lbs come new years....

canadian mom - That is just awful news, good luck with your retest!

Stephie......yes, thanks it is great to know that I 'maintained' although my goal was to lose more but yes....I'll take it!! I was just frustrated because here it is time for my GF to visit again, and I'm the same weight. I did tell her on the phone to bring her runners as we were going to go walking every morning BEFORE we hit the stores for shopping!!!

I checked out your blog this morning, and oh my!!! you are in quite the difficult situation!!! That is terrible for dh and even worse for you to be living apart. I had something similar happen and you never know how something else might come out of it. In my situation, dh was promoted and received a transfer to another major city and we had travelled there to a) look for a job for me, (and got one!) b) look for a house. I gave my notice to a great job, actually a perfect job and then dh was told on a few days before my job ended.....no its okay, stay where you are and we'll promote you anyway!!! I thought I was going to puke!!! Well, hat in hand.....I went to my boss and told her the whole story in tears, she was in tears also....and she came up with a supervisors job for me working in the head office. It was a temporary job but it lasted 1 yr!!! and then she worked me back into a store doing more fashion shows and buying. So you just never know!!! Chin up.

Good morning ladies! Well let's see what has been going on...not a whole heck of a lot. I did weigh-in today and I am down a pound so that is pretty good. Yesterday was my oldest son's tenth birthday so I am really lucky I did not gain a pound with the brownie ice cream sundaes we made. Oh my goodness they were so good though and I have not had dessert like that in I don't know how long. You should of seen us all at the table eating our dessert there was not a peep out of us for the first couple of minutes. I ran into a old neighbor yesterday at the grocery store and she had not seen me for awhile and she was so surprised by how I looked. It was really nice to hear from someone who had not seen me in awhile. I really liked this lady also and now she moved to my town and lives like 2 min. from me so we exchanged numbers and plan on getting the kids together to play. Today I have cardio and weights to do and then tivo and I have a afternoon date. I can't wait to watch greys anatomy. Tommorow I am going out for the day with the girls and I can't wait. We are going to shop, go to lunch, and then go see a show later. I love days out especially when I can just roam a store without any kids screaming or tugging on me they want to go home. That is about it for me though. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Angel I agree with Steph maintaining weight is just as hard as losing it so be proud of yourself for the maintance. Maybe though this will be a kick in the butt for you and will turn out to be a blessing. I am sure regardless of your weight though you and your friend are going to have a blast. As for you M-I-L's comment I think some people need to keep things to themselves. We all no that not eating is not the way to lose weight and when your sister-in-law starts eating again it is going to come back so just keep doing it the healthy way and your M-I-L will be telling her daughter how you did it and it will be a healthy way. Have a good weekend.

Steph sounds like you are back girl and I'm glad to hear it. I have read your blog and you are going through a really stressful time right now just try to use your exercise as your outlet and not food. I know it is easy to say but exercise is proven to relive stress. I hope things start looking up for you but until then keep your head high and control only what you can control. Have a good weekend.

Jen sorry to hear about your snag in your tests. I know how much this means to you so I am crossing my fingers those tests come back in your favor. Try and stay optimistic though and focus on things in your power. Have a good day!

Susan I hope you are having a good week. I know you were saying you have your niece's wedding this weekend so have fun. If the weather in Boston is anything like it is here it should be a great weekend. Have a good time.

Cindy I will see you tommorow for girls day out hooray!!!

Well ladies you all have a fantastic weekend and let's not do to much damage over it.

Tina

Hi everyone! It sure has been busy around here, it took some time to read everything and catch up. I'll try my best and jump right in...

Angel- Try not to let the comment your MIL made bother you. Not eating is never a good way to lose weight. It just doesn't work. I have tried it in the past and the only thing that happened is that after a few days I was starving and ate everying in sight! Good luck to you and enjoy your visit with your GF!

Stephanie- Those dogs pics are so cute! And it's great that now when you are stressed you work out instead of eat. I still need to work on that, I tend to eat whan stressed and eat to celebrate! I hope that everything works out for you and your husband, that's a rough situation.

Susan- Hope your allergies have settled down and hope you have a great time at the wedding!

canadian mom- I had asked Tina about your situation, (hope that was ok) I just didn't understand from just the posts what was going on. Good luck to you and I really hope you get some good news from your next test.

Tina- Hi! I'm sure I'll talk to you later. Looking foreward to shopping and the movie tomorrow!

I hope I got to everyone, it will take me a while to catch up with all that is going on. How'd did everyone's weigh in go? I lost a pound. That's a little disappointing, but it's better than gaining I guess. Tomorow I'm going out with my mom and Tina for a day of shopping, lunch and to see a movie. It will be great to get out of the house for the day and away from my boys for a little bit. They're great, but a little break from them is always nice!

I hope I can have a good time tomorrow but not go too crazy with eating. It's horrible, but I can't stop thinking about that movie theatre popcorn!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Well the count down to my sister's wedding begins she has finally set a firm date. It is March 10 ( the weekend after my son's 4th b-day). Next weekend we are going to look at bridesmaid dresses,I kinda dread it because of the sizing thing, those dresses do not do vanity sizes. but it will be fun...shopping WITHOUT kids, (that rarely happens for me except for x-mas ) and in an adult store.

luvvegas--No problem with yu getting Tina to update you.

Okay well my whole entry just got lost for some reason so here is the condensed version. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I spent all day Saturday kid free and shopping so what more could a girl ask for. Yesterday the weather was beautiful and we had a family birthday party so it was nice to sit in the sun and visit. Food okay this weekend and exercise unless shopping is considered cardio not there but today I'm on it. I have cardio and weights to do today. That about sums it up I think. Hope you all have a great day.