Hey Ladies,

I think I may have just survived the most hectic week yet at work. Today should just be a day to clean my desk, tie up loose ends and have lunch with a friend. Food has been much better this week. I have not been following PMD per se, basically because I haven't been in one place long enough to plan and prepare meals, but I seem to have been able to manage small portions of healthy food and better yet I haven't succumbed to fast food. Last week was a nightmare week in that regard. I have also squeezed in a little exercise. I know that is key, I feel firmer and when I feel firmer everything else seems to be easier. I tried on some of the new clothes I bought at the end of last summer when I was a little smaller. Everything still fits, nothing is bursting at the seams, though I have to say everything is snugger and doesn't fall quite so well. But, I can take care of that. Graduation is a month from yesterday so I have some time off to look forward to. Life is good. Another little personal victory the week. I got another photograph into a competitve exhibition at the Arkansas Arts Center. This time the juror is internationally known and respected, so that is a big boost to my ego and sets me up nicely to work hard on my own art this summer.

Nice to hear from you ledom... and my goodness I didn't realise you're an artist too?? Congrats on your exhibition and good luck too!! You should be proud of yourself of being in control of your eating... that is such a large hurdle...
Things are well here....back in control of my eating also, whew....
Ok I'm on lunch so gotta go....Just thought I'd touch base....
Laters...Lana........

Way to go Ledom!

Morning ladies!!! no new news here...same old...same old.

Everyone have a good weekend.

Goodmorning all, Donna and Shebacat, how are you two doing? I see I forgot to start the thread with the diet, I was in a hurry. I wonder if it might have been a bit of a subconscious decision too. I think the change I need is to listen to myself and what I need each day as opposed to following the diet verbatim. Not to say I don't think PMD is the smartest diet out there.

Why is it that one week can be such a struggle and the next a breeze? I ate very lightly yesterday, probably the fewest calories in a while, it was easy too. Wearing lighter clothes makes me more conscious of my shape and condition. I have also decided to abandon the scale for a while as I get so caught up in it, and instead rely on how clothes fit and how I feel wearing them. I do think different approaches at different times is wise.

D has been working on her winter lbs. for the last 5 weeks and she is looking so cute. Of course she is young and her body seems to respond well to her efforts, but she has been lifting very light weights and walk/jogging/ for a mile each afternoon. I can tell she has more energy and is less moody and right now she is my inspiration. I'm very proud of her.

I have a ton of grading to do today. Will leave the 'yak in the garage this weekend though my thoughts keep turning to it. I'll either hike or do a video, something for my lower body.

Hi ladies,

How is everyone doing? My life is pretty much the same....work, work, and more work. Ledom, I think the reason we have problems with eating is due to hormomes. Last weekend I went to the Canton flea market with a friend. I could not stop sampling everything I saw....especially sweets. I ate tons of crackers with jam/jellies, cream cheese dip, candy, peanut brittle, etc. If it was a sample, I ate it. On Monday, I was back to my normal self. I still craved sugar....probably a residual from the weekend, but was able to control it. Now I'm not really craving it. In fact I don't even think about it. I still believe the key is exercise. I have been doing the Taebo tapes at least 4-5 times a week. I also take the stairs at my job....twelve flights....in the morning and in the afternoon. Talk about a killer, but they say every little bit helps. I still want to take horseback riding lessons this summer. I have been able to maintain my weight so far, but it still is a struggle...and probably will be the rest of my life. Hi Lana, Donna, and Judi. My poor baby cat had a severe intestinal virus this past week. She had a urinary tract infection and was on medication. I thought she might have a bladder stone, because she was having severe cramps. Anyways, after several days of IV treatments (because she was dehydrated), she is feeling better. I took her in for blood work today to see if they could detect anything. The best part is I found a wonderful vet. The second morning that I needed to take her in (she looked like death warmed over...in fact I did not think she would make it through the night), the vet was not going to be in until 10:00 am. I called at 7:30am. I found another vet that came in at 9:00 am and was open until 7:00 pm. I just love her! Very caring and responsive to my cat's needs. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Morning ladies,

Sorry to hear about your cat Shebacat! I hope she will be on the mend very soon. A good vet is so important. Our original vet is now doing more work with marine animals and we had to find a new one. We have a good one who makes house calls. This is importnant I think because if ever (God forbid) I have to put a dog down he will come to the house where the dogs have had him visit and give shots etc. before. I never liked the idea of having to take the pet to a strange place for treatment. My elderly dog has developed a heart murmur so I have to take her for X-rays and then we will decide on a course of treatment for her.

I managed to exercise 2 days out of 5. Exercise is definitely the key all right. It is only after I exercise I see the scale shift no matter how little I eat.

It is nice to have spring here. We are going to leave for Ca. on Thurs. We plan to drive along the Oregon and Ca. coast roads which we haven't done for a year or two.

Ledom, I think a new approach is wise. Sometimes it only takes a little thing to get one re-motivated. Good for your daughter too!

How are you girls? Sure is quiet here, where is everyone.?.?..........Everyone must be busy with year end stuff at school, getting ready for trips and such...Well keeping busy and out of trouble is a good thing.......

Well I'm keeping out of trouble but not because I'm too busy...things are just the norm around here....work/kids/homework..etc....Spring is coming slowly but surely, it went up to about 60F yesterday, it was nice... DH took out some pics from last year, and on April 9th, we had a huge snow storm... a good 1.5 foot of snow...then the next week there was nothing, we have a pic of a little teeny mound of snow in the back yard...So we may still get more snow...I'm really getting indifferent to it all lately it seems....

I'm also getting indifferent to this weight loss struggle...seems I'm 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off....sound familiar ledom? I go in 2 weeks stints it seems....arghhh...quite discouraging....

Well I'm really tired....so I have to go...

Later....

Lana.......

Hi girls!

Not much new here. I am feeling indifferent too to the weight loss struggle, maybe I bought to many big clothes ... I don't know what...has de-motivated me.

Went for a walk around the lake tonight with the Dh and the dogs.

Leaving on thurs. for Ca. we are going to drive down the Oregon and Ca. coast so I am looking forward to that.

Hope everyone is more motivated than I am.

Ok, it seems that some of us, and including myself, are demotivated..... Let's brainstorm to see what we can do to help each other to get back on track....

I'm on lunch, and have to go back to work...will talk again later...

Lana.........

Lana, its true...what is tiring is the CONSTANT watching for me. Though I know if I throw in the towel in a few weeks I will be depressed as can be and feel like a real loser. What we need is something to get us going with a little bit more passion so we can see some real weight loss and that will motivate us and carry us along.

Yesterday I ate 2 bags of chips (small ones) the day before ice cream and I haven't done that in ages. I always eat the right stuff but too much of it. I just can't believe 1/2 cup of pasta is a serving Though this diet is good, I never have food cravings like I did on other ones. So that isn't the problem. For me it that is so hard to really exercise. My DH and I are going to go every evening now and walk around the lake which is a good 1 hr. walk. The dogs love it and we like to see the geese and the ducks nesting. It is close by. So I have no real excuse not to exercise plus I have a ton of videos, exercise bike and a good treadmill.

Just have to get over this slump...grrrrr!

Hey folks, I haven't been able to post from home, ok I'll say it, I don't like the new 3fc design, it just doesn't work as well for me.

Anyway, hoo-boy are we doing this to each other? The diet doldrums seem to be affecting us all.

I've been busy and haven't really got to read more than the headlines, but I bought the new Oxygen magazine for some hard body inspiration. A line from Billy Blanks says that you should forget about the scale and work out for your sport. That makes tons of sense to me, working out so I have strength to get out of my kayak with a tad of grace sounds fun. Working out so I can lose a lb. is that same old same old that is making me crazy.

Have you started researching and making your horseback riding plans Shebacat? Hope kitty is feeling better.

I agree Judi.....constant watching is a PAIN..... Today I too had a piece of cake.....I really didn't need it...or crave it.....it wasn't a large piece and it even kept my calories under 1600 calories.... But why because it was there?? Anyways no big deal I guess....I am in a definite slump...I will not get into the mega chocolate I ate last week, but that's long gone (not really when you think about it....it just settled on my HIPS!!!!!!!...
And if I don't weigh myself, my clothes get tighter....lol.....I need that scale...altho I haven't been on one in a while because I don't want to see the numbers...arghh... it's an awful feeling.....I do feel better when I stick to PMD tho I must say that.....but when I go off, I feel twice as bad I think because I feel so great when I follow it....So I guess the question is why do I go off?? Why do we keep going round and round, and not just loose the weight??
Well, anywho.....gotta go getting late here....Nite Girls!!!!
Lana.....

Morning Ledom, Lana, Shebacat & Bannod,

Today is a new day. I have decided to journal EVERYTHING I eat. I only journal my good days but that is being ostrich like. I bought 2 very nice books to record in.

Had a good cleaning day yesterday. The muscles in my shoulders are aching. I want to come to a nice clean house after Ca.

My daughter and her boyfriend had to buy a car because of the bus strike. (Canada right now has strikes from one end of the country to the other.) It is like mine a red Honda. I made them a big Easter basket of all kinds of choc. things. I didn't eat any. (Honest)

Part of the dieting doldrums is that I have more or less stopped drinking water which I know from the past slows things up. I don't like ordinary water and had run out Pelligrinos. Stocked up now.

It was sunny here but still kind of cold. Spring flowers and cherry blossoms are putting on their show.

How is the kitty Shebacat?

What is everyone doing for Easter?

Hello Girls,

How's everyone doing today?....I'm very good today, started those darn menses, and I feel great, I feel like I'm deflating just like a balloon, honest, I feel it as soon as I start....

Today was a hectic day.... D fell on her back on her roller-blades on her way to school, she called me at work, because it had knocked the wind out of her..... I said by recess if she wasn't feeling better she could go to my mom's, well of course she took advantage of that and called me at 10AM, thank goodness my mother only lives 2 blocks from the school, she went to pick her up.... D had an eye doc's apt. at 6PM, and she now needs glasses, what did I expect, I'm half blind, and hubby wears glasses too... so one of our kids was bound to wear them...

What else happened? Seemed like it was a hectic day all around, many phone calls must of talked for over 2 hrs tonite, to this one and that one.....planning a surprise 40th BD party for my best friend's DH, that should be fun....April 28th....There's a mini goal I could aim for...hm....something to think about, I should stop thinking and start doing....

Judi were you spring cleaning? I wish I had the time, working is the pits at times...

Bannod, Ledom, Shebacat where are YOOOOOOOUUUU??

Spring is well trying it's best to get here........but I dunno about it.....

Anyways.....see you all later......

Lana...........

Lana, sorry to hear about your daughter's mishap. I hope she feels o.k. We all have glasses here too. I only wear mine for reading but should wear them all the time.

yes, I was cleaning the stuff that usually gets missed like base boards under the stairs etc.

Today I did some energetic gardening. I pulled out alders that were growing in my yard, limed the lawn (we have acid soil here on the west coast) tended to the budding lilac trees and planted two huge boxes of wild flower mix that has done pretty well in my yard in the past. I also planted a red bamboo beside the green bamboo, so the colors look nice together. Well, I actually didn't dig the hole and pour in the dirt. The DH did that but I did do some pretty animated directing. (Now, that should burn calories...)

Tomorrow we are leaving so I will post from the road.

Today was a bad food day but a good exercise one (a switch). I am dragging along all my ww books on the trip. If I don't stick to the diet and within my points I want to feel GUILTY!

I gained 3 lbs. one sad face for each pound.

Talk to you in a few days I hope.