Shannon,

I'm so glad the guy responded and that you can take your son's trainer friend with you. Most fitness professionals want to help people to get fit and lean. Be gentle with yourself though! I pushed myself too fast and ended up with a stress fracture in my foot when I first joined the gym. I had to learn how to take it in baby steps. You want to be left in good enough shape to come back and do it again soon!

I hope all of the students are taking time to get their rest and that they don't waste too much of their energy worrying. Make sure to get some sleep, eat nutritious food, so that your mind is sharp and focused. IT will all be over with soon, and then you can enjoy the break.

Jillian you are in my prayers as well. Give your worries to god he will help you though this. I know it's tough to be alone at a time like this. Try to do something for your self and remember the that the Joy of the Lord is our Strength!

Hello everyone :)

DEB......welcome back. stay with us.....we need you!!! I am doing my first FF in months, and I have to stick with it. So far, so good. Food has been my addiction of choice for the last month or so....so it actually feels good not to be obsessing about it. Here's to a POP weekend, girl!!!

Felicia........you look like a million bucks!!!! I didn't take the time to tell you that yesterday......and every time I look at your avatar I just smile from ear to ear. WTG!!! And.......I can sympathize with your desire for a 36 hour nap.......and chocolate covered cherries had been my best friend until today :) (They are the devil).

Lettie..........are you tapping my brain? I about died laughing when I read that you "don't really like kids...." :lol:. I think sometimes it's the fact that we have 5 kids that makes it difficult to make a living caring for other's children. I did home daycare for years, and loved it......but now I live in one.......so I could never do that job again!!! Good luck with the job search. I hope it is just a temporary thing for you :) Set yourself a goal with your job so you can be done when the goal is met. And don't make it, "when we get out of debt," cuz we all know that won't happen. When I was contemplating getting a job, DH and I had agreed that if I worked, it would be only until our high interest credit cards and/or loans were paid down. But it was agreed that it would be a debt that was not being made anymore.........ie: a credit card that we were no longer using. And then, the plan was to put a certain % of my earnings toward that goal. Cuz so often the more we make, the more we spend. So yeah, that was our plan........and then I changed my mind and didn't get a job :lol: But, if I ever decide to do so, that is what we would try to do. Aren't you happy I just gave you unwanted financial advice? :lol:

Jillian......honey.....one day at a time. This is going to be a big adjustment for you, but you can do it. You know.......a visit or two with a life coach never hurt anyone :) You are going to be ok no matter what......but it is always good to reach out when you need to :) You are smart, and you are reaching out to us, but if you don't start to feel better soon, use your resources, and reach out in another safe direction.....whether that be to your doctor, a life coach, a church, a community group......whatever it may be. Just remember.........you are very vulnerable right now......so receive any help with your eyes wide open. Lonely sucks.......but it is doable. I am so proud of you for staying in touch with all of us and being so honest about how you are feeling. It takes a lot of courage to be honest about feelings. You are going to learn so much about yourself in these months of being independent. Embrace this experience, it is going to add to your wonderful personality!!!!:hug:

Anyway.......big hello's to everyone :) I am trying to only check in once a day........and I have so much I want to say, being the postmaster that I am, but it must wait until later ;)

Hey, Kristen.......you still out there?

And JM.....how's it hangin?

Anyway.....I hope everyone has a great day!!! YOu can do it!!!!
XOXO

Good Afternoon Everyone. Hope you are all having a good Thursday. Just think, it's almost the weekend. Can't come too soon in my opinion.

All the new pics and avatars look fantastic. Felicia - you are gorgeous. You can really tell the difference between this one and your old one. Your face and shoulders are so much thinner. Dan - love the pic of the family. Nothing like a family picture to keep you focused on the important things in life. Kimberly - did you take that picture of yourself? It looks like your arm is extended out in front of you like you were holding something. I tried to take a pic of myself and it just did not work out very well.

Jillian - you are in all of our hearts and prayers. Like Nicole said it takes a lot of courage to reach out and ask for help. And we are so proud of you for doing that. We will all be here so whenever you need it, hop on here and shout out to us and someone will always be here to answer. Won't DH be home soon? I know you are so looking forward to that.

I go on stabilization soon and find that since I know it's almost the end of WL weeks I am getting a little lax in my choices. I think I'm just tired of always obsessing about what I'm eating and how much and when. I am going to try to be as POP as I can until the end of the year to see how that goes but it's tough. I went to WI today and am down a pound. Maybe I can finally get off this plateau I've been on for the past 4+ months.

Almost time for me to go home. Everyone have a safe, pleasant evening. I'll hop back on here tomorrow.

Jillian - you are in my prayers - and have been for a while. I can't imagine all that you are going through. I'm so sorry you are physically alone. Just remember that you are not completely alone because we are all here for you!

Nicole - thanks so much for your sweet encouragement! I need it right now. Teachers are notorious for bringing all of their specialties to share around this time of year. Monday, it was cranberry and orange bread. Tuesday, it was fudge. It's been something every day and I've resisted.

I had to take my name off the list for the faculty Christmas party today. I love going every year, but this year, they decided to go to Bellino's (Italian) and it's going to be a buffet. The only thing I can have is the house salad and I'm not paying $14 to go eat a not-so-great salad and watch everybody enjoy the other stuff. Usually we go to a seafood restaurant in town and everybody orders from the menu, so no matter what diet you're following, you're okay. I'm always a designated driver when we go there since I don't drink. I hate that I'm going to miss the party since it's the only time during the year when we can all get together, but I have to do what's best for me right now.

hahahah, I thought it was free financial advice!

Lettie, Generally you end up where you were meant to be. The people you work with make all the differences, so perhaps if you are with a sympathetic group of drones, well then life is marvelous. I have never known in advance what jobs were going to be fantastic and which jobs where going to make my life like living in the pit.

Jillian, I think of you and pray for you each time I see a Starbucks (and that is very often in the Portland area). You definitely could use some new work clothes. You need to keep your pants on! It is practical and might make you feel better to go out and get something new and fresh. I know that you will feel better when you move and can see your kids more often. Just think about how good it is going to be to see your husband again! You have good things to look forward to after this time alone.

Felicia, sorry about the italian buffet and all the goodies showing up at work. In another 6 months, you will probably be able to go and eat at a place like that easier, as I found after a long time on plan, eating severly off plan made me feel severely sick, so I'm just not as tempted as I was previously. For those of you who think, that will never be me... I would have said the exact same thing, but over time your body adjusts to whatever you are feeding it. Then you won't have to visualize rabbit poops or cow pies, although I salute your inventiveness in that regard.

Hello everyone
I just have time for a fly by....
Jillian - I am so glad that you asked us to keep you in our thoughts and prayers and you know I certainly do that. I have read some of the posts and I echo what they have said. I was especially touched by Nicole's words. Just imagine that we are all there with you putting our arms around you to talk to you and give you strength.

To all the students - just take it one day at a time and do the best that you can.

I have limited time on the computer since I am at someone else's house.

thank you to everyone for the thoughts and kind words. it means the world to me to have a group who cares so much. :)
it's tough for me to admit that i need help, prayers, thoughts, etc. i'm not that type of person..who asks for help or admits many feelings. but i'm glad that i can do that with all of you.

going to go and have a nice cup of tea before bed. early day tomorrow..330am.

see you all tomorrow.

Hey Everybody! :wave:

Went to WI today, and am up .4 I'm not changing my ticker, I want a morning WI to be sure.

Has anyone else heard of (or "testing") the new meal bars? They count as a PVS. I don't think F is in there, but not positive. They come 4 to a pack, and are the same price as the Slim Down shakes. I bought 2 boxes to try out, but mainly because I'm gone for so long at work and by the time I get home, I don't feel like cooking.

I hope everyone is having a great POP day. :cheers:

Jillian, it's hard for all of us to admit we need support from time to time.. Some of us more than others, but it's still hard. The important part is that you understand you do need the support.. That's half the battle right there.. So many people go through their days with a brick wall around them, refusing to admit they might need some help... Keeping it all bottled up inside never does anyone any good...

I'm glad we're here for you, just like I'm glad you are here for us..

I have a meeting at Starbucks tomorrow.. I'll raise my non-fat peppermint mocha in your honor!!

Good morning! I feel like poo this morning. I was up WAY too late last night designing our Christmas cards and getting the images uploaded to our printer. But it's done!

I was looking forward to crashing this weekend, but it's not gonna happen. We have a dinner party for 12 here on Monday night and our house looks less than dinner party ready, so I'll be cleaning all day Saturday. Housework is my least favorite thing to do in the world - and it's obvious from the way the house looks right now! Yuck!

Have a great day!

LF Hanukkah?
 

Grandma died last year and I have been feeling very disconnected from an important part of my heritage. I have been remiss and never taught my daughter how to make latkes from scratch. I usually cheat and use a package. So this year I decided to have a Hanukkah dinner at my house. So I start inviting. If you invite Mom and Dad you have to invite Uncle and Aunt. Then the cousins need to come and so on and so on....
Now it is dinner for 11! At 4 latkes each... equals cooking all day! A day for the family is a blessing. Right?
So I am planning my menu and decide that I have to make great-grandma's matzo ball soup, and I found a bakery to buy chahalla, add some blintzes for dessert and that is dinner. I cannot find a single veggie recipe. Do the Jews not eat veggies? Or are they so horrid that no one ever wrote down the recipe? A dinner with all starches!? This may be a disaster. Or the reason I am overweight in the first place. Starches are my down fall. I eat bread like an alcoholic fallen off the wagon.
Well it is only one meal and it is all about family and love. Food is love right? :han:

Well I survived my first Holiday party last night. While I didn't stay POP I didn't do too terribly bad. Next one is next Friday. I have been told we can take off after the luncheon so I think I'll be chomping at the bit to leave so I won't have any trouble with grazing. I will leave directly after and try to get all my Christmas shopping done that afternoon. Nothing like putting it off till the last second!

I have been very "scroogish" this year. I did get the tree up but I keep forgetting to plug it in so there it sits like a lump in the corner. I think I'll go home and turn of Christmas music tonight to try to get in the mood. The weather isn't helping. It's supposed to be muggy and in the 80s today.

I'm dreaming of a sunburn on Christmas!!!! New hit, come on....sing along with me now.

OK the weekend is here. Now is my challenge. Let's see if I can get thru this one without cheating all over the place.

Hey I haven't even looked at it...does anyone know how bad the "diet" eggnog is? Is it even legal or is it still way off the charts.

Good morning! Quick check in and it looks like everyone is busy with the all the events around the holidays and I'm no exception. My problem is staying on plan during all the shopping, parties, etc. I'm just not doing good at all, haven't even been to COD in two weeks now. I weighed this morning at home and I've not gained but of course I'm not one ounce lighter either. I think my new holiday motto is to maintain and get focused again after the new year. That scares me though because it would be so easy to start creeping back up. How are the rest of you keeping motivate? I need some words of wisdom here:)

Jillian - I will certainly keep you in my thoughts and prayers. We are here for you!