Good morning and welcome to a new week!

Do you ever feel like you've been running on a hamster wheel and just need a day off? That's how I've been feeling, but I don't think today is the day!

We went to a wild and crazy graduation party yesterday ... the family is Serbian and there was live Serbian music, dancing, and unbelievable food (including a lamb they roasted on a spit in their backyard), all accompanied by multiple shots of homemade Serbian moonshine. I politely declined the shots but that just couldn't be allowed, so they poured me a wimpy half-shot which I faked drinking. DH managed three, and came home and was useless for the rest of the night. I stayed far, far away from the dessert table! It was really a lot of fun, but exhausting.

I'm off to the gym when it opens (wish they'd fix the A/C!) and then an exciting day of laundry and cleaning here.

We all send our best wishes out to Anne and Nicholas, as well as the rest of her family, and hope that he continues to be a happy and contented baby. Lisa, you're next!

What did you all do this weekend? What's going on this week?

Good Morning!
No grad party here (though I've been to a Serbian wedding-whew) but Father's Day threw me so far off it's embarrassing Dh requested lasagna and cheesecake. Then we sat in the yard and had vodka tonics. Very, very bad. On to a new week!!!!

Anne-I'm glad baby and big sis are cooperating. Fingers crossed for a long period of peace.

Last week was Cub Scout day camp, this week it's Girl Scout day camp. I have to pack my lunches to help because what the girl's are cooking is NOT diet friendly. Have a great week everybody!

Good morning

Quiet weekend here for the most part. Lots of chores - shopping, veggie dehydrating, and laundry. What an exciting life I lead My reward was strawberry rhubarb compote so it was all worth it.

I woke up to the power going out at 5AM. Nothing to do but get up and go out for a walk. My partner was impressed that I was clever enough to get home just as the coffee finished brewing. I love coffee.

Meg - Sounds like a wild party. I love trying different foods so am not sure I would have been as good about the dessert tray. Have fun at the gym.

joyofsix- Have fun at camp

Now off to start the work week!

Good morning everyone! I'm back from my weekend in NYC. The funniest things about this trip to NYC are that this was the first time I've been there and not gone to Manhattan at all, and it's also the first time I've flown in and out of La Guardia with NO DELAYS. Both my flights were on time even though they were on two different airlines.

Anyway I had a great time. I stayed with my sister and her GF in their really cute apartment in Brooklyn, and we went to their farmer's market, the Bronx Zoo, and a local fleamarket (I was only there Fri night - Sun afternoon). I also got to eat some fabulous food and they took me out to two really nice bars (I never go to bars usually). Of course that means I ate and drank too much.

But despite eating and drinking too much, my weight this morning was LESS THAN ONE POUND higher than Friday!! I'm guessing the huge amount of walking I did while there counteracted some of the extra calories. We walked so much Saturday that my legs are still sore. Plus I didn't stuff myself to the point of uncomfortably full. Two best things I tasted on this trip: plantain gnocchi at a Senegalese fusion restaurant, and a Thai chile/coriander/rhubarb cocktail. I am going to have to find a recipe or experiment to see if I can make plantain gnocchi at home!

The only downside to the trip is that I am soooooo tired now. After going out Saturday night, I didn't get to bed until 3am, then got up at 8. Last night we went to sleep at 9:30 and I was completely out of it this morning until around 7, when DH finally managed to convince me to get out of bed.

We had an ant invasion last night! Not huge numbers of ants, but I'm not sure what to do about them. They seem like they have a line from our front door to our garage door, and have started exploring their way into the kitchen. We vacuumed up most of the ones inside and vacuumed the house to get any crumbs away, and I wiped up all the ants on the trail with a wet paper towel because a website said that would stop them from being able to follow the trail. If they're back tonight I'm not sure what to do. I'd rather not put poison down since I am concerned about our dog getting into it. What's the best way to stop ants from coming into your house?

Meg, I sure know what you mean about the hamster wheel. Eat, poop, sleep for the baby, and well, not that much different for me! DS is being such a good baby so far though, and we were only up once with him last night! So different than DD. DS is eating well and gaining weight, and I'm happy about that. Breastfeeding is still very difficult for me, but it is going much better than with DD.

I've made some steps to getting myself back together though. I started writing down what I'm eating again, not worrying about portion size or calorie counts or anything, just getting an awareness again of what I'm doing and not mindlessly shoving in granola bars at 3 a.m. I've also been out walking again a couple times. It is hard because I have to get it together so early in the morning before the heat sets in (high of 109F today!), but I made it about a mile each time at a nice, easy pace. It feels so good to be moving again.

Meg, you party sounds interesting.

joyofsix Lisa, cheesecake and lasagna sounds so yummy! It is a new week for all of us!

Cyndi, I love coffee too, and now that my heartburn is now basically gone, I'm back to it again, at a half-decaf level anyway. Good for you on the walk.

Jessica, sounds like a very successful and fun trip. I have no ant advice, but don't let them get into the dogfood whatever you do. We had a huge mess with that one time several years ago when we lived in CA.

Have a good week everyone!

Anne

I'm back this week. Last week was crazy busy at work and this week is starting off with a crisis, but hopefully things are going to calm down after today.

Saturday was a "me" day. I got up early for my Sat AM swim, then the farmers' market, then a leisurely breakfast. Then my SO went to play basketball so I had the house to myself. I laid out in the sun for a while, then I had a massage appointment. I finished the grocery shopping after my massage, had a snack, watched a little baseball with my SO, and then we had fresh fish for dinner.

Sunday we went to a baseball game. It was freezing cold and miserable, but I packed my own food to eat so I was on plan all day, and the A's won (swept the Giants--go A's), so it was all worth it. And they managed to win in nine innings--with it being so cold, I was a little worried it would go into extra innings--that's the sort of luck I have.

Unfortunately, I managed to re-injure my knee. I got up early on Sunday to go running--because of the baseball game, I wanted to get started with exercise before my gym opened and running is the way to do that. But I guess I overdid it. Hopefully it will recover quickly, but it looks like I may not be able to run my intervals this week.

Paperclippy: plaintain gnocci that sounds really good. I love plantains! I'm also a big fan of rhubarb, so Thai chili/coriander/rhubarb cocktail also sounds pretty good to me.

CyndiM: I coffee too! But it has to be decaf for me! I feel like it's one of the few indulgences I have left.

Anne: I'm glad things are going well with your new baby.

joyofsix: Ah, lasagna! We never have that any more; it's one of the few recipes that I just haven't been able to make fit in my calorie plan. But I did have some a couple of weeks ago when I was off plan. It sure was yummy!

Meg: I'm definitely familiar with the hamster wheel! I really think I would be much happier with a four-day work week. Work four days, three days off--that would be so much better. Who came up with the five-day work week anyway? Or maybe a 3-day work week...

Hi guys!

I'm back from Vegas. It was....interesting. There were things I really liked about it and things that I didn't and some things I was very ambivalent about.

I've been noticing an undercurrent of strength and change in my life recently and it was really interesting how these themes kepts coming up over and over on my trip.

First, I am a huge wimp with traveling alone. And the first two days I was alone, until DH flew out on Friday night. But I was really impressed with myself. I resisted the temptation to hole up in my hotel room except for conference sessions. The first two days I stuck to my food and exercise plan very well. I ran and I lifted weights. (Hey Meg, remember how you said that I might ought to someday be able to come up with my own weight-lifting regimen--I did! And I was sore the next day so I think I did a really good job!)

I was the only woman in the gym most of the time I lifted weights and I was the only one using the free weights. But it was fun.

Running in the early morning was the best time for me. It was cool and beautiful and not insanely crowded.

I have never seen so many people in my entire life. Not to mention, not a single person I knew. Where I live, I am always running into people I know, often ladies I took care of during pregnancy, so it was strange. I gave lots of people a second look cause they looked sort of like someone I know, but of course they weren't.

You know the poem:
There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the center of her forehead
When she was good, she was really really good
And when she was bad she was horrid.

Aside from the fact that I do not usually use "good" or "bad" to denote whether I have been eating/exercising on plan or not, that really described me perfectly this weekend. When I was on plan, I was perfectly on plan. And when I wasn't, oooooohhh boy. Pastries, frozen chocolate alcohol drinks, well....they were so good and totally worth it.

I saw a great show--Menopause the Musical. Hilarious.....about women meeting and supporting each other during "the change". It made me think of 3FC.....about strangers coming together and sharing humor, insight, and support during a huge life transition....and connecting and forming relationships.

The gambling was interesting to me. How many people just sat and fed money into machines over and over and over. I spent $5, lost it, and thought, "This is stupid." But then I am rather a tightwad. DH played some slots when I was in my conference and he won $100. It is less stupid when you win. Which is the point I guess.

My conference focused on adolescents and we had a session with a very smart pediatrician who talked about helping teenagers through their choices. So much of it applies to what we talk about on here so often that I wanted to share it with you:

There are five steps to behavioral change:
1) Awareness--How many of us had to have that "aha" moment, that look in the mirror, or a picture, or bad labs, high blood pressure? We cannot address our weight as a problem until we are aware of it.

2) Motivation---we talk a lot about motivation on here, how fleeting and unreliable it can be, but that initial push has to be triggered by a bit of excitement, an "I can do this! I want to do this!"

3)Skills--we all know that we have to learn about food, exercise, our bodies. That is such a barrier for so many. We can know that we need to change, and then we want to change, and then we think "Now what?" Grapefruit diets? 500 calories a day? Running 7 miles right off the bat? So not only the skills to get started, but the skills we learn along the way. How to navigate weddings, in-laws, business trips....Improving our knowledge of physical activities....triathalons, weights, running, bicycling...

4)Trial and error. Who has ever made a misstep on this journey? We all all all have of course. We try and succeed, we try and fail, we keep trying and changing and trying again. And that is the KEY. The willingness to keep going, to keep trying.

5) Maintenance! I almost jumped out of my chair. I think the concept of maintenance in any behavioral change has been overlooked for far too long (of course, maybe it is only now that I have been looking for maintenance info!) We all know what maintenance is....continued awareness and vigilance to keep to our new behaviors.

I think that these steps do indicate a progression of sorts, but I also believe that they are somewhat fluid. I think that we can bop along maintaining for awhile and then we start making some other choices, and we are struck by the awareness step again. Regular weighing, anyone? We need tools to keep each of these steps up front in our consciousness---or at least I do! And I keep moving through and developing these steps daily. With a lot of help from you guys!

One last thought from this guy (again he was discussing adolescents, but I thought--WOW---he really is talking about anyone facing changes and choices), so with credit and apologies to Ken Ginsburg, MD:

"Confidence gets it started. Shame paralyzes all efforts."

How true is that? I swear, everything I have learned about change theory I learned first on 3FC. We should all have PhDs!

I just really feel like so much in my life is lining up right now. I feel like changes are afoot and I am exhilarated and excited and ready to go! I've had a lot of stress about my job lately---not my ladies, I love them---but all the political crap that comes along with any job. But I realized, I need to stop thinking about it as a job. It is truly a calling. I used to believe that and I am moving back toward that again.

And, when I got back home, the first person I saw in the airport that I knew was a couple with their baby who I caught 6 months ago.

So I apologize for the novel, to those who have read all this.

Anne, congrats on the baby. He is very cute and you are so lovely.

Paperclippy, I'm glad you had a nice trip!

Hi Cindy and Joy!

Hi Meg! I am glad to get back on the hamster wheel. I have protein shakes and tuna steaks and my lovely routine on my hamster wheel.

Anne,
It sounds like you are doing great! I can't believe you are already walking and writing down what you are eating!

midwife-- your trip to Vegas sounds very interesting. Thank you for posting all of your great conference info.

My weekend was off and on plan, but more off than on. The scale shows it. I'm off to the gym to work hard!!

My oldest dd has her high school graduation Wednesday night. We have graduation, dinner, pedicures, doctor appointments, work, stress, etc., to deal with this week. I hope I find the strength to deal with everything!

We are contemplating a big life change and it is very stressful. We wish we had a crystal ball. I'll update when I know more one way or the other.

I'm another running on a hamster wheel. Trying to get caught up at work and at home. Sometimes I just spin my wheels. I have so much to do I just can't focus and so I get nothing done. Sigh. At least I got my estimated taxes paid today.

Anne - good to hear things are going well with the new baby.

Midwife - thanks for the "novel." I have heard most of the information in various seminars, etc. but a reminder is good. Las Vegas is another whole world isn't it? My DH was overwhelmed by just the slots in the airport - he's never even been to the strip - and has no desire to. I've been there several times with GF's.

Welcome home Barbara! Your "me" day sounded lovely. My DH left yesterday afternoon to go fishing, but so far I haven't had much time free to indulge myself! Maybe if he doesn't get home tonight. Provided of course it's still indulgence if the washing machine is running.

midwife, thanks for a great post! Lots there to think about.

Barbara, your "me" day sounds heavenly!

Hi Pat & Michelle.

Anne

Midwife, I thank you so much for that very thought provoking post. I always read your posts. You write beautifully. This post in particular hit home. I've been struggling a bit this past week and reading your words really made me feel better.

Anne, sounds like things are going really well. I'm so happy for you.

Beating myself up this evening....
I have a major sweet tooth and I almost always have something sweet in the evening (within my plan). We didn't have anything in the house and dh and dd went to the store. They know what I want and what I will eat. I posted last week that my family is starting to make comments that I'm "too thin". Well, they returned with low-fat ice cream and "toppings" (read between the lines-- candy!). I debated and made a poor choice. I opted not to have the ice cream but I had a candy bar. I know it isn't the end of the world but I'm really mad at myself. I made some poor choices over the weekend and wanted to get back 100% today. That sure didn't happen. I feel like they did it on purpose, but I made the choice so I can't really blame them.

What do you do with the guilt and the negative self-talk? I am being very hard on myself. I was OP the rest of the day and went to the gym so the day wasn't a total loss but I sure don't expect a loss on the scale tomorrow.

I usually go to the gym after work but tomorrow afternoon will be busy (getting pedicures for dd's graduation Wednesday) so I may try to get up early and get it done before work. I'm hoping that will help my frame of mind. I don't want to say anything to dh because then it will "confirm" to him that I'm "obsessed".

Oh well....what's done is done....

Michele! Beating yourself up doesn't do any good, as I'm sure you know. All you can do is learn from the experience, think about what you might do differently next time (because there will be a next time), and then keep on going. So yesterday ended up being a maintenance day for you; the candy bar probably put you at maintenance calories instead of losing. That's OK! There's nothing wrong with maintaining! Today is a whole new day. I totally can understand wanting to fit your gym time in whenever you can -- my day really stinks and my eating tends to be off if I don't go to the gym. So go when you can and you'll feel better.

Welcome home, Midwife! See, you know more about working out than you thought! Good work on putting together your own workouts. And what a great post!! The parallels between weight loss and your session on choices are remarkable. It's all something we're aware of but I've never seen written out quite so concretely and succinctly. I especially like the part about "skills" because we don't tend to think of weight loss and maintenance as a skill, but it most definitely is. And it's a lifetime skill, since the awareness and choices are something we'll be doing every day for the rest of our lives. Wow, just think how much more successful weight loss would be if people had an awareness of the process that you outlined! (instead of the Six Day Miracle Diet Plan )

Barbara, bummer about your knee! Can you bike or do the elliptical? I know you'd go bananas if you can't do anything.

Anne, your organization and efficiency blows me away! Here you are, just a few days after having a baby, and you've got a weight loss plan all mapped out. I'm sure it feels wonderful just to move again and have your own body back again. A mile sounds like a pretty ambitious way to start out, but knowing you, you'll be back to running before we know it. Your heat is unreal!

Got to run to the gym but I'll be back. Cardio and a back workout on the menu today.

Hi everyone! Hope you all had great weekends.

My family was in town this weekend. It was great since it'd been 3 months since I've seen them. They did all the Elvis stuff while I was at work(Graceland is cool....but really, one visit it enough) and Saturday I showed them around Midtown(an area I'm growing to love more that the touristy-downtown) and we went shopping and had dinner with The Boy's family. I got an early birthday present---a new iPod! I've been without one since March, and I can def. feel a difference in my workout.

It was a nice weekend, but my family has about a 12 hour window where they are pleasant when all together, so things got crabby fast


Food wasn't too terrible...although Saturday at Jason's Deli I overdid it at the salad bar! i love that place...I think I just got too excited and ate too many veggies too fast and had a terrible stomachache the rest of the day. It was a baked potato for dinner, although I did help my boy with his dessert---Chocolate Overload Torte. Oh my. I'll have to work out for months to make up for that one!

Can gas prices PLEASE go down??? $58 to fill up a Honda is ridiculous and gas was essentially the root of mine and Boy's first fight

Anne--so glad everything is going well!

There were some more I was going to reply to....but I need to eat breakfast and pop in the No Excuses thread. More later.

Have a great day!

Midwife, welcome back and thanks for the post!

Congrats to all the graduates and soon-to-be graduates (and parents thereof)!

Hi Pat, Anne, DGA, Meg, Robin, Barbara, and everyone else I missed!

I'm about to graduate myself - from occupational therapy! Thursday is my last day, then I'm getting discharged. I have one more week of physical therapy for my knees too. Some great stats from my OT progress report: my grip strength is up 20lbs in both hands, pinch is up 1-5 lbs, pain level went from constant 4 to sometimes 1, and all my strength measures went up. I went from being able to barely go 3 minutes on the arm bike to doing three sets of 4 minutes. I also went from barely being able to do wrist curls with a 1lb weight to doing them with a 4lb weight.

I am so happy with my wrist progress! I hope that with the home exercise program they give me I will get even better. Knees are improving too, so I guess all those leg lifts are working! The leg lifts have gotten a lot easier too.

The ants are still there. Last night I wiped up their trail again and sealed the crack under the door they were coming in through. I guess I didn't do a good enough job of sealing it though because they are still sneaking in! I can't even figure out what their destination is. It looks like they are just trying to get little teeny crumbs out of the carpet. We vacuumed, but I guess our vacuum isn't powerful enough. This morning DH tried putting citrus oil near the entrance to deter them. Next step is to put poison outside I guess.