Becky, I am all in favor of work/life balance, though for me personally it seems unattainable. (I seem to get just one of the duo at a time.) I hope you get the job you want.

I've been eating healthily at my mother's, as I forecasted that I would. This weather is heavenly: A touch of crispness in the air, particularly in the evenings, the days sunny and a bit breezy, and insects trilling everywhere in the fields and the roadside ditches. I forgot what it was like to drive fast on a country road, on that gridlike layout around farm properties, without another car for miles, and to have people wave at you from their yards & where they are walking their dogs. And yes, zucchini and yellow squash and tomatoes and eggplant & sweet corn are out in front of people's yards, with a coffee can out for the money. Often also a white plastic bucket full of gladiolas. Anyway, this makes me happy. It's so familiar & so strange. I have no desire to eat in an unheathy way, no need to hunker down & binge.

Saef, your retreat sounds delightful! I've never put both work and life in balance before, either. I am, however, quite pleased with myself for putting it higher on my priority list and for listening politely to everyone who has attempted to talk me out of it. :)

Hugs to all for the good wishes!

How cool is that? I'm totally envious!

So disappointed. I'm up 3 pounds from the vacation and I'm certain it is not water weight.

Back from a business trip for three days in the midwest. Company-bought meals at great restaurants every day. I did what I could. I ate sparingly at times, but I ate well. I was not used to the rich food, however, and had one uncomfortable night because of it.

I am up 2 pounds this morning, but my handy Tanita scale shows me that it's water weight (up 2%), and my puffy eyes also tell me this. So I am not stressed at all. This is life.

Jay

Jay, right on! Glad your clues and experience are all meshing. This week's theme seems to be striving for inner peace - we shall use you and Saef as benchmarks. :)

Allison, I reviewed my journals and yeah, I'm not dealing with water weight either. I've had a consistent increase of one pound every two months since I hit my low of 147. :mad: I guess I need to be more positive that I spotted the trend while it was still a "mere" 10 pounds. So, my current eating is most definitely above a maintenance level. Time to "fall a-weigh" !

More "tryathlon" today: swimming, running and a bit of basketball. I'm at my ma's with the DB11 who is pacing me. I have a different set of duties here and this kind of activity/training fits in very well.

I never weigh myself on my mother's scales as they are 3 or 4lbs higher than mine. I don't need the grief.

Jay - I recognise the discomfort that occasional rich food causes at night. I sometimes feel I'm quite ascetic in my habits.

Saef - glad that running has been fun in the countryside. And that you've been able to do it without pain.

Being called away. :wave: to all.

I'm down 4.6 pounds from last Friday, when I weighed myself (among other errands and packing) before driving Upstate.

I have bigger things on my mind now. The struggle today is reminding myself that eating does not allay anxiety, not really, nor does it replace constructive action. It's just a form of wheel-spinning.

Becky, do check in and let us know how your interview went.

Jay, you make me want to get a Tanita scale. Sounds as though it's one of those highly scientific instruments that somehow determines body composition. (How, I wonder. With a laser?) I'll have to Google that when I get a minute.

Birchie, have you been doing a lot of caretaking for your family again? "Try" is a fine word. There is certainly much honor in "try."

Off to the gym this a.m. to work off some adrenalin. Since I am on vacation -- my last day, though -- I can take a yoga class at 9:30 AM that I usually miss. I'm looking forward to it, hoping to calm and center myself at it.

Down 1 of those 2 pounds today, but the Tanita says my water percentage is still high. Not worried--am eating on plan again. Need to drink more water.

saef, the Tanita uses electrical resistance measured through the soles of the feet to estimate body fat percent and water percent. You don't feel any electricity, and it doesn't shock you or anything.

It's not particularly accurate in absolute terms, but in relative terms it can be useful--such as when one is retaining water compared to normal.

Jay

100% OP yesterday and down 1.5 pounds for that. Another 1.5 and I'll be back to pre-vacation weight. I hope to be there by Saturday. Planning for another OP day today.

This is a standard visit during the school summer holidays. I do my mother's accounts and tax return; the DB and I see swathes of extended family and go swimming a lot (this year running and basketball too as SO isn't with us this time); Mum generally makes the food; and I am given various other duties too. This morning, I sold metal at the scrap merchant and put a desk into the back of my car with my 84yo uncle. It's generally exhausting but it's a welcome change as different people do different things. I see things from different perspectives.

Thinking about it, "let's try" really is our motto. We're always having a go at things. Therefore, eating as wheel-spinning (which saef mentioned) has no place in this.

Water seems to be another theme today. Water weight. Rain. Floods. The weather was atrocious a few hours ago but it's warm and sunny now. Fingers crossed for you people west across the pond.

Yay! Congrats to the droppers of pounds (and kilograms). :carrot:

ICU, let us know how it goes!!!
Krampus, what work are you doing now that your back here?
Saef, have you moved all of your antiques to higher, drier ground?

Got up and ran. Ate a good breakfast.

Yes, trying is a good thing. If trying is all one can do, well, it's still better than the alternative, which is not trying!

There's this quote:

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." MLK Jr

I have also read it adapted thusly:
"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl. So let's crawl, crawl, crawl until we can walk again."

Midwie - I love that quote. I used to have it framed on the wall but gave it to a friend who needed it more than me at the time. Good job on the run today!

Thinking about you today, Becky!

Birchie - sounds like a great trip to me.

Saef - I hope the yoga gives you a few minutes peace from your weather worries today.

Allison & Jay - great job OP!

I did really well for several days, stayed well under calories. The last few days have been right on maintenance with too much sodium, so carrying some water retention today. Blah.

Yay for running!

And I used to have a Yoda quote on my signature. "NO! Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."

But I like this better, "Hmmm. Control. Control. You must learn control."

:lol: Do you say it in a Yoda voice, Allison?
How's your hand, Shannon?

Hah! a true creation of the Western male mind... :lol:

Control has its place, but awareness is high on my list. And options. :)

Jay

I can't do a Yoda voice except in my head.

And options are good. For instance, I found a great "pasta" recipe that I'm going to fix for dinner tomorrow. The "pasta" is zucchini served with a sauce of oil, garlic, tomatoes and basil. Pair it with a chicken breast and I've got my lean and green!

The hand is doing better, Midwife. Thanks for asking. Still sore to the touch, but the cut areas are now mostly new skin instead of cuts and bruises. It hurts more than I would expect looking at the outside healing, so I'm a little worried that I've cut something important inside that will make it hurt forever.

Hi Jessica and Allison, I'm back after going through having to go back on the medicine that put 30 pounds back on me and then last September I was switched off it and at the same time gave up sugar. So the weight has slowly melted off and I'd just like to lose 6 more pounds.

I think it will happen quickly because a month ago I was diagnosed with acid reflux that is burning the muscles around my vocal chords. So I'm on a very strict diet of no fat, no caffeine, no alcohol, no fruit juice, no citric fruit or berries, no spice, and the no sugar that I'm continuing to do. I've given up almost all dairy, red meat, peanut butter, and nuts. After a month of meds and the diet, my throat is doing much better, but not perfect and my voice is better.

I'm still sailing, West Coast Swing Dancing, doing my art, and have added indoor rock climbing. But I still can't bring myself to exercise. I'll do sports, but won't go to the gym.

Hi, Carolyn, welcome aboard again!

Saef, be safe!

Interview went well, I think (I had them laughing several times). Still, a huge energy sink and I am wiped out! My portion control success tonight was having only one BLT. Within a week I should know the outcome; hoping to hear the unofficial version after interviews conclude on Monday.

Hi Carolyn! Welcome back!!! You're lucky it's only 6 pounds! Some of us (including me) have 10 or more to go. But I'm handling it. I have a goal--my trip to Costa Rica in 3 weeks.

So glad you interview went well, ICU! Best of luck that you get the job.

Carolyn, this is bad, but I remember your avatar & the blue dress -- you are the Devil With the Blue Dress On -- but not the details. Glad to see you again.

Becky, I've been interviewing people for a job as part of a committee of three, and from my experience, I'd trust your feeling that your audience was "with" you, particularly if they laughed along with you. Now is the hard part: Waiting to hear. I hope you get it.

Definition of insanity: I'm thinking of going to the gym tomorrow morning before I pack up to leave. Partly to work off stress. Partly as a promise to myself, that life will return to a new sort of normal in a few days.

My scale weighed me less today, but I still have to round up a bit for a true doctor's scale measurement.

Yesterday, I cleared out all the size 8-12 clothes from my working closet and put all the size 2-6 clothes that I can finally wear again in it. It was so much fun. Like shopping without the price tags. Today I'm wearing a green halter dress that I only wore once back in 2007 because I bought it at the end of the summer season and then it got too cold. Then in 2008 I had to switch meds again and quickly regained all the weight I had lost in 2006 & 2007.

So Saef - I was back to wearing that purple dress in my advatar photo again. Now I look like the right side, only my hair is 3 inches below my shoulders now. I tried to post a new photo with the long hair. It shows up on my signature page, but not when I post.

I'm in South Jersey and the rain just started about 45 minutes ago. I had just gotten back from the grocery to pick up extra water and dry food we can eat if we lose power for a few days.

DH has been working hard the last two days to secure our six boats that are at the shore. We have 2 more at home plus our twelve foot inflatable power boat deflated and rolled up in his car. If it floods badly, we can always inflate it to get to higher ground - which there isn't much of in South Jersey. Our house is near Philadelphia an hour and a half away from Long Beach Island where 5 of our boats are - a 34' Silverton Power Boat that we use as our shore house, 3 Hobie catamarans, and a windsurfer. DH took a half day yesterday morning to secure the boats and help all our friends secure theirs. We expect that the bay will surge 2 to 3 feet above the parking lot.

Then he evacuated at 6 pm as everyone else did and drove in the traffic jam up to our 36' Mariner sailboat in a marina in Jersey City. He lives on that boat during the week so he can commute into NYC. He had to take all the canvas down, stow the jib, rope down the main sail, tie extra lines to the dock, and put out more fenders. The marina has floating docks that go up and down with the tide, so the boat should be safe if NY harbor gets the surge they are expecting.

He's due home this afternoon, but I think he'll hit a lot of traffic on the NJ Turnpike. That's if the governor doesn't close it like he did the south bound traffic on the Garden State Parkway yesterday.

My MIL evacuated from LBI and is staying with friends not that far inland. So she may still get flooded out.

Haven't heard what my brother has done to secure his boat up in Westport Connecticut. It's dry docked on a trailer and could easily be tipped over in a hurricane. I hope he takes it to where he stores it for the winter.

Carolyn and folks in the Northeast: Hope you're hunkered down and safe.

The 2 pounds of water from my business trip are gone now. :) My eating is back on track.

My modified Medifast program allows one "big" meal a day, called the "lean & green." Last night we went out with friends to Ruby Tuesday, and I had the mixed grill (steak, chicken, 3 jumbo shrimp) with grilled green beans and baked spaghetti squash. Very tasty and filling! I couldn't finish the squash.

Jay

Hi all,

East Coasters - stay safe please. The Amtrak from downstate to Albany-Rensselaer was PACKED late Friday night. I'm in the splash zone but not the flash flood/evacuation zone so I predict today will be spent sitting around playing with my new Spotify account - stream any song on the system with no restrictions like Pandora has!

Weight, meh. I am up and down the same 5 lbs over and over again. Exercise is definitely slacking though and I hate that flabby feeling! All I would have to do to feel "decent" is go for two 30-minute runs. That's it!

Job is currently temp part-time data entry at a milk company. It's a $10 per hour pay cut but it puts beer in my mug (gee I wonder why I'm not at goal weight) and it's not forever. I have made a new friend who may be able to put in a good word for me at his work. He's really into hiking and I'm excited about climbing mountains together, but he's also really into eating and drinking and smoking pot too - those aren't so good for weight loss/maintenance eh!

Reading about the storm and wishing everyone on the east coast well.

I made zucchini "pasta" last night. Really tasty and surprising how much the zucchini resembled spaghetti. I think the little tool I bought made it that much easier. It's a three in one peeler, one of the settings peels julienne strips--just the same size as spaghetti. My dog was happy as well because as soon as I got to the seed part of the zucchini, he got to eat that!

I forgot to weigh myself this morning. It was a little confusing as we added a new member to our family yesterday. We brought home an 18 week old kitten from the shelter. His name is Louie and he's an orange kitty with beautiful gold eyes.

allison - congrats on the new family member!

saef - :hug: very glad to know that you are safe and have at least the anchor of an office to go to. I am so sorry that your apartment and loved things did not make it. Many, many restoration personnel from the Midwest are there or enroute - perhaps there is still a chance that certain items could be saved?

krampus - good to see you again! The new friend sounds interesting - although, as you said, potentially detrimental to your scale numbers. :) I tried to redeem one of those types once (my single attempt at martyrdom).

carolyn, good to see you survived the storm.

Not much to report so far - still waiting to hear the outcome of the interviewing. The last candidate was done at 10am. It's slightly awkward since the hiring manager is a friend of mine, who actively recruited me to apply for the job. I don't want to pester her, but if she leaves me hanging much longer, I may be flipped inside-out! :D And yes, I confess, there has been stress-eating going on. I'll try a different direction tonight and see if a brisk walk-kinda-run will set my head back on straight.

Hey folks, I'm back from vacation with a couple pounds extra. I have no regrets though -- I thoroughly enjoyed the cherry pie, cherry strudel, cherry ice cream soda, cherry ice cream, PB&J with cherry jam, cherry stuffed french toast, pecan pancakes, apple cider donuts, fudge, beef wellington, tons of fish, and a delicious braised lamb shank. And a lot more. We definitely ate a lot, and it was good. If any of you guys every go to Door County I highly recommend the fish boil at the White Gull Inn. Who knew boiled fish and potatoes could be so tasty?

But I did get a lot of exercise too. I took the custom orthotics out of my shoes which I think was a good move (will have to discuss with podiatrist later, but for now my feet feel a little better). I decided that I was on vacation and wanted to do fun stuff and I would just ignore my feet/wrists/etc hurting and do what I wanted, and it worked out pretty well. I did some powerwalking with Carter, attempted to swim in Lake Michigan but it was too cold and I was afraid of the currents so I waded and splashed with Carter instead, hiked a few trails, rented a bike and biked around Washington Island, climbed a million stairs to a lookout tower, and went kayaking. Then yesterday, at home, I biked 18 miles, mowed the lawn, and walked the dog. Back at work today and my wrists are already bugging me from the computer. Oh well.

In any case, I am at 141 today. So, definitely in the operation 5-10 range. I'm going to try going gluten-free to see if it helps my tendon problems and I'm hoping that I will lose some weight just by that alone. Otherwise I'm thinking of checking out some other diet options. I'm sick of counting calories for everything I put in my mouth. I'm thinking of checking with my sister who is on the new WW plan where you don't have to count fruits and veggies to see how their plan works.

Becky, good luck for the new job!

Carolyn, welcome back, nice to see you again!

Saef, :grouphug:

Hi everyone else!

139.6 this morning. Most of the vacation weight must have been retained water. Went for a power walk this morning with the dog since it was too dark out to ride my bike since I lack safety gear. On the one hand, it's probably not good for my feet to power walk a lot. On the other hand, my feet feel better when I'm doing active things all day as opposed to sitting in a chair all day. One full day back at work and I already am feeling the pain & exhaustion that comes from sitting at a computer for 8 hours straight. Remind me why I do this type of work again? :p

In any case tonight I am planning to ride to the bike shop to pick up headlights, tail lights, and a reflective vest so I can go ride at 6am. Because some idiots thought that Indy should be on the same time as NYC, the sun doesn't come up until after 7 right now. We really ought to be on Central time, not Eastern. (Other people say, but it is light so late at night! Yeah, but I want to cook dinner and sleep at night, and go outside in the morning!)

Back to pre-vacation weight this morning myself. I still need to lose a few more before I'll be comfortable in my swim suits.

I have a swimsuit vacation coming up in about 6 weeks and I need to be just a little more ready, too.

Sounds like a good vacation, Jessica. I noticed it was dark enough this morning that I really could have used a light myself. And the cycle continues, time marches forward, etc.

WTG dropping your vacation weight, Allison.
Where you going, Shannon?

I've come to the conclusion that I have some depression stuff going on. The only thing I've wanted to do for the past three weeks is sleep, and this is not normal. Not quite sure how I am going to address it but it helps that I am aware. That's the problem with me and depression. Sometimes I'm not aware.

As for health, ran today, packed breakfast and lunch. Rinse, repeat.

Midwife -- :hug: I think running and packing breakfast and lunch is a good start to treating depression. My DH suffers from depression as well and in general a whole lot of exercise is pretty effective at keeping him out of major ruts. I do notice than when he doesn't exercise for a few days or weeks, he will become much more depressed.

Unrelated: I thought it was funny this morning when I was taking Carter out for his walk that I have all this night time safety gear for him and none for myself. He's got a reflective vest, reflective collar, and LED light collar!

Midwife - I'm going to Florida, just outside of Destin. I have a family history of depression, and have struggled with it myself, too. I find that exercise is a big help for me like it is for Mr. Jessica. Awareness of the condition is an important part of the process. :hug:

Speech to text software, Jessica? Have just had a quick word with the SO who's in this field and he thinks something might be possible with Dragon Naturally Speaking for someone programming on a Windows platform (I think that's you). If you want to explore it further with him, I'll introduce you.

Thanks Silver, I have experimented with Dragon before and may do it again in the future. At the moment though it's more the sitting in a chair all day than the typing that is bugging me! I am getting the cyst in my left wrist removed in about a month and I think that will make the biggest difference to my wrist issues. They seem to be generally calming down at this point in any case so maybe this whole flare-up is on its way out.

Down a pound+ today, and I expect I'll be down another tomorrow or the next day. Yay!

I want to sleep all the time lately too, but it's because I'm tired! :lol:

Jay

What did I do--kill the thread by posting a loss??? :lol:

Jay

Naw, Jay. Just too much going on to post much. After an up day (and being 100% OP for two days) I have lost one pound. Still above where I was a few weeks ago, but hoping to get at least three off before the 10th.

You didn't kill the thread, Jay. High five on the continued loss, Medifast-esque meals seem to be working for you. Yay!

I have been feeling TOM ick all week this week, so have been bloated and grumpy all week long. Hoping that is almost done.