Good morning to all the soon-to-be or wannabe or trying-hard-to-stay Maintainers! I'm blown away by the great discussions we had going on last week and hope to keep the ball rolling by starting a weekly chat thread for us. Here's a place to talk about what's happening this week, anything you're wrestling with now, any challenges or struggles that might be coming up, or just for generally teasing Jack. (it's SO much fun having a guy around for a change!)

My challenge that I set for myself is to eat clean for a week. I've been getting a little too sloppy -- for me that means doing just fine 98% of the time and then falling head first into some awful food here at home when I'm tired. When I thought about what was happening, I realized that being tired is the trigger for any overeating I might do. So ... I'm working on getting more sleep and am going to practice some Dr. Phil environmental control (put DH's cookies in the basement freezer so they don't taunt me every time I open up the kitchen freezer). I'd love to get the junk totally out of the house but since I'm not the only one who lives here, I can't.

How's everyone else doing? Vmelo, Jiff, Beverly, Ilene, Idealperson, Emily, Tiki, Karen, Mel, Seek, Ali, Noodles and Jack?

Noodles! Take it easy and feel better soon!

I'm back from the gym and ran a mile (and biked for a bit)! Yay! I'm easing back into running since my little lay-off because it seems to be THE best fat burner for my legs. Later today I'm doing legs AND chest -- weird split, but why not? This will be my first leg workout in six weeks, so I'm expecting to be nice and sore tomorrow.

Hi there Meg, ah poor Noodles! to you, but keep your distance, please.

I had a fairly unusual mother's day weekend. On Friday, I had a Full tummy tuck with muscle repair. I've been at goal weight for almost 3 years now, although the bf% has changed. I've done everything "right" with regards to the skin issue, and nothing has changed except the leaner I got elsewhere, the worse my stomach looked. My skin was pretty much - no, completely destroyed with my first pregnancy who will be 22 yrs. old in 2 months. So if the rule of thumb is that it takes 7 years to completely regenerate new skin, I gave it 3 chances. I've been investigating this and doing research since last Christmas, and finally took the plunge. So far, it's not been nearly as bad as I thought it would be which is good because Meg PROMISED me it wouldn't be so bad, and I know where she lives!

The one thing I remember telling my plastic surgeon before I went under, was that I wanted to 5'8" and have a Barbie Doll waist. He failed me
But far, from the little I can see, it looks pretty darn good for a 49 yr old who carried two babies to term (one of whom we nicknamed "Torpedo" in utero because of her bizarre position, and the other who was 10 1/2 pounds.

So there's my "What did you do for Mother's Day" essay. I think I'll go lie downfor a while and try to keep the cat from pouncing on my stomach!

Just an afterthought: Anybody comtemplating abdominal surgery, work up some good strength in your arms, quads and abs. It sure helped. 1) It was very easy for the doc (his words) because the muscle was so strong and defined, he could easily anchor the skin and; 2) it makes getting up and down without having to shout for help a lot easier

Have a good day, everyone.

Mel

ps- any incoherent sentences and bad spelling are the result of DRUGS not my lack of education

Hey Meg, if you throw in back and shoulders for me, You've almost got me covered for the week! No running, tho. I definitly not allowed to run

Good idea... I am getting closer to where I want to be so I am happy! I went out to eat at restaurants 4 times this weekend and did relatively well... I had chicken and veggies on Friday night.. that night was tough, it was at a steak house and they gave a tortilla chips basket and the food took a long time, but I resisted and waited for my main course. On Saturday night I had a treat that I planned... a piece of cheesecake pie... it was too sweet I felt sick afterwards... boy have I lost my sweet tooth. Sunday morning I had a brunch out and ate an omelette made from 3 eggs. I ended being out for dinner and had a spinich and feta salad... it was really good... Overall I did really well.. The treat was planned. I asked at brunch for no toast or potatoes so I wouldn;t be tempted. I also resisted the chips and brushetta at the Survivor party I was at last night too... My weight was down this morning so that was also a positive thing for me.

Mel: as I am getting back into good shape again, my tummy skin is getting more and more rippled and looking worse Oh well, I want kids so all I can do for now it too try and keep getting stronger and stronger and wait. Take it easy and take care!

Noodles: Hope you feel better

Meg: I read somewhere (I don't know the source), but there was a study done which had a group of people who had a full nights worth of sleep and a group who had less than 6 hours... The group which had less sleep ate about 600 more calories a day. About the kitchen environment, I guess i am lucky... my BF's doc has put him on an eating plan to lower his cholestrol so we've both been eating really healthy without much processed food. There is pretty much no accessable junk food right now at my house (just the stuff I'd have to bake up so it's not a temptation).

Jack: those sound delicious!!

Cheers!

Ali

Noodles: let's just pretend I've already given you the lecture about taking it easy...
Mel: A tummy tuck for a Mother's Day gift... better than a blender, by far
Jack: so the mushrooms act like a pizza crust? I'm not sure I'm picturing this right.
Meg: WHAT leg fat???

As for me, things have quieted down since my DH's little bit of ER drama. The wound is healing nicely, but he'll be at home for another week. I've got swallows trying to nest under the ridge on the front porch, which would be fine except they poop a lot, and bomb you as you step out the door.... so bird netting goes up and we give them another spot to nest...

The DH's accident has had one good effect: it's shown him he's really out of shape and needs to hit the gym to build himself up. I've got his promise on that, and I'm enforcing it-- his BP is a little too high. I can't be too hard on him though, he's been very supportive, and right behind me about keeping high-calorie/low-nutrient foods out of the house.

I'm getting closer to goal. I've been mostly hitting the gym lately, but I hope to get outside more, weather permitting, when the DH goes back to work. OTOH, at this point it's more a matter of body composition and losing fat than the number on the scale, and the cardio and weights at the gym burn up the fat pretty efficiently. Lately the project has been proceeding slowly but surely, and with a remarkable lack of drama, which is fine with me.

MEL!!!

All I gotta say is, for someone ON DRUGS your spelling is impeccable!!

Jeeez...now that we have TWO weekly threads (one at LWL and one at Maintainers) I have to decide what to post at each thread. Don't want to repeat myself...since many of us hang out at both places! Ah well, I'll figger it out...

So how was Mom's Day for those of you that celebrate it?

Mel!! Mother's Day Tummy Tuck!! Lucky You!

Mother's Day for me was pretty much uneventful, but my mother came over and Hubby and Kids made Beer Can Chicken... Take a half-full beer can and stuff it in the chicken and sit it right side up on the BBQ! The steam from the beer cooks the chicken and you but a rub on the skin and under it to make it all-around delicious! With asparagus spears and baked potatoe... Perfection...

Jack I'm going to have to try that Portobell Pizza, sounds delish!

I went to the gym yesterday and did bis/tris and shoulders, funny combo but they were the only body parts left for my week...I biked to the gym then after my workout I went for a 20K ride (12.5miles)... It was gorgeous out!! Today it's NOT, rainy, cloudy, dull...

Mel -- I'm going to the gym too to do legs in a little while...

Duh -- what's a LB? I keep thinking Lower Body ... but I know that's not it.

And Jack -- I doubt that you want me to send DH to the Men's Corner. He's 6' tall, 165 pounds, eats anything he wants, in whatever quantities he wants. He very empathetic and supportive but his brain is just wired completely differently than mine when it comes to food. He'd probably come over to your forum and start asking you guys for a good wine to go with fettucine Alfredo. Sigh.

Congrats on the new tummy, Mel! You sure waited long enough, but I'm sure it will be well worth the wait.

Ilene -- I'm MEG!!! Not Mel! Trust me, Mel's not doing legs for a while!

for fettucine alfredo, i'd go with a dry white: frascati, pino grigio. not one with a lot of fruit.

<sigh> don't really have time to post right now. gotta go to a meeting.

Hi guys, I had a good weekend and mother's day. We spent all day Sunday at a local waterslide park. That's something I never would have done when I was bigger but I love it now! We had a blast! I absolutely love the fact that my weight doesn't prevent me (or that I let it) from doing things that I want to do anymore. I desperatly missed being able to ride rollercoasters, etc. at amusement parks when I got too big too fit and now you can't keep me off them when we go! Sometimes I cringe at all the years I spent missing out on these little joys but I've got to leave the past where it is and make sure it never happens again!

Wow, Meliris, a mother's day tummy tuck! You can't really beat that, can you?! I hope all is going well. I really hope I'll be able to do that some day as well. Congratulations! Enjoy your new and improved body!

It sounds like everyone had a pretty nice weekend, except for poor Noodles of course! I hope you feel better soon!

Beverly

I had a wonderful mothers day! I went to breakfast with my mother and my brothers family and had half of a ham and cheese omlete once slice of wheat toast and a few homefries!

Mel-I hope you arent in too much pain! I would have loved a mothers day tummy tuck!

Jack-those mushrooms sound great! I am making chicken fajitas tonight with brown rice and lots of salsa.

I made it to the gym for the first time since wednesday and I paid for it today. Not sore just hard to get back into things. I hope everyone had a good monday!

MeGGGG -- I'm such a ... I tell ya I don't know where my head is sometimes... Here's another good one MeG ... I have a SIL who called her sons Shawn and Shane!! Can you IMAGINE how I can screw that up!!

I didn't do legs today ... I fell asleep instead ... but DH said he'd take me for a wallk later

Well I have to get going I can hear him doing the dishes because I left the kitchen quickly to not over eat, I think I'm safe now...